By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

RESERVE — Nationally ranked Riverside opened its season Monday night in dominating fashion, defeating Forrest Hill (Mississippi) 80-43 at home.

Ricardo Gathers scored 25 points in just over two quarters of action to lead Riverside. Donald Thomas scored 16. Zelvin Smith added 13 and Louis Dabney scored 11.

Riverside led 22-12 after the first quarter, then opened things up by holding Forrest Hill to six second quarter points. RA led 38-18 at halftime. RA led by 17 after three, but A 22-4 fourth quarter margin put Forrest Hill away for good.

Byrd said that he felt his team played “twice as good” as it did against McDonogh 35 in its preseason opener on Nov. 10.

“We had really good energy,” said Byrd. We played well defensively and I thought we played really unselfishly. We shared the ball.”

Forrest Hill is a Class 6A Mississippi school that traditionally contends for its state championship.

Gathers did not start the game due to a missed practice; he would sit for the first quarter, but did monumental damage to Forrest Hill upon his entry into the game.

“He was really efficient,” said Byrd.

Byrd also noted the lift that Lucas Martin’s return gave to the team.

Martin, the team’s senior starting point guard, missed the team’s preseason action as he played in the Rebels’ football playoff run.

“He’s really the glue,” said Byrd. “He’s a huge reason as to why we shared it so much. He gets it into the right people’s hands in the right spots. And his leadership and intensity is always a major plus.”

The Rebels are currently in Arkansas playing in the Rumble on the ridge tournament. Look for details in Wednesday’s edition.