By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

East St. John’s comeback from 17 points down against East Ascension on Friday night was not only epic, but also historic.

The Wildcats’ 70-68 win over the Spartans meant that the team clinched an outright district championship in boys basketball for the first time in the school’s history.

Last Tuesday, ESJ topped Hahnville at home to clinch a share of the District 6-5A title for only the second time in school history. A celebration commenced.

But Friday night’s was bigger and better, said ESJ coach Yussef Jasmine.

“The fans, the coaches, everyone was dancing,” he said. “This has been a special season.”

Kaylon Placide scored 21 points to lead the Wildcats to victory. Lucas Martin scored 13. Kelth Cameron added 11.

Quinn Coco led the Spartans (26-9, 3-7) with 22.

Placide hit a 3-pointer with a minute left in the game to give ESJ (18-14, 8-2) its first lead of the night, 69-66. His steal on EA’s ensuing possession gave the Wildcats the ball right back, and he made one-of-two free throws with 21 seconds left to put his team up by four. The Spartans had no answer.

Even after his team fell behind by 17, Jasmine said he kept the faith in his team.

“I still felt like we’d win. It was just a matter, to me, of how we’d get back into it,” he said.

Coming off of Tuesday’s emotional win, Jasmine said his team came out flat on Friday night, and East Ascension was more than willing to take advantage. The Spartans led by five after a quarter and pushed that lead to 15 at halftime, 44-29.

It was a rare offensive explosion against a team noted for its suffocating defensive play.

“Our transition defense was just bad in the first half,” Jasmine said. “We gave up a lot of easy baskets. And that took away our strength, our halfcourt defense. When we allow them to score in transition, we’re not helping ourselves at all.

“I told our guys at the half that we were playing like another team.”

That changed after halftime. ESJ outscored the Spartans 41-22 in the second half, including a 25-11 margin in the fourth quarter.

East Ascension tried to protect its lead by slowing the ball down in the last three minutes, but that allowed East St. John’s halfcourt pressure to overcome the Spartan offense.

“We became really assertive down the stretch,” Jasmine said. “We forced four or five turnovers at the end. Our fans got into it, and it got them out of their game.”

And it got East St. John into a district championship.

“This season started out rocky,” said Jasmine. “But this team believes in themselves now. The fans are believe in them. The administration and the parents are behind us.

“Really, this season’s been about more than winning basketball games. It’s been about developing pride in East St. John. That’s what’s been the most rewarding thing to me.”