Raiders Survive Bumpy Ending
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting
The Northwest High boys’ basketball team successfully emerged from a series of potential late-game calamities Saturday night before the Raiders took home a St. Landry Parish Tournament championship trophy.
Top-seed Northwest overcame inaccurate fourth quarter free throw shooting, a game clock that seemingly made time stand still and the sinking of a three-point Beau Chene shot that many thought was executed on the final play of the game.
Raiders’ head boys basketball coach Mark Cassimere swatted sweat from his forehead as Northwest hoisted the first-place trophy following the 49-46 victory that concluded the four-day tournament hosted by North Central High School.
The title-game victory was no easy task however. Northwest watched a 16-point mid-third quarter lead gradually dissipate as the Gators led by CJ Charlot, closed to within six points (40-34) at the start of the fourth period.
During the final eight minutes Northwest made only five-of-11 free throw attempts, but remained in shaky control until the Gators drained the trey with what the game clock indicated was less than a second to play.
After a referees conference five seconds were added to regulation. Two Beau Chene field goal attempts after that failed to go down.
Poor free throw shooting haunted Northwest throughout.
The Raiders finished making 11-of-25 shots from the line. Beau Chene, which won the 2023 boys’ parish title, didn’t display much better accuracy on half the number of attempts. The Gators sank only five-of -12 free throw tries.
Reginald Laverne was the Northwest scoring leader (14 points). Markez Davis and Courtlon Young added 13.
Charlot led all scorers with 22. Javante Charles added 14.
Both teams are scheduled to participate in the annual Northwest Holiday Tournament which starts Wednesday in Prairie Ronde.
