Country Day completes sweep of Crescent City with 71-62 victory

METAIRIE – When a pair of returning state championship teams with a solid number of returning players square off, a good game of excellence is to be expected. After all, the two combatants played just eight days ago and Country Day prevailed by three points over Crescent City Christian in a very close contest.

The second meeting followed a similar script as the Cajuns jumped out to a huge first half lead before the Pioneers made it interesting. In the end, the result was the same as defending Division III state champion Country Day downed defending Division V state champion Crescent City Christian 71-62 at Patrick Gymnasium.

Country Day jumped out to a 12-point lead at 21-9 before Crescent City closed the quarter on a 7-0 run to cut the Cajuns lead to 21-16 after one quarter. Christian Becnel had six points in the quarter to lead Country Day.

The Cajuns took total control in the second quarter, outscoring the Pioneers 20-5. Country Day opened the period on a 7-0 run and closed the quarter on a 9-2 run to take a commanding 41-21 lead into halftime. Kaleb Jenkins had seven points in the quarter, including a pair of 3-pointers and led the Cajuns with 11 points in the half.

Crescent City turned up the intensity and the pressure in the second third quarter. After falling behind 54-27, the Cajuns ripped off 13 straight points to cut the deficit to 54-40 and closed the deficit to 56-4 by the end of three quarters.

The Cajuns pulled out to a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter before the Cajuns got as close as they would get in the half to fall by nine points.

Kaleb Jenkins led the Cajuns with 21 points, six rebounds and three assists.

“In practice, coach emphasized taking care of the ball because in recent games, we had a lot of turnovers,” Jenkins said. “Our focus today was limiting our turnovers. It really helped us, slowing down the press, we got easy layups. We turned over the ball so much in the first game against them.”

Country Day had just five turnovers in the first half and 13 for the game while Crescent City had 11 turnovers. The Cajuns won the battle of the boards 32-27

Cajuns head coach Mike McGuire knew a 20-point halftime lead was not safe.

“I told our guys at halftime that’s a championship team and they would dig in and come and get us,” McGuire said. “I thought we got a little tired and didn’t handle the ball as well. We’re not making free throws right now but we did everything else really well. We had a 27-point lead and let it slip away a little bit. I’m proud of Kaleb. He hit some shots, he hit some free throws.”

Country Day was just 17-of-29 (58.6%) from the free throw line.

McGuire got center Justin Ibieta back from an injury to bolster his front line.

“He’s a big guy, he’s a calming factor, he did a nice job,” McGuire said. “He’s out of shape, not having played in two and a half weeks but he’s going to do some nice things for us this year.”

Ibieta had four points and three rebounds off the bench. Shawn Royal had 15 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots, Clinton Nicholas finished with 13 points, four assists and three rebounds and Becnel had 10 points, seven rebounds and four assists for Country Day.

Jonathan Vaughan led the Pioneers with 21 points and six rebounds while Byron Joshua had 12 points and four assists. Devante Harris finished with 10 points, five rebounds and four assists.

It was not enough. Pioneers head coach Shaun Dumas lamented his team’s slow start.

“In the second half, we kind of got back to our principles, the things that are our foundation, with help-side defense and better ball movement offensively,” Dumas said. “In the first half, I think we were a little bit too jittery, one shot and that was it. They are too good of a club to do that against. We could not capitalize on such quick shots. We fell too far behind.”

Country Day (6-3) has now won three straight games. Crescent City Christian (7-8) has now lost five straight games against a brutal schedule of opponents. Both teams will next play in the prestigious Country Day Tournament Dec. 20-23.

“We’ve played some of the best teams in the state,” Dumas said. “We’ve been in most of those games and been up in many of those games. It’s about finishing and that’s what I’ve been preaching to the guys. Our record may not look great but our kids are busting their butts and we will keep on working hard and it will pay off for us.”

Jenkins is bullish on the future for the Cajuns.

“We have a long way to go, this is just the beginning,” Jenkins said. “We’re going to be a great team. We have so many good players.”

