Clark Is 4-0 In District

BOBBY ARDOIN

Editor/Consulting Writer

J.S Clark Leadership Academy is seemingly clearing a path for capturing a district basketball title.

That route continued on Tuesday night as the Bulldogs won a fourth straight league game by defeating host Opelousas Catholic inside a packed and raucous Vikings’ gymnasium.

The 55-50 overtime victory enabled Clark to remain undefeated after four district games. Clark has three district games remaining, while OCS (3-2 in district) have two district contests left.

Clark head boys’ basketball coach Dwight Clark said he delivered perhaps a prophetic message to his team following the OCS win.

“I told them they had just won a district championship. Well, it might not have really been that at this point, but we feel like that could really happen after this win,” said Clark, who is in his first season as the boys’ coach.

Clark reached the 2024 Class B state championship game. This is the first year the program has competed in Class 1A,

OCS boys’ basketball coach Brwick Hamilton said the loss was the second important defeat for the Vikings, who lost to North Centra last week.

“I thought we played well against North Central until late. This game (against Clark) was a tough one. We missed some shots and free throws at the end. That was big,: Hamilton said.

Clark said he team played better during the second half.

“I thought we played better defense, got rid of some of the turnovers and made our free throws late,” said Clark.

OCS broke to a 27-20 early third quarter lead following a Roy Henry field goal. However Clark dominated the last three minutes of the period and tied it at 31 to start the fourth.

Neither team led by more than three points during the final period.

Clark’s LeDamien George gave the Bulldogs a 43-40 lead with 17.9 seconds remaining in overtime, but the Vikings’ Maurice Marcel pulled up and hit a 3-point jumper at the buzzer to send the game into overtime.

The Bulldogs flourished offensively in overtime.

Clark made 9-of-12 free throws in overtime, while the Vikings made one of four attempts.

Henry (19 points) led the Vikings in scoring. Roderick Tezeno scored 10 and Marcel finished with nine.

Lawrence Pickney scored 20 for Clark, while George added 16.