Ja’Vonte Smart’s 30 points powers Scotlandville to EBR tournament title over McKinley

The championship game of the East Baton Rouge/Bob Pettit Coca Cola Boys Basketball tournament Friday Night at the Family Christian Gym was a chance for McKinley to repeat. Only this year, Ja’Vonte Smart and Scotlandville stood in their way.

Not to be denied, Smart scored 30 points to lead the Hornets to a 57-37 win over the host Panthers. The victory marked the sixth tournament title in the event for Scotlandville.

The last two days of the tournament were played at Family Christian due to the large crowds on hand.

Smart scored the opening basket of the game a mere 30 seconds into the game but defense was the early calling card for Scotlandville in building a 16-6 lead after one quarter.

The Hornets continued to roll, taking a 31-14 into halftime.

McKinley (13-6) came out ready to play in the third quarter as the 2016 MVP of the EBR Tournament Tyrece Radford helped key a 9-0 run to pull the Panthers within 31-23. The Hornets responded with a 3 pointer by Tai’ron Joseph and led 39-27 going into the final period.

Scotlandville (14-5) iced the game with an 11-2 spurt to take a 50-31 lead with 3:35 to play.

The LSU signee Smart was named tournament MVP, while Reece Beekman had 10 points for the Hornets.

The Panthers had three players in double figures as Keshawn Leatherman and Marcus Coleman each had 12 while Radford added 10.

The Broadmoor Buccaneers (13-8) defeated the third-seeded Zachary Bronchos (7-10), 51-45, to claim third place.

Area Prep Basketball Results from Friday, Dec. 29

Boys

New Orleans Area

Boys

New Orleans Area

Archbishop Rummel 62, Grace Christian 51 (Sunkist Shootout in Lafayette)

Clark 60, St. Martinville 56 (St. Martinville Tournament)

Holy Cross 48, West Florida 30 (Pensacola Catholic Tournament)

Jesuit 58, St. John Paul (VA) 44 (Mt. Vernon Holiday Tournament at Alexandria, VA)

Riverside 71, McGill-Toolen (AL) 63 (Sunkist Shootout in Lafayette)

Roswell, GA 83, South Plaquemines 46 (Marlin Christmas Classic at Panama City Beach, FL)

St. Mary 59, St. Thomas Aquinas 52 (Sunkist Shootout in Lafayette)

Gene Bennett Tournament at St. Paul’s

East Ascension 70, St. Paul’s 65

Walker 72, Slidell 54

Mandeville 54, International 31

Northshore 62, Franklinton 50

Purple Knight Tournament at St. Augustine

Sophie B. Wright 58, St. Augustine 44 (Championship game)

Bonnabel 66, McDonogh 35  57

Landry-Walker 60, Chalmette 42

Karr 65, Carver 39

Archbishop Hannan Hustle Tournament

Bogalusa 58, French Settlement 55

Covington 80, Archbishop Hannan 71

Newman 64, Hammond 50

Baton Rouge Area

Amite 57, Assumption 55 (Plaquemine Tournament)

Broadmoor 51, Zachary 46 (McKinley-EBR Parish Tournament)

Brusly 85, Loreauville 36 (Vermilion Catholic Tournament)

Catholic (BR) 68, Jehovah-Jireh 52 (Catholic Tournament)

Central 68, Runnels 31 (Catholic Tournament)

Choctawatchee, FL 66, University 54 (Northwest Florida Shootout)

Dunham 76, West Feliciana 39 (Episcopal Tournament)

Episcopal 65, Doyle 44 (Episcopal Tournament)

Glen Oaks 52, Baker 38 (McKinley-EBR Parish Tournament)

Holden 46, Gueydan 39 (North Vermilion Tournament)

Live Oak 68, Ascension Catholic 18 (Episcopal Tournament)

Madison Prep 65, Woodlawn (SH) 64

Natchitoches Central 69, Denham Springs 39

Plaquemine 42, White Castle 39 (White Castle Tournament)

Scotlandville 57, McKinley 37 (McKinley-EBR Parish Tournament)

St. Amant 67, Parkway 63 (Airline-Doc Edwards Memorial Tournament)

St. James 51, McMain 40 (Plaquemine Tournament)

St. John 36, Northlake Christian 28 (Episcopal Tournament)

Vandebilt Catholic 50, Parkview Baptist 48 (Catholic Tournament)

Bayou Area

H.L. Bourgeois 75, South Terrebonne 62 (E.D. White Catholic Tournament)

Central Catholic 44, South Lafourche 40 (E.D. White Catholic Tournament)

Central Lafourche 80, West St. John 36 (E.D. White Catholic Tournament)

Covenant Christian 77, Erath 34 (Vermilion Catholic Tournament)

Crowley 64, Berwick 35 (North Vermilion Tournament)

Morgan City 71, Barbe 49 (North Vermilion Tournament)

Patterson 52, St. Martinville 46 (St. Martinville Tournament)