Basketball: De La Salle takes district title; Country Day boys, Mandeville girls win

In boys prep basketball action Friday, De La Salle captured the District 9-4A championship with a thrilling 54-52 win at home over The Willow School.

The Lions led 13-11 after one quarter before the Cavaliers took a 27-26 halftime edge. De La Salle led 45-39 heading to the fourth quarter.

Bryce Kittok and Manny Young each scored 11 points to top De La Salle while Armand Woods finished with 10 points.

Jacobi Willard led The Willow School with 21 points, Elijah Davis had 18 points and Zion Morvant finished with 11 points.

De La Salle (13-15, 3-1), 21st in the Select Division II power ratings, closes its regular season next Saturday at Salmen.

The Willow School (12-14, 2-2) finishes its regular season hosting Belle Chasse next Saturday.

It is a great rivalry of Metairie private schools covering many decades.

Whenever Country Day and St. Martin’s Episcopal hook up in any sport, enthusiasm is high and the anticipation is even higher.

Both were true Friday night and the game lived up to expectations.

Sophomore Brennan White calmly drilled a corner 3-pointer and was fouled, making a free throw to complete a rare 4-point play with 6.9 seconds remaining to lift Country Day over St. Martin’s 70-67 at Patrick Gymnasium in an important power points game for both teams.

The dramatic ending saw the Cajuns erase a four-point deficit with under a minute to play.

The game was close throughout, tied 13-13 after one quarter before Country Day took a 30-28 halftime lead. The Cajuns led 51-48 going to the final quarter.

Freshman Kellen Brewer was terrific for Country Day, scoring 28 points and assisted on the game-winning basket by White, who finished with 13 points, including four 3-pointers. Maddox Moss scored 15 points for the Cajuns.

Cooper Odom topped the Saints with 24 points, including four 3-pointers. Ashton Oiler and Matthew Weaver each scored 13 points for St. Martin’s.

The comeback was largely due to the free throw line.

Country Day sank its last nine attempts while St. Martin’s missed seven of its last eight free throw attempts.

It was the second close 3-point win for the Cajuns over the Saints this season. Country Day edged St. Martin’s 81-78 in double overtime on Dec. 28.

Country Day (15-10), now seventh in the Select Division III power ratings, will host Slidell Monday.

St. Martin’s (21-6), second in the Select Division IV power ratings behind Crescent City Christian, will host Vandebilt Catholic Wednesday.

In girls action, Mandeville finished District 6-5A play unbeaten with a convincing 60-16 win over Covington.

Alanna Benoit had 18 points and five rebounds, Hannah Benoit scored 17 points with six rebounds, five steals and three assists and Saleigh Berry had 12 points with five rebounds and five steals. Berry made seven of eight free throw attempts.

Mandeville (26-5, 6-0) is third in the Non-select Division I power ratings heading into the playoffs.

Covington completed its season 9-16 overall and 0-6 in district play.

Area Prep Basketball Results from Friday, Feb. 9
Boys
Amite 61, St. Helena 56
Archbishop Hannan 66, Loranger 50
Archbishop Shaw 90, Higgins 49
Bonnabel 76, Chalmette 40
Central Catholic 71, Hanson Memorial 34
Central Lafourche 45, Thibodaux 38
Central Private 44, Central Catholic 41
Country Day 70, St. Martin’s Episcopal 67
De La Salle 54, Willow School 52
East St. John 51, Port Allen 40
E.D. White Catholic 67, Berwick 60
Family Christian 56, Mount Hermon 37
French Settlement 86, Ascension Christian 62
Kenner Discovery 68, Riverdale 64
Landry 81, New Orleans Military & Maritime 63
Lutcher 54, Assumption 40
Parkview Baptist 55, Cohen 32
Pine 63, Holden 37
Slidell 52, Northshore 47
South Plaquemines 47, Houma Christian 41
St. James 61, Donaldsonville 60
Terrebonne 49, East St. John 46
University Lab 57, Doyle 47
Vandebilt Catholic 65, Ellender 31
Varnado 52, West St. John 50

Girls
Amite 48, St. Helena 14
Assumption 41, Lutcher 36
Covenant Christian 47, Central Private 35
Doyle 56, University Lab 50
E.D. White Catholic 54, Berwick 11
Family Christian 58, Mount Hermon 38
Fontainebleau 58, Archbishop Hannan 33
Live Oak 63, Northlake Christian 33
Mandeville 60, Covington 16
Maurepas 48, False River 11
Northshore 56, Slidell 38
Pine 64, Holden 57
Ponchatoula 61, Hammond 31
Terrebonne 47, East St. John 46
Thibodaux 49, Central Lafourche 40
Vandebilt Catholic 63, Ellender 13
West St. John 48, Varnado 41