Basketball: Host Country Day, Riverside advance to tournament title game

One game came down to the final second. The other came down to a pair of great players on great teams.

The result is a pair of very familiar opponents, district rivals, will square off for the championship of the Country Day Tournament Saturday night in Metairie.

Ross Talbot scored on a layup with two seconds left to lift host Country Day to a 46-44 victory over Catholic of Baton Rouge.

In a game that was back and forth throughout, the Cajuns led 13-9 after one quarter but the Bears dominated the second quarter to take a 23-18 lead at halftime. Country Day rallied to tie the game 32-32 after three quarters, setting the stage for the frenetic final quarter.

Kaleb Jenkins led Country Day with 13 points, Talbot had 10 and Shawn Royal finished with eight points. Collin Holloway topped Catholic with 17 points while Nicholas Justice finished with seven points.

Alabama signee Jared Butler pumped in 34 points for the Rebels while LSU signee Javonte Smart finished with 33 for the Hornets.

In a game that was close throughout, the Rebels had a slight edge throughout and held off the Hornets. Riverside led 19-18 after one quarter and 40-35 at halftime. The Rebels expanded the lead to 60-50 after three quarters and held off Scotlandville for the win.

It was the second win for the Rebels (13-0) over the Hornets (10-3). Riverside won a 75-73 thriller at Scotlandville on Dec. 11.

Jalen Banks added 10 points for Riverside while Kash Foley finished with nine points. Reece Beekman and Trevon Smith each had 11 points for Scotlandville.

Country Day will take on Riverside at 8:30 p.m. for the championship tonight while Catholic faces Scotlandville for third place at 7 p.m.

The Cajuns and Rebels are more than familiar with each other. The District 11-2A rivals met on Dec. 2 in the Sophie B. Wright Tournament with Riverside prevailing 66-56. The Cajuns swept three games against Riverside a year ago en route to the Division III state championship, winning by scores of 68-50, 72-50 and 58-43, the latter coming in the state semifinals.

Area Prep Basketball Results from Friday, Dec. 22

Boys

New Orleans Area

Country Day Tournament

Semifinals

Country Day 46, Catholic (BR) 44

Riverside 78, Scotlandville 69

Consolation Games

Hahnville 80, St. Charles Catholic 39

Karr 53, De La Salle 36

Landry-Walker 53, Crescent City Christian 39

Northshore 53, Archbishop Rummel 43

St. Paul’s 57, McDonogh 35  47

St. Thomas More 79, John Curtis Christian 67

Others

Archbishop Hannan 62, Varnado 58

East Feliciana 43, Jesuit 34

Holy Cross 45, Teurlings Catholic 30

Lusher 52, Fontainebleau 38

McMain 59, Ben Franklin 56

Riverdale 60, Higgins 51

St. James 57, East Iberville 47

St. Martin’s Episcopal 51, Ecole Classique 22

Baton Rouge Area

Broadmoor 56, Glen Oaks 55

Denham Springs 76, Dutchtown 66

Episcopal 40, Many 38

Jehovah-Jireh 83, Airline 78

Jennings 65, The Church Academy 58

Kentwood 53, St. Helena 45

LaGrange 81, Baker 78

Live Oak 62, Amite 59

Madison Prep 71, University 57

Northeast 50, Loranger 42

St. Amant 59, Zachary 43

Bayou Area

H.L. Bourgeois 57, New Iberia 48

Central Lafourche 56, Assumption 42

Girls

New Orleans Area

Archbishop Hannan 41, Varnado 20

Brusly 33, Academy of Our Lady 31

Warren Easton 58, Cabrini 38

East St. John 59, Thibodaux 49

Franklinton 48, Bogalusa 30

Karr 21, West St. John 18

Grace King 51, De La Salle 27

McMain 58, Ben Franklin 29

Ponchatoula 56, Hammond 31

Ursuline 57, Fontainebleau 45

Baton Rouge Area

Dutchtown 64, St. Louis Catholic 46

Ellender 59, Lee 57

St. Joseph’s Academy 52, St. Thomas More 42

Tara 38, Iowa 31

Bayou Area

Berwick 42, David Thibodaux 32

Hahnville 55, H.L. Bourgeois 41

Houma Christian 39, Riverside 35

Area Prep Basketball Schedule for Saturday, Dec. 23

Boys

New Orleans Area

Country Day Tournament

Catholic (BR) vs. Scotlandville, 7 p.m. (third place game)

Country Day vs. Riverside, 8:30 p.m. (championship game)

Others:

Brother Martin at Ascension Catholic, 7:15 p.m.

Carver at East St. John, 5 p.m.

Bayou Area

Ellender at H.L. Bourgeois, 7 p.m.

Girls

Baton Rouge Area

Glen Oaks vs. Wossman, 11:30 a.m. at University High Tournament

Fontainebleau vs. Dutchtown, 2 p.m. at University High Tournament

St. Thomas More at St. Joseph’s Academy, 6:30 p.m.