ESJ Wildcat basketball undefeated, takes Brother Martin tournament champinship

Published 12:00 am Monday, November 27, 2006

By JOHNNY PEPPO

Sports Editor

How often can it be when a team’s football team can have the same record as the basketball team? How about at the same time?

East St. John looks like it could do just that if the basketball team keeps up their season opening streak for another week.

Most recently, the Wildcats won the Brother Martin tournament championship this past week, winning out of the brackets with wins over Salmen and Edna Karr before the finals game. The championship game was a 80-61 in ESJ’s favor over Brother Martin.

On Tuesday in the tournament, East St. John basketball picked up their third win of the season in a 67-57 win at Edna Karr. That match-up provided the Wildcats their closest game of the season so far, a 69-68 overtime win against Salmen.

ESJ entered the tourney with a 1-0 record after their season opener at home following a 77-61 win last Tuesday over St. Amant. There, Trenton Marshall posted a game-high 31 points while Jamaan Kenner added 17.

&#8220We’ve been looking pretty good in practices and working at it,” said head coach Charles Julien. &#8220It’s showing on the court and hopefully get some things done. We’ve got a good group again this year.”

Last season, the Wildcats came on strong at the end of the year and advanced to the quarter-finals of the 5A playoff bracket before they were ousted by Hahnville. Marshall and Kenner are returning starters who will likely look to spur the team offensively to a run at the district title.

Coming up, the Wildcats have a pair of road games on the schedule, before returning home on December 5 to play Reserve Christian.