Boys Basketball: De La Salle cruises past Family Christian in Red Stick Classic

The week between Christmas and New Year’s means one thing if your are a Louisiana high school basketball player, coach or fan. It’s holiday tournament time.

The De La Salle Cavaliers made the short trip up from New Orleans for the second year in a row for the Red Stick Classic at Catholic High in Baton Rouge. The Cavaliers faced the Family Christian Flames in their tournament opener, starting hot and fast Thursday to extinguish the Flames in a 80-38 victory.

The Cavaliers opened the first quarter on a 13-6 run behind Jalen Ned who had six points during the opening burst. The Flames only had a 3-pointer by Trevor Washington with 6:20 to go in the quarter. After a three-point play by AJ Mercier with 3:20 to play in the first drew Family Christian within seven, De La Salle ended the first quarter on a 10-0 run to take a 23-6 lead to end the period. The Cavs led 33-13 at the half.

Ned hit two more three-pointers early in the second half to extend the De La Salle advantage that ballooned to 64-28 after three quarters.

De La Salle coach Paul Kelly cleared the bench in the final period.

“Family Christian is in a rebuilding phase this year,” Kelly noted. “Our guys were unselfish and I’m very proud of our team tonight. Our team did good and it was total team effort tonight.”

The Cavaliers were led by Ned with 27 points. Abiram Frye had 12 points and Ja’kobe Walker added eight.

The Flames were led by AJ Mercier with 11 points and Trevor Washington with nine points.

De La Salle (9-5) moves ahead into a winner’s bracket for a semi-final game versus the Port Allen Pelicans (9-8) who defeated St. Michael (8-5), 57-51. Family Christian (8-16) will face St. Michael in a consolation bracket game.

Area Boys Basketball Results for Thursday, Dec. 27

Johns Creek 64, Brother Martin 58

Pearl River 51, Varnado 50

East Ascension 62, Ben Franklin 41

West Jefferson 56, Edna Karr 35

South Lafourche 56, Terrebonne 55

Mandeville 41, West Feliciana 32

Hammond 79, Bogalusa 60

Livonia 71, St. Charles Catholic 49

South Terrebonne 60, West St. John 44

Fontainebleau 61, Erath 31

St. Augustine Purple King Classic

St. Augustine 56, McDonogh (35) 42

Thibodaux 82, East Ascension 77

Rummel 53, Teurlings Catholic 50

Lusher 47, Comeaux 40

Southern Lab 42, Vandebilt 41

Riverside 92, Walker 83

Sophie B. Wright 81, University Lab 66

De La Salle 80, Family Christian 38

Catholic-BR 81, Runnels 41

Port Allen 57, St. Michael 51

ED White 44, Central Lafourche 36

Central Catholic 63, HL Bourgeois 58

Bonnabel 82, Slidell 57

White Castle 70, Helen Cox 26

Southern Lab 42, Vandebilt catholic 41

Plaquemine 54, St. James 47

Albany 47, Northlake Christian 43

Long Beach Poly 49, Landry-Walker 48 King Cotton Classic (Pine Bluff, Arkansas)

Area Girls Basketball Results for Thursday, Dec. 27

St. Katharine Drexel Prep 52, Vandebilt 36

South Terrebonne 50, Chalmette 23

Houma Christian 46, East Iberville 25