By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

Host West St. John got back on the winning track in district play on Friday night, defeating 9-1A rival North Iberville, 56-50.

Carday Barnes and Dray Joseph led the Rams with 12 points each. Alton Joseph scored 10.

The Rams led by two entering the fourth quarter, 40-38.

In the final period, West St. John (10-10, 2-1) outscored the Bears 16-12, closing out North Iberville (11-10, 1-2) with what WSJ Coach Antoine Edwards deemed a “strong defensive effort.”

“When we went to our man-to-man defense on them, we were able to block some shots, get some turnovers, and get ourselves back into it,” said Edwards.

Once again, West St. John won behind a balanced effort that saw six players score six or more points.

After trailing early in the game, the Rams established a 29-26 halftime lead and were able to stay ahead from there.

But the Bears stayed hot on the trail of West St. John throughout.

“They’re very balanced, and they do nothing flashy,” said Edwards of North Iberville. “But they do what they’re supposed to out there. They kept it close all night.”

West St. John has now won four of five games, but Edwards isn’t satisfied – he says there’s still work to be done, especially in regards to foul shooting. The Rams missed 17 free-throws on the night.

“We’re feeling good, but we still need to keep improving,” said Edwards. “The free throws we missed hurt us down the stretch.

“Our turnover ratio and defensive effort has been good, but there is always room for improvement.”