Brusly, Port Allen to settle tough District 7-3A
e_SDLqBoth teams have played 28 games, and now it comes down to this ... one game to win the district title. ” HAROLD BOUDREAUX, Brusly coach
It’s no secret that Brusly High School and Port Allen have an intense rivalry in all sports. The two West Baton Rouge Parish schools are set to take their game to a championship level Friday night.
Eighth-ranked Brusly (20-8, 7-2) hosts No. 9 Port Allen (21-7, 7-2) with the District 7-3A boys basketball title on the line. Varsity game time is set for about 7:30 p.m. at BHS.
“This is really something,” Brusly coach Harold Boudreaux said. “Both teams have played 28 games, and now it comes down to this ... one game to win the district title.
“It’s winner take all and I know it’s something both teams and the communities are excited about it. To me, this is what high school basketball is all about.”
The Port Allen-Brusly game helps highlight a busy Friday of basketball action in and around the Baton Rouge area.
There are some other key showdowns, including a District 9-1A game that has third-ranked White Castle (21-7, 9-0) traveling to St. Gabriel to take on East Iberville (14-10, 8-1), a team ranked just outside the top 10. A key girls game to note sends fourth-ranked University (26-3, 11-1) to No. 6 Episcopal (23-7, 9-3).
The Port Allen-Brusly game features several intriguing plot lines. PAHS has already beaten Brusly three times this season, including a 64-61 come-from-behind win in the first round of district play last month. The combined margin of victory in those games was 11 points.
“It’s hard to play a quality team like Brusly so many times and win every one,” Port Allen coach Brandon Ricard said. “There aren’t any secrets between the two teams. The kids all know each other and because it’s a rivalry, any time we play it’s a big game. There are not a lot of new angles to exploit. The chance to play for a district title means a lot for both schools and our parish.”
PAHS’ win on Jan. 24 also included two of the most prolific performances of the season by the point guards for the two teams. Port Allen sophomore Nick Parker finished with a career-high 39 points, including 17 in the fourth quarter. Brusly’s 5-foot-10 junior Dimario Jackson tallied 32 points.
“Those two young men are the key to their teams,” Boudreaux said. “The teams go as they go. I believe Nick Parker is one of the best point guards in the state and I think Dimario is every bit as valuable to us. They’re both so much fun to watch.”
The 5-11 Parker enters Friday’s game with a 28.5 scoring average. Jurius Turner, Darian Claiborne and Quincy Paul all average about nine points per game for the Pelicans, who seek their first district title since advancing to the Top 28 tournament in 2008. At 6-3, Paul is the tallest PAHS starter.
Jackson has an 18.2 scoring average to pace Brusly, which lost its last 7-3A game at Donaldsonville, 73-66. Micah Spears (6-5) is next at 11.0, while Jay Christophe (6-3) has a 10.0 average.
While the winner of Friday’s game will wrap up the 7-3A title, the loser may find itself in a playoff for second with Donaldsonville (16-10, 6-3), pending the outcome of Donaldsonville’s Friday game at St. James.
Boudreaux said it would be fitting for the 7-3A title to be decided in another close game.
“When I say 7-3A, (what) I’m thinking is ACC or Big East,” Boudreaux said. “Just about every game with all the teams have gone right down to the wire. That’s what I expect again — another close one.”
Ricard adds, “It’ll come down to which team can execute the best and impose their will. It will be a battle.”