Basketball: Nicholas fuels Landry to home win over Ehret

ALGIERS – John Ehret and LB Landry are two of the most improved boys basketball teams in New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. Both teams are ranked high in the power rankings.

The Buccaneers, looking to bounce back after an home overtime loss to Carver on Tuesday, faced some adversity Friday night when Anthony ‘Mouse’ Johnson went down with an ankle injury. Landry head coach Rob Wallace looked to his other players to step up on Johnson’s behalf. Shavurdacour Nicholas took charge with a huge second half in a 62-57 non-district home victory over the visting Patriots.

Landry (13-7) had a 60-57 lead with 14 seconds remaining but Ehret (13-4) had a chance to tie the game. Joshua Grabert Jr. missed a three pointer. Nicholas rebounded the miss and made two free throws to put the game away.

Nicholas made his last six free throws and finished with a game-high 33 points, including 28 in the second half.

“Seeing your closest brother go down like that, I had to step up. I knew what Mouse could of did if he was on the floor,” said Nicholas. “I told my teammates that we have to help each other up and play your part. This coach right here is the best coach ever. He taught me how to battle within the game.”

The Buccaneers jumped out to a quick lead in the opening period thanks in part to a three-pointer by Franswar Neal and Johnson’s layup to stake Landry to an early 10-4 edge.

The Patriots bounced back with a dunk by John Kelly and a three-pointer by Grabert but Landry answered with a driving layup by Devin Hymes and a three-pointer by Brandon Edinburgh that bumped the Bucs lead back up to 17-11.

Ehret continued to battle as Frederick Moffett converted an old fashioned three-point play followed by consecutive layups from Montel Robinson and Allen Shaw Jr. to knot the game 26-26 at the half.

Starting the second half, the Patriots looked to flip the script. Shaw knocked down consecutive three-pointers while Grabert added another three that made it 35-30 in favor of the visitors.

The Bucs got off the canvas and fought back with a three-pointer by Rahiem Veal before Nicholas went on a tear. His three-pointer and dunk on an ally-oop put Landry back on top, 44-41. Nicholas scored 16 points in the quarter.

Nicholas continued his onslaught starting the fourth quarter, finishing a drive with a dunk to make it 49-44.

Ehret continued to battle all the way to the end. Shaw and Moffett scored consecutive layups to draw ithin a possession at 51-48. Nicholas penetrated and earned another three-point play to bump the lead back to five.

The Patriots stayed in striking distance with a layup by Kelly to make it 57-54 but Nicholas and the Bucs would not be denied.

“We needed this win big time. I’m glad the guys fought through in our house. This is a great win for the program,” said LB Landry Head Coach Rob Wallace. “Mouse told them don’t shy away from the moment.”

Shaw paced Ehret with 15 points. Moffett and Grabert finished with nine a piece. The Patriots will try to get back to their winning ways against Lutcher at home on Tuesday night.

“We had a good look. I’m going to win or lose with 3 (Grabert). I’m going to live and die with that shot,” said John Ehret head coach Everett Armond Jr. “We’re not playing to extend the game. We’re going for the jugular. It was a good environment and we needed it. 13-3 was a humbling experience and now 13-4, we got to get ready for district.”

Landry will look to carry their momentum into a big non-district matchup against Southside in the InspireNOLA MLK Classic on Monday at 3:30 p.m. at Edna Karr High School. Crescent City Sports’ live streaming coverage of high school basketball continues with the final three games of the InspireNOLA MLK Classic.

Area Prep Basketball Results from Friday, Jan. 13

Boys
Amite 79, Albany 45
Brother Martin 54, Archbishop Rummel 36
Catholic (BR) 62, Donaldsonville 46
Central Lafourche 54, East St. John 45
Central Private 50, Christ Episcopal 36
Destrehan 60, Terrebonne 51
French Settlement 73, Springfield 33
Hahnville 56, De La Salle 42
Hammond 54, Sarah T. Reed 41
Helen Cox 54, West Jefferson 46
Houma Christian 59, Haynes Academy 51
Jesuit 59, Holy Cross 45
John F. Kennedy 62, M.L. King Charter 44
Landry 62, John Ehret 57
Lutcher 60, Belle Chasse 59
Phoenix 63, South Plaquemines 51
Pine 64, Bogalusa 36
Riverdale 88, Grace King 54
Scotlandville 52, Carver 44
St. Augustine 65, Karr 59
St. Charles Catholic 66, Ascension Christian 29
St. Paul’s 42, Mandeville 41
West St. John 53, Rosenwald Collegiate 36
Zachary 72, McMain 50

Girls
Amite 49, Albany 48
Archbishop Hannan 62, Pearl River 49
Bogalusa 53, Pine 50
Bonnabel 61, John Ehret 18
Christ Episcopal 33, Willow School 27
De La Salle 52, Hahnville 37
Fontainebleau 46, Archbishop Chapelle 40
French Settlement 57, Springfield 42
Glen Oaks 53, St. Helena 38
Hammond 54, East Ascension 52
McGehee 43, Academy of Our Lady 19
Northshore 61, Slidell 52
Ponchatoula 52, Lafayette 42
Salmen 65, Loranger 43
St. James 44, E.D. White Catholic 33
St. Scholastica 47, Franklinton 15