MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / February 16, 2000

METAIRIE – In a game filled with spurts, Riverside had the last one to pull away from Newman, 55-47, in the District 9-2A second place playoff at Chapelle Monday night.

Riverside (17-13) hosts Vermilion Catholic, the seventh-ranked team in Class 2A, in the bi-district playoffs Thursday. Newman travels to St. Helena.Newman had rallied from an 8-point lead at the beginning of the fourth quarter to tie the game at 43 on a steal and drive by Tiffany Jones with 3:53 left. Riverside regained the lead on its next possession on a drive by CrystalRome. Two possessions later, Jennifer Guidry drove the lane and dropped apass to Amy Hymel underneath, increasing the lead to 47-43.

Katherine Katz knocked down a jumper from the right wing to pull the Greenies to within 49-47 with 1:20 left. But Newman would not score again.Riverside ran the clock down on its ensuing possession with Guidry being fouled with 59.6 seconds left and making the first of two free throws.Heather Montz kept possession for the Lady Rebels by grabbing the second miss. Wendy Reames would be fouled with 39.7 seconds left and made one oftwo free throws to build the lead to 51-47. Guidry then iced the game bygrabbing a steal under the Newman basket and being fouled, hitting both shots to make it a six-point game with 34.2 seconds remaining.”It was a game of spurts there for awhile,” Riverside coach Matt White said.

“They never died. But we were able to answer them. Teams that win arethose that answer those spurts and we were able to kept theirs to a minimum. We kept answering when they came back and had something forthem. It was a total team effort and that’s what we have been stressing allthe time.”Rome led all scorers with 25 points. Guidry contributed 15 and Reamesseven. Newman was led by Jones with 12 points. Jessica Neveu added another10 while Katz and Emily Buth had six apiece.

Riverside took a 35-27 lead into halftime and increased it to 10 on two Guidry free throws with 4:31 left in the third quarter. Newman beganchipping into the lead after Neveu got its first points of the half on a drive with 3:55 left. A jumper by Buth cut the deficit to two with 1:53 left. But Rome answered for the Lady Rebels, hitting two free throws, then coming back a possession later with a drive down the lane to make it 41-35 heading into the fourth quarter.

Guidry opened the last quarter with a drive to make it an eight-point game with 6:49 remaining before Katz started an 8-0 run for the Greenies with a jumper from the right wing.

Riverside had jumped out to an early 10-2 lead behind two 3-pointers by Rome. Newman rallied to take a 17-15 lead at the end of the first quarter onLauren Mioton’s jumper from the free throw line.

The Greenies took their biggest lead at 21-15 on Jones’ jumper with six minutes left in the half. Riverside rallied, regaining the lead at 22-21 on a 3-pointer by Reames with 4:25 left. A late 8-2 run, capped by a put back byGuidry made it 35-27 at the half.

PLAYOFF BRACKETS SET – BATON ROUGE – Five local schools qualified for the girls’ basketball state playoffs that begin this week.

In Class 5A, East St. John, the District 7-5A champion, hosts Slidell in the bi-district round tomorrow at 7 p.m. Slidell, the third-place team in District 6-5A, eliminated the Lady Cats in the regionals last season.

Destrehan, the District 7-5A runner-up, travels to LaGrange, the second place team in District 3-5A.

Hahnville, the third place team out of District 7-5A, travels to District 6-5A champion Covington to open the playoffs.

In Class 3A, St. Charles Catholic, which placed third in District 9-3A, travelsto District 10-3A champion Karr in the first round.

In Class 2A, Riverside defeated Newman for second place in District 9-2A Monday night and will host Vermilion Catholic, the third place team out of District 5-2A.

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