FINAL
Crescent City 16 5 23 18 62
Country Day 21 20 15 15 71

Scoring
CD—Kaleb Jenkins 21, Shawn Royal 15, Clinton Nicholas 13, Christian Becnel 10, Robb Talbot 6, Justin Ibieta 4, Trey Vosbein 2

CC—Jonathan Vaughan 21, Byron Joshua 12, Devante Harris 10, Terrance Smith 8, Aidan Daliet 3, Cory Johnson 2, Glenn Rhone 2,

Area Prep Basketball Results from Monday, Dec. 11

Boys

New Orleans Area

Country Day 71, Crescent City Christian 62

Covington 70, Franklinton 54

Ponchatoula 56, Family Christian 54

Baton Rouge Area

Baker 86, Belaire 85

Berwick 49, Lutcher 33

Dutchtown 52, Donaldsonville 49

East Feliciana 66, Mentorship Academy 53

Kentwood 47, Jewel Sumner 30

Livonia 70, Port Barre 27

Loranger 74, St. Helena 56

McMain 65, Carver 55

Opelousas Cathoilc 64, The Church Academy 62

Riverside 75, Scotlandville 73

St. Charles Catholic 45, Ascension Christian 32

St. Michael 70, Teurlings Catholic 30

Woodlawn (BR) 54, Northeast 52

Bayou Area

Covenant Christian 52, Springfield 58

South Lafourche 93, Belle Chasse 39

Terrebonne 63, South Terrebonne 35

Girls

New Orleans Area

Archbishop Chapelle 58, St. Michael 41

East St. John 68, Dutchtown 34

Franklinton 67, Covington 37

McDonogh 35  49, Higgins 48

McMain 49, Riverdale 45

Salmen 47, Helen Cox 43

St. Katharine Drexel 46, West St. John 38

St. Scholastica 45, Country Day 32

Baton Rouge Area

Baker 51, Northeast 30

Brusly 49, Tara 22

Dunham 47, Donaldsonville 34

East Iberville 51, Woodlawn (BR) 38

Bayou Area

Berwick 40, Westgate 27

Lafayette Christian 60, Central Catholic 21

Area Prep Basketball Schedule for Tuesday, Dec. 12

Boys

New Orleans Area

Brother Martin at Chalmette, 7 p.m.

Cohen at Lake Area New Tech, 6 p.m.

Covenant Christian at Grace King, 7 p.m.

Covington at Salmen, 7:15 p.m.

Crescent City Christian at Madison Prep, 7 p.m.

Destrehan at John Ehret, 6:15 p.m.

Doyle at Northlake Christian, 7:30 p.m.

Dunham at De La Salle, 7 p.m.

Ben Franklin at West Jefferson, 6 p.m.

Hahnville at KIPP Renaissance, 6 p.m.

McDonogh 35 at Helen Cox, 7 p.m.

Ridgewood at Lutheran, 6 p.m.

Runnels at St. Charles Catholic, 6 p.m.

South Plaquemines at Archbishop Shaw, 7 p.m.

South Terrebonne at West St. John, 7 p.m.

Terrebonne at Bonnabel, 7:15 p.m.

Baton Rouge Area

Albany at Pine, 7 p.m.

Broadmoor at Port Alen, 7 p.m.

Carencro at University High, 7 p.m.

False River at Central, 7:15 p.m.

French Settlement at Ascension Christian, 7 p.m.

Lakeshore at Kentwood, 7 p.m.

Lee at Glen Oaks, 7 p.m.

Plaquemine at St. John, 7 p.m.

West Feliciana at Delta Charter, 7 p.m.

Bayou Area

Franklin at Rayne, 5:30 p.m.

Hahnville at Central Lafourche, 7 p.m.

Morgan City at Berwick, 5:30 p.m.

Girls

New Orleans Area

Academy of Sacred Heart (NO) at Patrick Taylor, 5 p.m.

Chalmette at Slidell, 6 p.m.

Covenant Christian at Grace King, 5 p.m.

De La Salle at Dominican, 5 p.m.

John Ehret at McGehee, 5 p.m.

Ellender at Warren Easton, 6 p.m.

Fontainebleau at Carver, 6:15 p.m.

Franklinton at Varnado, 6 p.m.

Karr at Mount Carmel, 5:30 p.m.

KIPP Renaissance at Clark, 5 p.m.

Lake Area New Tech at McMain, 5 p.m.

Pope John Paul II at Ben Franklin, 5 p.m.

Riverside at St. Thomas Aquinas, 6 p.m.

Ursuline at John Curtis Christian, 6 p.m.

Baton Rouge Area

Albany at Pine, 6 p.m.

Broadmoor at Port Allen, 6 p.m.

The Church Academy at Belaire, 6 p.m.

False River at Central, 6:30 p.m.

Family Christian at Runnels, 6 p.m.

French Settlement at Ascension Christian, 6 p.m.

Lakeshore at Kentwood, 6 p.m.

St. Amant at Live Oak, 6 p.m.

St. John at Dunham, 6 p.m.

West Feliciana at Delta Charter, 6 p.m.

E.D. White Catholic at Ascension Catholic, 6 p.m.

University at Carencro, 6 p.m.

Bayou Area

Grand Isle at Morgan City, 6 p.m.

St. James at South Terrebonne, 5 p.m.

Vandebilt Catholic at Thibodaux, 6:15 p.m.