Basketball: Larvadain scores 49 in Riverside win, Country Day downs East Jefferson

Area Prep Basketball Report for Friday, Feb. 12

Gage Larvadain was the CrescentCitySports.com, NASH 106.1 FM and Friday Night Football Prep Player of the Year for 2020 after a brilliant season contributing in all three phases for the Riverside Academy football team.

That is not even Larvadain’s best sport. That was on full display Thursday evening in Baton Rouge.

Larvadain pumped in 49 points, pulled down 11 rebounds and handed out four assists as the Rebels won 79-67 in Baton Rouge over Catholic High.

Catholic led 20-17 after one quarter before Riverside controlled the second quarter to take a 41-30 halftime lead. Catholic cut the deficit to 50-44 after three quarters.

Harland Hamilton scored 33 points in an outstanding performance for the Bears while Dennis Hebert added 13 points.

Riverside (11-7) has now won two straight after a 4-game losing streak. The Rebels, who are second in the most recent LHSAA Division IV power rankings, will play at De La Salle next Wednesday at 7 p.m. while the Bears (15-9), fifth in the Division I power rankings, play at Woodlawn of Baton Rouge next Tuesday at 5 p.m. in District 5-5A play.

In Metairie, Country Day went to East Jefferson and knocked off the Warriors 54-47.

The Cajuns did it with a big fourth quarter, outscoring the Warriors 19-11 in the final quarter.

The Cajuns led 14-12 after one quarter and it was tied 27-27 at halftime. East Jefferson took a 36-35 lead going to the final quarter.

Xane Hunter led the way for the Cajuns with 19 points and six assists and Hunter made all nine free throw attempts, including six in the fourth quarter. Hartson Moss scored 10 points and Jordan Trahan scored eight points. Cam Terrell finished with seven points.

Molik Reese topped the Warriors with 17 points and nine rebounds while Chris Flippin finished with 11 points and 10 rebounds.

Country Day head coach Mike McGuire was thrilled with the win.

“I think East Jefferson is a potential Final Four team,” McGuire said. “I thought we competed and held the big guy (Flippin) to 11 points. Reese was good but we contained the others. I was really proud of the way we played. I think we can get as high as the fifth seed,” McGuire said.

The Cajuns (10-9), sixth in the Division IV power rankings, return to action Wednesday at Lusher Charter at 4:30 p.m. while East Jefferson (17-8), ranked 24th in the most recent 5A power rankings, will host rival Bonnabel Saturday at 6 p.m. in a key District 8-5A contest.

Area Prep Basketball Results from Thursday, Feb. 11

Boys

Albany 68, Maurepas 28

Archbishop Shaw 69, John Curtis Christian 63

Brother Martin 57, Archbishop Rummel 38

Country Day 54, East Jefferson 45

Doyle 69, Pope John Paul II 40

French Settlement 71, Northlake Christian 66

Karr 57, New Orleans Military & Maritime 46

Lusher Charter 70, John F. Kennedy 46

McMain 69, Ben Franklin 49

Riverside Academy 79, Catholic (BR) 67

Sophie B. Wright 74, McDonogh 35 38

St. Thomas Aquinas 78, Springfield 33

Girls

Archbishop Chapelle 54, Archbishop Hannan 49

Doyle 65, Pope John Paul II 33

Kenner Discovery 37, Sacred Heart (NO) 26

St. Thomas Aquinas 50, Springfield 18

Ursuline Academy 52, De La Salle 38