Lutcher races by SCC

Published 12:00 am Saturday, January 20, 2001

MICHAEL KIRAL

LAPLACE – Lutcher turned its District 9-3A opener with St. Charles Catholic into a track meet Tuesday night. The Bulldogs literally ran past the Comets during a 22-2 second quarter run on their way to an 87-65 win in the Comet Gym. Lutcher improved to 14-10 overall. Donnie Francois led the way for Lutcher with 24 points. Chris Johnson tossed in another 14 points while Jamie Jackson and Courtney Long went for 13 points apiece. Jackson also had seven blocks, including three straight on one possession. The majority of the Bulldogs’ points came in transition. “We’ve played against some very big, very physical schools this year,” Lutcher head coach Mike McNamara said. “We knew we had to be able to rebound against them. Jackson played his best game of the year. He dominated the inside. Francois and Johnson took the game at them. Everybody stepped up.” Meanwhile, the Lutcher defense was holding the Comets to one of their lowest point totals of the season. Mike Mustian led the team with 17 points. Michael Bonura contributed 14 and Alton Alexander 12. “We allowed them more than one shot at the goal,” St. Charles Catholic head coach Phillip Cavell said. “We didn’t knock down the shots when we needed to and allowed them to get in transition. We didn’t do the things we needed to take care of.” St. Charles Catholic took an early 9-6 lead as Mustian found Aaron Johnson for a jumper in the lane. Lutcher tied the game with 4:19 left on a jumper by Francois. The Comets regained the lead with under 2:30 to play as Johnson found Alexander underneath. Bonura followed with a 3-pointer from the left wing to build the lead to 16-11. A jumper by Jackson from the rights ide made it 18-15 at the end of the first quarter. That would be the start of a 24-2 run for the Bulldogs. Francois tied the game with a 3-pointer fom the left side on the opening possession of the second quarter. Long followed with a layup off a pass by Francois, then converted a three-point play to make it 23-18. After a scoop by Francois made it a seven-point game, Jamall Singleton got the Comets back on the scoreboard with a jumper from the top of the key. But Lutcher came right back as Reggie Scott drove the left baseline and Jared Alexis hit a jumper from the right side. A jumper by Francois and a put back by Jackson forced the Comets to call a timeout with three minutes left and the score 33-20. Francois took a steal in to make it 37-20 two possessions later. Mustian broke the run with a 3-pointer from the left corner. Johnson cut the deficit to 12 on a put back. But Long followed with a jumper from the right baseline as the Bulldogs took a 39-26 lead into halftime. “We told them to keep at them,” McNamara said of the run. To keep putting pressure on the ball and force them to make mistakes. I’d say two-thirds of our points were scored on the defensive end of the court. Everything was in transition. “We preach defense. That’s what it’s all about. Everything is geared to the defensive end of the floor.” Francois increased the lead to 16 with a 3-pointer on the opening possession of the third quarter. A drive by Long made it 46-29. The Comets got the lead down to 13 on a pass from Bonura to Johnson and a drive by Alexander but the Bulldogs reponded with a 12-2 run. Johnson banked in a shot to open the run and Alexis scored off a rebound by Francois. Jackson scored on a put back and a layup to make it a 58-35 game. The Comets pulled to within 58-49 on a 3-pointer by Mustian and a drive by Alexander. Daress Nicholas added a jumper and Alexander scored underneath to make it 62-44 heading into the fourth quarter. The Comets continued to pull closer as the final quarter opened as Mustian buried a jumper and Alexander scored off a pass by Bonura, making it 62-48. But Lutcher then scored on its next three possessions, using a jumper by Ashlon Albert and two layups by Jackson to take a 68-48 lead. Johnson later banked in a jumper, then grabbed a steal in the backcourt and took it in to give the Bulldogs an 80-55 lead. Lutcher steps out of district play Tuesday to host Riverside. St. Charles Catholic is also at home, playing Donaldsonville in district.