Lafayette girls edge Curtis to reach Sugar tournament final

GIRL'S PLATINUM BRACKET – RD2
Final: Lafayette High 49, John Curtis 46 #sbprepclassic pic.twitter.com/VqLcHSvxqk

— Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic (@sbprepclassic) January 8, 2022

WESTWEGO – Lafayette and John Curtis Christian went back and forth all game long before the Lions made the final push in a 49-46 semifinal victory in the Girls Platinum Bracket of the 11th Annual Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic on Friday night at the Alario Center.

Lafayette (12-2) outscored the Lady Patriots 14-9 in the fourth quarter and blocked a potential tying 3-pointer in the final seconds to advance to the championship game against St. Louis Catholic, which defeated Walker 61-48, in the title game at 3:30 p.m. Saturday. Curtis (11-4) will play Walker in the consolation game at 9:30 a.m.

“A tip of the hat to Lafayette,” Patriots coach Temeka Johnson said. “They’re a veteran group that fought hard and was hungry. But I’m proud of my girls because they fought hard.”

Chrysta Narcisse led Lafayette with 14 points and Breyionce George and Dacia Jones scored 13 each. Terrin Coffil led Curtis with 14 points.

The Patriots took a 37-35 lead into the fourth quarter, but Jones’ 3-pointer gave Lafayette the lead just 17 seconds into the period.

Coffil’s 3-pointer put Curtis back on top and after the Lions regained the lead Coffil made another 3-pointer to give the Patriots their final lead, 44-42 with 3:38 left.

But Curtis wouldn’t score again until the final seconds. Narcisse’s layup pulled Lafayette even and Jones’ free throw broke the tie with 1:57 left.

George made a layup and Narcisse’s free throw gave the Lions a 48-44 lead with 19.1 seconds left.

Ke’Sonja Nelson’s layup ended the Patriots scoring drought with 11 seconds left and when Narcisse made just one of two free throws with 7.9 seconds left, Curtis had a chance to tie with a 3-pointer.

Lafayette nearly made a steal, but couldn’t control the ball in bounds with 4.1 seconds left.

After a timeout, Coffil in-bounded to Jania Holmes, who passed back to Coffil for a good look on a 3-pointer but the Lions blocked the shot and time expired.

“There’s a lot we can take from this loss,” Johnson said.

The Lions got into the lane consistently as they took a 17-11 lead at the end of the first quarter, but the Patriots shored up their interior defense in the second quarter.

“We made an adjustment and closed off the paint,” Johnson said.

Coffil’s three-point play started the second-quarter scoring and Bailey Timmons scored Curtis final five points of the period, producing a 26-all halftime tie.

The score was tied four times in the third quarter before Chikae Desdune’s layup with four seconds left gave the Patriots a 37-35 lead at the end of the period.

Lafayette 17 9 9 14 — 49
John Curtis 11 15 11 9 — 46