By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

WESTWEGO — Hahnville coach Kevin Robicheaux wasn’t concerned with style points on Thursday, just after his team registered a 56-55 victory over Riverside in the opening round of the Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic girls basketball tournament.

“I’ll take an ugly win over a pretty loss any day,” said Robicheaux.

Most important of all for the veteran Hahnville coach was seeing his team register a victory over a quality foe on a large stage just before the start of district play. The Tigers improved to 5-10 with the victory, sealing things on Amber Robicheaux’s steal with three seconds left — that negated the Rebels’ final chance to retake the lead.

“That’s why we had her in the game,” said Kevin Robicheaux — not only the younger Robicheaux’s coach, but also her father. “For that type of smart basketball play. It was important for us to force a turnover there.

“This was probably our biggest win, to get it here in this kind of atmosphere.”

Senior forward Akira Zeringue made the eventual game-winning free throws in the game’s final minute. She finished with a team-high 16.

“Any time you get into that situation, you want the ball in the hands of one of your seniors, one of your returning starters. She has the experience,” said Robicheaux.

“Down the stretch, you need to take care of the ball and make your free throws. We did a good job at one of those, at the line.”

Turnovers plagued both sides throughout the night. But for Riverside (13-4), the team’s giveaways were compounded by 15 missed free throws.

Given the razor thin margin of defeat, it left Riverside coach Kristy Hebert frustrated.

“There were a couple of times where we went out and got up by six, got up by eight, then come right back and turn it over two or three straight times,” said Hebert.

“I’m speechless in a sense. Like I told my players, here was a chance to show everyone that you’re for real, and we lay an egg in a sense.”

Hebert said that it was as poor a performance in terms of taking care of the ball as the Rebels have had this season.

“Aside from the third game of the season against Ellender … it was the second most turnovers we’ve had this season, if not the most,” said Hebert.

Danashia Lebeauf scored 14 for Hahnville. Mariana Gilbert added 10.

For Riverside, Kendra Turner led the way with 19 points. Toni Hebert scored 11 and Kelsey Joseph scored 10. Jaimaya Bolden added seven.

Hahnville led 28-24 at halftime, but Riverside seemed poised to take control of the game in the third quarter. Channan Simmons found Turner for a layup to cut Hahnville’s lead to 32-30, then a Hebert layup tied it off of a full court feed from Joseph.

Ru’yana Bossier answered with a layup at the other end, but Riverside quickly took the lead back and then some on an 8-0 run. Turner scored on a putback, then Joseph scored on a jumper and then a layup. Turner scored inside off of an inbounds play, and the Rebels led 40-34. But Hahnville scored a quick four points to end the third quarter, making it 40-38 entering the fourth.

Bolden scored inside to begin the fourth quarter, but then it was Hahnville’s turn to make a run. Zeringue made two free throws, then a Robicheaux jumper tied things up at 44. Marissa Gilbert nailed a jumper to give Hahnville a lead, then Zeringue scored and drew a foul — her free throw made it 49-44 and capped a 9-0 run.

Riverside answered quickly. Joseph found Simmons for a 3-pointer on the wing to make it 49-47, then Simmons returned the favor, feeding Joseph for a layup in transition that tied the game. Turner nailed a turnaround shot in the lane with 3:01 left, putting Riverside back ahead by two. She made one of two free throws moments later to cap an 8-0 run.

“Basketball is a game of runs,” said Robicheaux. “You just have to make sure you don’t get too low when they make theirs.”

Hahnville’s Bailee Kaplan drew a foul and sank two free throws to break up the run and pull HHS within one. Turner made one of two at the line again, but Kaplan made another key play to tie things up on a layup with 1:06 remaining.

With 38 seconds left, Zeringue drew a foul and made one of two at the line to push Hahnville ahead by one. Riverside turned the ball over with 26.7 seconds left; Zeringue went to the line again and made two to extend the lead to three.

Joseph drew a foul with 11.8 seconds left and pulled Riverside within one. But after Zeringue missed a pair at the line, the Rebels had one last chance with eight seconds left; Robicheaux intercepted their pass downcourt to seal things.

“We definitely grew up a lot tonight,” said Robicheaux.