Basketball: Ja’Vonte Smart erupts for 62 points as Scotlandville blitzes Belaire

It is impossible to ignore.

In our daily prep basketball roundups, there is always a quest to seek the best of the best.

Unquestionably, the best of the best in Louisiana this season is senior guard Ja’Vonte Smart of Scotlandville.

The LSU signee put his full skill on display Friday night, erupting for 62 points in a masterful performance as the defending Division I state champion Hornets blasted Belaire 99-50 at Scotlandville in District 4-5A action. Smart sank nine 3-pointers as part of his outburst.

The 62 points were the second most scored by any player in Louisiana this season. Smart score 64 points in an 85-77 victory over Little Elm, TX on November 25.

The Hornets led 23-11 after one quarter and 46-21 at halftime. It was 71-36 going to the fourth quarter.

Reece Beekman added 11 points and DaVyon Smart had nine for the Hornets (22-5, 4-0). Chad Starwood topped the Bengals (5-15, 1-2) with 13 points while Theodis Harrison and Jerrell Bowman, Jr. each had nine points.

Scotlandville is ranked No. 1 in the most recent LHSAA Division I power rankings.

Both teams return to 4-5A play Tuesday night as Scotlandville, which has won four straight, plays at Live Oak at 7 p.m. while Belaire hosts Walker at 7:30 p.m.

In a huge game Saturday, former district Rivals Country Day (18-8) and Newman (22-4) square off at Newman at 6 p.m.

The Cajuns, who have won five straight games, are coming off of a huge 68-64 win at powerful Riverside, the top-ranked team in the LHSAA Division III power rankings. The Greenies are coming off of a tough 58-56 loss to a very good Sophie B. Wright squad.

Country Day is second while Newman is fourth in the LHSAA Division III power rankings.

Area Prep Basketball Results from Fri., Feb. 2

Boys

New Orleans Area

Amite 60, Northlake Christian 38

Bonnabel 67, West Jefferson 57

Brother Martin 64, Archbishop Shaw 43

Carver 60, Riverdale 50

Donaldsonville 46, St. James 36

East Jefferson 60, Chalmette 28

Fontainebleau 54, Hammond 52

Ben Franklin 60, NOMMA 48

Holy Cross 57, John Curtis Christian 55

Independence 68, Pine 42

Jesuit 75, Archbishop Rummel 29

Karr 60, McMain 40

Grace King 62, Higgins 59

Lusher 49, St. Charles Catholic 28

Northshore 60, Mandeville 41

Ponchatoula 59, Slidell 47

South Plaquemines 81, Fisher 60

St. Helena 64, Springfield 51

St. Paul’s 72, Covington 68

St. Thomas Aquinas 43, Doyle 39

Varnado 64, Houma Christian 61

E.D. White Catholic 48, Archbishop Hannan 46

Baton Rouge Area

Baker 92, Mentorship Academy 45

Catholic (BR) 64, East Ascension 47

Dunham 81, East Feliciana 67

Dutchtown 65, Broadmoor 53

Episcopal 55, The Church Academy 42

Glen Oaks 69, West Feliciana 62

Live Oak 74, Central 66

Livonia 71, St. Martinville 47

McKinley 72, St. Amant 54

Plaquemine 84, Parkview Baptist 61

Runnels 73, Maurepas 46

Scotlandville 99, Belaire 50

Southern Lab 68, East Iberville 67

St. John 55, Ascension Catholic 35

University 59, Brusly 50

Walker 68, Zachary 38

Wilkinson County Christian (MS) 61, Baton Rouge 38

Woodlawn (BR) 55, Lutcher 38

Bayou Area

Assumption 68, South Lafourche 56

Berwick 61, Erath 31

Centerville 87, Gueydan 19

Central Catholic 65, Highland Baptist 16

Covenant Christian 45, St. Martin’s Episcopal 34

Ellender 73, Vandebilt Catholic 58

Franklin 54, Delcambre 32

Thibodaux 69, Terrebonne 33

West St. Mary 86, Catholic (NI) 40

Girls

New Orleans Area

Helen Cox 52, Academy of Our Lady 33

John Curtis Christian 61, Cabrini 34

Warren Easton 75, Belle Chasse 31

East St. John 90, Destrehan 30

Franklinton 51, Pearl River 16

Hammond 56, Fontainebleau 51

Independence 40, Pine 34

Landry-Walker 36, West Jefferson 29

Loranger 45, Albany 32

Northlake Christian 50, Amite 44

Ponchatoula 55, Slidell 22

South Plaquemines 54, Fisher 24

St. James 52, St. Charles Catholic 48

St. Thomas Aquinas 62, Doyle 60

Baton Rouge Area

Ascension Christian 76, White Castle 62

Capitol 40, Northeast 33

Dunham 66, East Feliciana 17

East Iberville 59, Southern Lab 48

Episcopal 42, The Church Academy 31

Live Oak 38, Central 24

Mentorship Academy 65, Baker 64

North Central 61, False River 45

Parkview Baptist 54, Plaquemine 46

Scotlandville 58, Belaire 21

St. John 45, Ascension Catholic 31

St. Martinville 63, Livonia 43

University 64, Brusly 15

Zachary 66, Walker 55

Bayou Area

Central Catholic 40, Highland Baptist 25

Ellender 63, Vandebilt Catholic 19

Erath 43, Berwick 14

Franklin 53, Delcambre 38

Kaplan 57, Patterson 5

South Lafourche 69, Assumption 37

Thibodaux 39, Terrebonne 28

Area Prep Basketall Schedule for Sat., Feb. 3

Boys

New Orleans Area

Brother Martin at Jesuit, 7:15 p.m.

Newman at Country Day, 6 p.m.

Plaquemine at Helen Cox, 4 p.m.

West St. John at East St. John, 6 p.m.

E.D. White Catholc at Grand Isle, 6 p.m.

Baton Rouge Area

Baker at Donaldsonville, 4 p.m.

Broadmoor at Southern Lab, 6 p.m.

Lafayette Christian at Madison Prep, 7 p.m.

South Plaquemines at Ascension Catholic, 2 p.m.

Girls

New Orleans Area

East Jefferson at Grace King, noon

French Settlement at Riverside, 6 p.m.

Iota at Holden, 2 p.m.

Mount Carmel at Mandeville, 1 p.m.

Newman at Country Day, 4 p.m.

Baton Rouge Area

East St. John at Live Oak, 2 p.m.

St. Amant at McKinley, 5:30 p.m.

Bayou Area

South Lafourche at South Terrebonne, 6 p.m.