REPLAY: Cajuns outlast St. Thomas More in 4 overtimes to win Country Day Classic

METAIRIE – It was only appropriate.

The 20th year of the Country Day Classic ended with perhaps the best classic in the history of the event.

Host Country Day went on to outlast St. Thomas More 66-62 in four overtimes in an instant classic aired live on CrescentCitySports.com.

Trailing 62-60, Phillip Antis nailed a 3-pointer from the corner with 18.8 seconds remaining to give the Cajuns a 63-62 lead.

St. Thomas More had taken the lead on a 3-point play by Monwell Willis with 28.8 seconds remaining in the fourth overtime.

Antis then came up with a big steal and added a free throw with 5.2 seconds remaining to make it 64-62 and freshman Brennan White hit a pair of free throws with four seconds left to clinch the victory.

The game was a relentless defensive battle from the start. The two teams were never separated by more than five points.

Country Day took a 10-7 lead after one quarter and led 18-16 at halftime. The Cougars tied it 27-27 after three quarters.

St. Thomas More took a 30-29 lead early in the fourth quarter and would not lead again until the second overtime but Country Day could not put the Cougars away, largely due to missed free throws.

The Cougars had a chance for the win in regulation as Elijah Guidry narrowly missed a 28-foot runner at the buzzer, sending the game to overtime tied 36-36.

In the first overtime, Country Day built a 43-38 lead but missed free throws allowed the Cougars to climb back and tie it, 46-46.

In the second overtime, there were five lead changes and Andrew Nelson got a shot of as time expired but missed off the rim and backboard, sending the game to a third overtime tied 51-51.

In the third overtime, there were three lead changes before Chad Jones was fouled with 9.7 seconds left and Country Day up 55-54. Jones missed the first free throw but made the second to tie the game 55-55.

The Cajuns (12-2) had a shot to win it at the buzzer but Cam Terrell could not convert a contested drive to the basket, sending it to the fourth overtime period.

Maddox Moss led Country Day with 16 points with five rebounds and four steals while Jordan Trahan scored 14 points before fouling out in overtime. Antis and White each scored 12 points.

Michael Mouton topped St. Thomas More (12-3) with 22 points, nine rebounds and three assists while Jones had 11 points and five rebounds.

Terrell was named the tournament Most Valuable Player for his overall play in his four games played in the event.

In the third-place game, Archbishop Rummel downed Archbishop Shaw 67-61, also aired live at CrescentCitySports.com.

The Eagles, who played without Christian Creppel and Jayden Scott, jumped out to a 20-17 lead after one quarter but the Raiders went on a 7-0 run in the second quarter and took a 27-25 lead into halftime.

Rummel (11-4) had an 8-0 run in the third quarter and opened up a 44-32 lead before carrying a 46-38 lead into the fourth quarter.

Shaw (11-3) pulled within 55-50 in the final quarter but could not get any closer.

Senior Chase Marino led the Raiders with 17 points while sophomore center Ja’Mard Jones had 13 points and five rebounds.

The Rummel bench was outstanding with Darrius Davis scoring 11 points with five rebounds while Kendrick Joseph added nine points and three rebounds.

Kam Johnson topped the Eagles with 26 points, six steals, three rebounds and three assists.

Area Prep Basketball Results from Friday, Dec. 23

Boys
Country Day Classic
Country Day 66, St. Thomas More 42 (4 OT) (Title Game)
Archbishop Rummel 67, Archbishop Shaw 61 (3rd Place Game)
John Curtis Christian 55, Karr 51 (OT) (5th Place Game)
White Castle 61, St. Martin’s Episcopal 60 (7th Place Game)

Others:
Brother Martin 50, Zachary 48
East Feliciana 60, St. Helena 50
Lutcher 52, St. James 45
Ponchatoula 63, St. Michael 59
Scotlandville 77, Hahnville 51

Girls
Hannan Hustle Tournament
Archbishop Hannan 52, Bogalusa 47
Archbishop Hannan 60, De La Salle 48
De La Salle 46, Lakeshore 35
Lakeshore 47, Kenner Discovery 37
Mandeville 51, Covington 32
Mandeville 77, St. Thomas Aquinas 44 (title game)
Pine 50, Bogalusa 38
Pine 50, Kenner Discovery 41
West Jefferson 56, Covington 20
West Jefferson 43, St. Thomas Aquinas 34