By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

West St. John swept three games at the Higgins tournament over the weekend to move to 7-2 on the season.

The Rams downed Academy of our Lady, Algiers Technical Academy and Cohen as they continue to prepare for the start of district play at the end of the month.

West St. John topped Academy of our Lady, 54-43. Jaylyn Gordon and Danasia Bell each scored 14. JuJuan Nicholas added 10.

It was a 38-20 victory over Algiers Technical. Gordon again paced West St. John with 16. Nicholas added six.

Finally, it was Gordon’s 24 that helped push the Rams past Cohen for the second time this season, this time by a score of 51-31. Nicholas added nine in the win.

Gordon is averaging 15.2 points per game this season to lead the Rams. West St. John coach Lester Smith said that a concern entering the season was how his team would replace the scoring of departed senior center Kyla Morris, the team’s longtime leading points producer.

Nicholas and Bell have stepped up to help fill that void. Bell averages nine points per game; Nicholas averages seven.

“We knew it would be hard to replace (Morris),” said Smith. “But those two have picked it up. We’re playing well and playing hard, and now we’re on a bit of a winning streak.”

Smith said that his team has some missed assignments against AOL, but that the Rams picked up the defensive intensity the rest of the way. Cohen scored 12 in the first quarter of its contest with the Rams, but West St. John shut them out in the second frame.

“We dialed it up,” said Smith. “We’ve been scoring 39 a game and only allowing 29. We’ve been able to put a lot of pressure on teams.”

The Rams turn their attention to Higgins on Friday night after clashing with Belle Chasse on Tuesday (after presstime).

A 4A school, Higgins (4-5) represents a test for West St. John, one that Smith said is welcome.

“They’ll come out, play man to man, press full court, and we’ll have to really step it up to handle it,” said Smith. “But we want that challenge right before district.”