REPLAY: Exciting games and moments capped off great day at MLK Classic

NEW ORLEANS – The MLK Basketball Classic presented by InspireNOLA is growing into a special annual event on MLK weekend in New Orleans. This year was no exception with a packed gym at Edna Karr High School and outstanding basketball.

Crescent City Sports streamed the final three games of the six played on the West Bank as part of the day-long event.

Southside (10-7) outscored LB Landry 25-12 in the fourth quarter to secure a 58-52 victory.

Landry (13-7) had a 36-35 lead with 6:35 remaining in the game before Bryson Williams took over for the Sharks, scoring 12 points in the fourth quarter. Jasen Breux and Dynell Jones Jr. came up big with consecutive driving layups, putting the game away for Southside.

Three players scored in double figures for Southside paced by Williams with 16 points. Jayce Tolivar added 12 points. Noah Brookter had 10 points. Jones finished with nine points.

Shavurdacour Nicholas Led Landry with 15 points. Devin Hymes finished with eight points. Franswar Neal scored seven points.

St. Augustine and Sophie B. Wright had possibly the best game of the day. Derrick Smith missed a game-tying three pointer for the Warriors in overtime as the Purple Knights survived a late rally in a 57-54 victory.

The Purple Knights (10-12) had a 41-34 lead starting the final quarter. The Warriors (17-5) outscored St. Aug the rest of regulation, 15-8. Jacorey Washington knocked down a three-pointer with one minute remaining to force overtime.

Both teams had a low scoring first half with the Warriors with a 19-17 lead. The pace picked up when St. Aug started to light it up with a 12-0 run, including three straight three-pointers by Danderick Green, Hubert Calliste and Turner Duncan that gave the Purple Knights a 39-24 lead.

Sophie B. Wright bounced back with a 10-0 run including a driving layup by Smith to cut the lead to 39-34. Duncan answersed with a jumper to end the third quarter.

St. Aug had three players scored in double figures. Duncan led the Purple Knights with 17 points. Green finished with 14 points. Cy Merrett scored 10 points.

Sophie B. Wright had three players scored in double figures. Washington led the Warriors with 18 points. Davonte Landry scored 11 points. Smith finished with 10 points.

InspireNOLA school rivals Eleanor McMain and Edna Karr had a fierce battle in the classic finale. The Mustangs defense set the tone of the game, made huge stops, and then made huge shots in a 47-42 victory.

Kevin Slaughter set the tone for the Cougars (8-11) with consecutive jumpers. Then Yqb Johnson came off the bench scored a driving layup and a three pointer. The Mustangs (6-1) answered when Oren Bowens scored a three pointer and a driving layup giving McMain a 13-12 lead.

Bowens continued his impact for McMain with another layup. Then Jabbar Louper scored consecutive driving layups extending the lead 24-19 at the half.

The Cougars kept fighting with consecutive layups by Slaughter, Tyrone Wilson, and Derrick Hawkins. They took a 33-31 lead. Donte Briggs stepped up for the Mustangs with back to back three-pointers. McMain takes a 34-33 lead.

Johnson knocked down a big three-pointer cutting the lead to 40-38 with 4:55 remaining. Then the Cougars goes on a slump missing three straight shots to tie the game. McMain puts the game out of reach with a three-pointer by Lionel Larvadain.

Briggs led the Mustangs with 13 points and four steals. Bowens finished with nine points and 14 rebounds. Larvadain scored nine points.

Slaughter led the Cougars with nine points, eight rebounds and four blocks. Johnson finished with nine points. Wilson scored seven points and four rebounds.

In the other games in the MLK Basketball Classic, McKinley defeated McDonogh 35 34-19. Craig Lovelady led the Panthers (13-7) with 10 points. Thai Brown led the Roneagles (0-4) with 10 points.

Scotlandville took a 54-36 victory over Booker T. Washington (6-14). Scotlandville (20-2) had two players that scored in double figures. Dorian Booker led the Hornets with 21 points. C’Zavian Teasett scored 11 points. The Hornets has won 13 straight games.

Northside defeated George Washington Carver, 51-46. Northside (12-9) had two players scoring in double figures. Zion McCoy led the Vikings with 23 points. KeAndre Barfield scored 12 points. Carver (12-7) had three players scoring in double figures. Jaylon Hicks led the Rams with 23 points. Ken’Wyion White and Daijon Leatherman scored 10 points each.

Area Prep Basketball Results from Monday, Jan. 16

Boys
InspireNOLA MLK Classic
McKinley 33, McDonogh (35) 19
Scotlandville 54, Booker T. Washington (NO) 36
Northside 51, Carver 46
Southside 58, Landry 52
St. Augustine 57, Sophie B. Wright 54 (OT)
McMain 47, Karr 42

Others:
Ascension Christian 70, Christ Episcopal 38
Warren Easton 61, Ben Franklin 54

Girls
Ben Franklin 48, Warren Easton 42
Carver 49, Abramson 15
De La Salle 52, Riverside Academy 32
Denham Springs 58, French Settlement 28
East St. John 54, Alexandria 52
Geo Next Generation 35, Livingston Collegiate 28
John Curtis Christian 64, West Jefferson 45
Liberty 68, Northshore 39
Pope John Paul II 31, Academy of Sacred Heart (NO) 26
Salmen 51, Bolton 45
St. Katharine Drexel 46, Crescent City Christian 19