By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

KENNER – It was a rocky start for Riverside in its opening round Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic game against McDonogh No. 35.

But a shift in approach led the Rebels to a smooth landing.

Riverside erased a five-point halftime deficit to defeat the Roneagles, 62-47, at the Pontchartrain Center and advance to the second round, where it was to face Brother Martin in a battle of defending state champions Friday (after presstime).

“I’m not sure our guys were ready for McDonogh 35 tonight,” said Riverside coach Timmy Byrd. “They took it to us in the first half. They were tougher, they out-rebounded us, they put forth a better effort.

“At halftime, there was no strategic shift other than that we had to out-rebound McDonogh 35 and it was going to take hard work, discipline and toughness. Our kids were up to it and showed why they’re winners in the second half.”

Said the Rebels’ Louis Dabney, who led all scorers with 19 points: “We found out that they wouldn’t back down. They wouldn’t give it to us, and we had to respond.”

Ricardo Gathers scored 13 and Zelvyn Smith added nine for the Rebels.

Riverside began the night 0-8 from 3-point range and shot 1-13 from behind the arc overall.

McDonogh took advantage of the cold Riverside shooting early, holding the Rebels without a point for the game’s first four minutes until Smith made it 6-2 on a layup in transition. The Roneagles led 13-7 after a quarter.

The second quarter saw another cold start for Riverside, allowing McDonogh No. 35 to extend its lead. After Donald Thomas made a put back to push Riverside within four, Kristof Walker made two foul shots to push the lead back to six, then a 3 by Jerome Keifier doubled Riverside up, 18-9. The Roneagles would led 27-22 at the half.

Byrd said the message at halftime was clear: Riverside would overcome its poor shooting start by going inside.

“We were settling for too many jump shots. At the half, we stressed that even if you’re open, attack the rim and get fouled. And we executed that exactly how we wanted to after halftime.”

McDonogh led 32-28 when Jarrnard Jareau and Stanley Melancon each made buckets to push the Roneagle lead back to eight.

But once and for all, that woke Riverside up. Lucas Martin-Julien made a basket for the Rebels, then Dabney scored on a putback. Thomas dunked in transition to cut the lead to two, then Dabney made two free throws to tie things up.

They weren’t through. John Lewis made a pair of foul shots to give Riverside its first lead of the night with 52 seconds left in the third quarter. Trevin Smith scored off of an assist from Martin-Julien.

The Rebels simply wouldn’t relent, and the Roneagles did themselves no favors.

Down by four, McDonogh was whistled for an intentional foul against Dabney, who made one of two foul shots, then drew another foul and put Riverside ahead by seven.

Keifier cut it to five with a bucket, but then Lewis came up big for the Rebels, canning a 3-pointer with 4:04 left to play and then making another bucket to push the lead to 10.

“John came in and made some huge plays for us,” said Byrd. “I was tickled to death to see him come up big.”

McDonogh No. 35 would draw no closer than eight the rest of the way.

“This was a good win for us,” said Dabney. “We just had to learn that no team is going to back down from us.”

OTHER TOURNAMENT SCORES: Brother Martin defeated Blount (Ala.), 59-56; Kimball (Texas) 66, John Ehret 53; Peabody 65, Rummel 42; Sheldon (Calif.) 62, St. Thomas Aquinas 58; Salmen 59, Nova (Fla.) 47; Imhotep Charter 47, Country Day 30.