Featured Photograph: Opelousas Head Coach Lorenzo Williams diagrams a play. (Photograph by Bobby Ardoin.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
Although postseason tip offs are still several days away, the ambient glamor of playoff basketball was evident at Opelousas High Saturday night.
A packed gymnasium, a one-point win and a final second shot waved off after the buzzer by referees were just part of the drama as two high-seeded St. Landry Parish boys teams engaged in a four quarters’ heavyweight matchup that climaxed their regular seasons.
North Central boys basketball coach Basil Brown II seemed to savor the experience.
“This was a big game for both teams. It’s certainly a big parish rivalry and (Saturday night) was like a playoff. It had that kind of atmosphere with both teams playing extremely hard,” said Brown.
The Hurricanes, a defending state champion and winner of another district title this season, held off Opelousas for the 46-45 win.
Before that outcome theatrics prevailed.
Opelousas frantically raced downcourt with the ball for a final field goal attempt following a pair of missed North Central free throws with 2.3 seconds left.
With less than a second left, the Tigers’ launched a desperation shot which twirled around the rim before sinking.
The made basket however was deemed too late and discounted by officials.
“I give a lot of credit to my guys. They fought back and we came back to get the win,” Brown said.
North Central and Opelousas High both entered the game following key victories Friday night.
Opelousas ended District 6-1A with a win over Beau Chene, while North Central defeated McMain 72-69.
When non-select playoff brackets are released on Monday, Opelousas expects to be seeded somewhere near No. 12 in Division II, while the Hurricanes will probably be near the top five of Division IV..
North Central defended Opelousas in a 2-3 zone most of the night, something Brown said was essential for slowing down the Tigers’ fast break offense.
“We wanted to keep them out of the paint and off the boards for the rebounds,” Brown added.
The strategy worked effectively enough according to Opelousas basketball coach Lorenzo Williams.
“I thought the zone slowed us down. Overall I didn’t think we did that good of a job of executing despite having a lot of chances,” Williams said.
The inability to sink free throws also hurt his team, admitted Williams.
“Free throws have been a problem for us all year,” Williams said.
Opelousas made only two of six free throws in the first quarter, while in the final period, the Tigers made three of six.
Opelousas defeated North Central 60-57 in the first game of the series this year.
The Hurricanes’ Devion Lavergne led all scorers with 15 points, while Mckennis Savoie (11) and Bryon Smith (10) also scored in double figures for the ‘Canes.
Dillian Stephens scored a team-high 12 for Opelousas.
Neither team led by more than six points.
Opelousas held a tight advantage throughout most of the fourth quarter, but Issac Doucet sank a pair of open three-point shots to cut the OHS lead to two (39-37) with 4:45 left.
Each team missed key free throws after that.
Smith tied the game at 44 with another North Central trey, but Opelousas took a 45-44 lead when Stephens dropped in the back end of a one-and-one free throw.
Savoie made both free throws with 16 second remaining for the final points of the game.
