Wildcats’ offense wakes up in fourth quarter

Published 12:00 am Friday, January 14, 2000

MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / January 14, 2000

ST. JAMES – The St. James’ offense, which had struggled for most of itsgame against Capitol Wednesday night, picked up when it counted the most – down the stretch.

The Wildcats outscored the Lions 24-13 in the final quarter, rallying for a 62-47 victory in non-district play in the Wildcat gym.

Capitol took a 38-34 lead into the fourth quarter but St. James opened thequarter with a 9-2 run. Corey Webster started the run by grabbing a stealat midcourt and taking it in. After Derrick Richardson answered forCapitol with a put back, Claudell Parker buried a 3-pointer from the right wing to bring the Wildcats to within one.

On the Lions’ ensuing possession, Leslie Aubert grabbed a rebound and threw deep to Webster. Webster caught the ball under the goal and laid theshot up, giving the Wildcats a 41-40 lead with 6:30 left. Joseph Christyscored on a put back on the Wildcats’ ensuing possession, building the lead to three.

Colby Jenkins banked in a jumper to cut the deficit to one. The Lions had achance to regain the lead after a St. James turnover but Steve Jonesgrabbed a rebound and threw deep to Parker to build the lead back to three.

After Leslie Aubert grabbed another Lions’ miss, Webster drilled a 3- pointer from the right side to make it 48-42.

Brandon Bass tossed in a put back to cut the deficit to 52-46 with 2:45 left. The Wildcats quickly got the ball upcourt with Webster driving infrom the left side. Jones then grabbed a rebound and found Webster drivingin, giving the Wildcats a 56-46 lead with 2:15 left. Jones took a pass fromParker and spun inside, making it a 12-point game “The offense came on really good in the last four minutes,” St. Jamescoach Lionel Ezidore said.

Webster finished with a game-high 25 points. Parker contributed 21points while Jones added six for the Wildcats (8-4).

Capitol was led by Bass with 11 points. Byron McCray added 10 points andChris LeDay tossed in nine.

Capitol used a 12-2 run to take a 14-6 lead at the end of the first quarter.

McCray drove down the lane to make it 9-6. McCray then knocked down a 3-pointer from the right side and Jenkins found LeDay inside to make it a 12-point game.

St. James pulled to within 14-10 early in the second quarter on a put backby Parker but Capitol came right back with a three-point play by Bass. Adrive by Webster and a jumper by Parker once again brought the Wildcats to within one. After a free throw by Quentin Ray, Parker tied the game at18 with a jumper with 3:45 left in the half.

A possession later, Justin Aubert gave the Wildcats the lead with a 3- pointer from the left side. Webster then grabbed a steal and brought it infor a dunk. Another drive by Webster made it 25-19 at the half.Leslie Aubert hit a 3-pointer from the left side and Jones scored inside to build the lead to 30-24 early in the third quarter. LeDay scored inside andRichardson tossed in a jumper to regain the lead for Capitol at 35-34 with 55 seconds left. LeDay added a three-point play with four secondsleft to make it 38-34 at the end of the third quarter.

St. James opens district play Tuesday against Donaldsonville.”I think we are playing well but all the other teams are playing well, too,” Ezidore said. “It’s going to come down to who is playing well that night. Ithink we are playing in one of the toughest districts from top to bottom.”

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