REPLAY: InspireNOLA MLK Classic highlighted by exciting contests

NEW ORLEANS – The legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King means so much to not only just African Americans but people all over the world. The January holiday is celebrated all over the world, honoring the life of Dr. King.

Of course, New Orleans always have various events on MLK Day. The InspireNOLA MLK Basketball Classic started in 2021, featuring various teams all over the state of Louisiana including teams from InspireNOLA schools. Crescent City Sports has broadcast the event for the last three years. The 2024 version of this event was fun and intense on Monday afternoon at McDonogh 35 Gymnasium.

Edna Karr (14-8) extended their win streak to four with a defensive effort in a 45-37 victory against Scotlandville (14-8).

Jamal Drewery and LaMarkus Williams fueled the Hornets to an early 18-8 lead but Karr rebounded by outscoring the Hornets 15-2 in the second quarter. Jyren Brooks took charge inside with a pair of layups, and Keith Jones was all over the place offensively and defensively. He scored six points in the quarter including a one-handed dunk to end the first half. The Cougars took a 23-20 lead into the half.

Brooks continued his dominance for the Cougars inside while Kevin Slaughter chipped in a couple jumpers extending the lead to 28-23. Scotlandville bounced back with four three-pointers in the 3rd quarter, tying the game 34-all.

Slaughter came up big with a floating layup, giving Karr a 36-34 lead and the Cougars never looked back behind their defensive effort. Brooks and Tyrone Wilson scored a pair of layups that put the game away.

Karr had two players scoring in double figures. Brooks led the Cougars with 16 points. Jones finished with 12. Drewery led Scotlandville with 14 points, and Brown scored eight.

McMain and Sophie B. Wright came down to the final seconds. Davonte Landry made 1 of 2 free throws for Sophie B. Wright (12-8), tying the game 57-57 with 9.1 seconds remaining. Landry then fouled Oren Bowens before the ball was put back into play. Bowens made two free throws to give the Mustangs the lead, and Wright turned over the ball on their next possession. Melvin Lambert made two free throws to put the game out of reach for McMain in a 61-57 victory.

The trio of Lambert, Bowens and Jabbar Louper powered McMain (8-8), which had its biggest lead of the game, 45-32, with 6:29 remaining in the game. Sophie B. Wright got back in gear with a 15-3 run. Tyrone Minor scored with a putback, giving the Warriors a 49-48 lead. Lambert came up big late in the game with a three-pointer that put McMain ahead 57-54 with 22 seconds remaining.

McMain had three players scoring in double figures. Lambert led the Mustangs with 29 points. Bowens finished with 12 and Louper added 10. Sophie B. Wright also had three players in double figures with Washington and Paul Chester scoring 12 points a piece. Landry finished with 10.

George Washington Carver and St. Augustine closed out the night with a very interesting game. The Purple Knights came ready to play but the Rams made big plays late in a 67-63 victory. Carver (12-5) led 63-55 with 1:14 remaining in the game.

St. Aug (15-4) came back with a 7-2 run, cutting the deficit to 65-62 with 19.8 seconds remaining. Hubert Caliste was fouled behind the three point line but he made just one of three free throws. Lawrence Nathan later made two free throws to put the ball game away foe the Rams.

Both teams went back and forth early in the game, Cy Merritt took charge for the Purple Knights with a driving dunk and layup, Air Force signee Turner Duncan stepped up with a pair of three-pointers giving the Purple Knights an 18-17 lead.

Carver jumped ahead due to the duo of Nathan and Daijon Leatherman. Nathan scored a pair of driving layups while Leatherman dominated in the paint with a pair of layups as Carver held a 33-28 lead at the half.

“We did it as a team. My point guard fed me the ball and made my shots. This was a good game all-around,” said Leatherman. “Each day I improve even more by extending my range or finding moves on the post.”

“I came in this game focused and locked in. I was not letting calls get to me because I wanted my team to have a cool head,” said Nathan.

Carver had two players scoring in double figures. Nathan led the Rams with 26 points. Leatherman finished with 21 points. St. Augustine had three players scoring in double figures. Merritt led the Purple Knights with 26 points. Duncan finished with 16. Caliste scored 10 points.

“These kids don’t have a quitting bone in their body. Our guys always believe in themselves and execute down the stretch,” said Carver Head Coach Devin Andrew. “Staying in the game mentally allows us to execute down the stretch like we needed to. This is what it’s going to be in a Playoff atmosphere. Having these type of games now is always good for us.”

Earlier in the MLK Basketball Classic, McKinley (11-8) defeated McDonogh 35 (8-13), 58-31. Four players scored in double figures for the McKinley including Kaleb Brown with 16 points. John Emery finished with 12 points. Craig Lovelady scored 12 points. Jaylen Williams scored 11 points. Naszir Forte led McDonogh 35 with eight points and Jason Astorga had seven.

Northside (12-11) had a huge second half to take a 55-42 victory over Booker T. Washington (6-13). Salvador Simon led the Vikings with 14 points. Jaydon Francis finished with 13 points. Jamarian Ardoin scored 11 points. Derrin Clayton led Booker T. Washington with 15 points. Meikhi Colbert and Princeton Lee finished with eight points each.

L.B. Landry (16-7) pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 53-44 victory over Southside (11-8). Daryl Adams led the Buccaneers with 20 points. Riheem Jackson finished with 11. Southside also had two players scoring in double figures. Jayce Tolivar led the Sharks with 17 points and John Armstrong finished with 10.