By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur

RESERVE – Riverside Dannecia Nora has been a double-double machine, and her 23 points and 10 rebounds helped lift the Rebels to their sixth win of the season Tuesday, RA besting host East Jefferson 59-24.

The Rebels are 6-1 so far this season, with the freshman center posting at least 10 points and 10 rebounds in all seven of their games this year.

“She plays very hard,” Riverside coach Kathy Luke said. “She has a strong desire to be a good player. She wants to learn the game and she’s getting better each and every day. We’re seeing her develop into a good player for us.”

Kennedy White added 13 points, while Ja’Keyra Gautreaux scored 12 to go along with nine rebounds, eight assists and four steals for Riverside.

Briley Becker racked up six of Riverside’s 15 steals in the game.

“Our defense really keyed our offense,” Luke said. “What I liked was we scouted (East Jefferson) before we played them, we put in a gameplan and our players really carried out what we were looking for. They had energy, they pressured the ball … we did a lot of good things on the defensive end.

“Our defense is ahead of our offense right now, which is a direct contrast to where we were at this time last season.”

Riverside led 17-10 after the first quarter, then allowed no more than seven points in any quarter the rest of the way.

REBELS TOP H.L. BOURGEOIS, PHOENIX – Nora piled up 22 points and 20 rebounds to lead the Rebels over host Phoenix on Nov. 26, 45-26. RA shut Phoenix out in the first quarter and never looked back.

Gautreaux scored 11 points and grabbed six rebounds. White scored nine points.

On Nov. 29, the Rebels defeated H.L. Bourgeois, 50-29.

Nora scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds. Kennedy White had 13 points, eight rebounds and five assists.

Luke said White, her most experienced player, has helped the team by playing a lot of point guard this season, after playing on the wing last year.

“It’s not her natural position,” Luke said. “We don’t have a true point guard right now, and matchups have really dictated who handles the ball in a lot of cases.

“Kennedy’s taking a lot of that load along with Ja’Keyra, and she’s giving us all she has. Her experience is immeasurably valuable to us.”