Hornets cruise to victory
Looking to reach its third straight state championship game, the Scotlandville High boys basketball team got off to the right kind of start Tuesday night in a convincing 72-46 victory over St. Paul’s in the first round of the Class 5A playoffs at Scotlandville.
The top-seeded Hornets, the state runners-up in 5A the past two years, took a 22-12 lead in the first quarter and never looked back. They next face No. 16 seed Woodlawn at home Friday.
Cleveland Thomas led Scotlandville with 21 points, followed by Damien Jones with 15. Rico Bedford had 16 points to lead St. Paul’s, the No. 32 seed.
Scotlandville improved to 32-2 with only one loss against an in-state opponent.
Class 5A
WOODLAWN 45, BARBE 35: Cameron Lazare scored a game-high 19 points, helping Woodlawn break a 22-22 tie at the half and advance to Friday’s matchup with Scotlandville.
Torin Hawkins added 12 for the Panthers.
Woodlawn (19-11) trailed No. 17 seed Barbe (17-13) by two after one quarter, then outscored the Bucaneers 15-13 in the second. It was a 30-27 game entering the fourth quarter.
BROTHER MARTIN 57, ZACHARY 53: In Zachary, Brother Martin overcame a 14-7 deficit through the first quarter to advance. Brother Martin outscored the Broncos 34-29 after halftime.
Morris Wright scored 18 points to lead Zachary, and Rasheed James added 13.
No. 21 seed Brother Martin improved to 17-9. No. 12 seed Zacahry finished 23-9.
WASHINGTON-MARION 85, TARA 76: In Lake Charles, No. 26 seed Tara outscored No. 7 seed Washington-Marion 55-46 in the second half, but the Trojans couldn’t overcome an early 28-11 deficit.
Shaquille Reed had 27 points for Tara (19-11) to lead all scorers.
Javandon Staves scored 21 points, helping Washington-Marion (24-8) set up a home game against No. 10 seed McDonogh 35 in the second round.
Class 4A
ISTROUMA 91, BASTROP 40: Four players scored in double figures as No. 5 seed Istrouma breezed by No. 28 seed Bastrop and into the second round.
Jamarcus Weatherspoon led Istrouma with 21 points, followed by Carvis Kaigler and Devon Bethely with 17 points apiece and Marquise Kaigler with 15. The Indians knocked down nine 3-pointers.
Jatavious Wilson was the only player for Bastrop (13-11) in double figures with 13 points.
Next up, Istrouma will host No. 12 seed Neville.
VANDEBILT 60, BELAIRE 57: In Houma, Ryan Leslie and Joseph Contelle combined for 40 points, leading No. 9 seed Vandebilt Catholic past No. 24 seed Belaire.
Leslie scored 23 points and Cantelle added 17.
For Belaire, Rydell Alexander went for 17 points, but the Bengals couldn’t hang on after taking a 30-27 lead at the half.
Vandebilt will hit the road Friday to face No. 8 seed Huntington.
ELLENDER 54, PLAQUEMINE 44: In Houma, No. 13 seed Ellender used a 22-7 run in the second quarter to overcome an early 14-9 deficit, setting the Patriots up for a matchup with No. 4 seed Salmen on the road in the second round.
Hosea Chatman scored 19 for Ellender and Gibby Talbot added 17.
Davon Godchaux had 19 for Plaquemine, but the 20th-seeded Green Devils (25-9) couldn’t overcome Ellender’s big second quarter.