Wildcats back to 100-percent with pair of games this week

BY DAVID FOLSE II

Sports Editor

It’s put up or shut up time for the East St. John Lady Wildcats and nearly halfway through district play all is good.

As healthy as they will ever be this season, the Lady Wildcats have started off a perfect 5-0 in district play after a dominating 68-47 victory over Hahnville last week.

“We have everyone healthy who is going to get healthy,” ESJ head coach Troy Giordano said. “Kimijuan Anderson is back now. We have every starter that we will get back. There is one that will not be coming back at all.”

Stasha Thomas led East St. John with 16 points. Guard Nikita Hutchinson had 13 and Randi Donald and Kimijuan Anderson both had nine points in the victory.

Giordano was happy with his team’s effort from the start.

“We just came out with a lot of intensity and were ready to play,” Giordano said. “We set the tone early, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. They only had 20 points at the half.

“In the second half, we really wore them down because of our full-court, up-tempo style. It got them tired. We outscored them 19-14 in the third quarter and 22-13 in the final period.”

He was also pleased with his team’s ability to get easy points, especially late in the game.

“We made 16 free throws in the fourth quarter,” Giordano said. “We got a few turnovers, but we just kind of wore them down in the end. Their shot was not falling and they were not able to get back on defense and we got a lot of easy baskets.”

“Any time you can pick up a district win on the road it is big. Hahnville was a tough place to play and that was a big game for both of us because we are both in the hunt for the playoffs. It puts us a leg up with them having to come to us now.”