GRAY – A sharpshooting sophomore guard gave the H.L. Bourgeois boys basketball team the space it needed to pull away from Thibodaux in the highly anticipated District 7-5A opener for both teams on Wednesday night.
Deondre Buggage nailed back-to-back 3-pointers with the Braves leading by one point in the third quarter and H.L. Bourgeois used his shots to help take an eventual 76-68 home victory in front of packed house that featured plenty of fans of each team.
Buggage later hit a 3-pointer in the third quarter for a 51-43 Braves lead with 3:41 to play in the period and finished with 22 points, which included six 3-pointers.
H.L. Bourgeois (15-6 overall, 1-0 in district) also got 27 points from Anthony Rainey Jr., 10 points from Divine Martin,eight points from Anthony Ruffin Jr. and six points from Taihgan Poindexter.
“This win was huge,” Martin said. “Everyone contributed. You just have to focus on what your role is and mine was to get rebounds and assists and I did that. We have a lot of big games to come. I am glad we got this one.”
Martin, a senior, said Buggage stepped up with some big shots.
“Deondre was huge,” Martin said. “He did a good job. When teams face guard or double A.J., it opens up plays for everyone else.”
Thibodaux (11-5 overall, 0-1 in district), which got 21 points from Jaquan Wagner, 18 points from Corey Johnson and 17 points from Kobi Johnson, cut the Braves lead to six at 74-68 with 44.3 seconds left in the game but Terrell Barrow made two free throws to ice the game for H.L. Bourgeois.
Tigers coach Tony Clark said some missed shots and missed chances at rebounds hurt his team.
“H.L. makes shots. That’s what they do,” Clark said. “I thought we had some looks that we missed and we were a little hesitant. I guess my biggest disappointment though was the way we rebounded. We gave up some big offensive rebounds at key times. They hit the boards a little harder than we did.”
H.L. Bourgeois led 22-18 after the first quarter and 39-34 at halftime.
Rainey had 19 points with 6:42 left in the second quarter and was able to control parts of the game in the second half in isolation.
“When H.L. is up and they get the ball into his hands, they are hard to defend,” Clark said. “Everybody goes through that with H.L.”
With the help of Buggage’s three 3-pointers in the third quarter, the Braves led 57-50 entering the fourth quarter and kept the Tigers at bay in the final period.
“We have such a seasoned team that when we play tough district opponents, we come ready to play,” Braves coach Andrew Caillouet said. “It was a huge win. Anything can happen in this district. We can beat anybody, but anybody can beat us. We get right back to it Friday (at East St. John).”
Clark said the Tigers will try to quickly put the loss behind them.
“We lost to a good team at their home and our fans followed us like they always do,” Clark said. “Now it’s time to focus on Destrehan (at home on Friday).”
WEDNESDAY'S BOYS BASKETBALL CAPSULES
VANDEBILT CATHOLIC 48, TERREBONNE 46 (at Vandebilt in Houma, nondistrict game)
Statistical leaders: Vandebilt – Andrew Robison (17 points), Seth Ponson (16 points); Terrebonne – Keshawn James (21 points), Jakhi Douglas (15 points).
Note: Vandebilt's Seth Ponson scored the game-winning basket in traffic as time expired.
Records: Vandebilt (3-3); Terrebonne (6-10).
DUTCHTOWN 63, ASSUMPTION 53 (at Geismar, nondistrict game)
Statistical leaders: Assumption – Josh Ratcliff (19 points), Marlon Robinson (13 points).
Records: Dutchtown (12-3); Assumption (7-12).
WEDNESDAY'S GIRLS BASKETBALL CAPSULES
THIBODAUX 66, ZACHARY 62, OT (at Sugar Bowl Classic at Alario Center in Westwego)
Statistical leaders: Thibodaux – Bren’naisa Adams (26 points), Destiny Batiste (15 points) and A’shyri Wolfe (14 points).
Notes: The game was tied at 59 at the end of regulation ... Thibodaux will play Natchitoches-Central at 7 tonight at tournament.
Records: Thibodaux (13-5); Zachary (12-7).
SOUTH LAFOURCHE 90, DESTREHAN 16 (at Sugar Bowl Classic at Alario Center in Westwego)
Statistical leaders: South Lafourche – Traya Bruce (19 points, seven assists, two rebounds), Elizabeth Curole (17 points, five steals, four rebounds), Sierra Lerille (16 points, four assists, three rebounds), Victorianna Nelson (14 points, 10 rebounds).
Records: South Lafourche (13-6); Destrehan (2-11).
Note: South Lafourche will play Thibodaux/Natchitoches-Central winner on Friday at tournament.
SOUTH TERREBONNE 50, ST. THOMAS AQUINAS 45 (at Sugar Bowl Classic at Alario Center in Westwego)
Statistical leaders: South Terrebonne – Chloe Fleming (23 points), Lexie Maddox (nine points), Beth LeBlanc (nine points).
Records: South Terrebonne (14-5); St. Thomas Aquinas (12-6).
Note: South Terrebonne will play Lafayette Christian at 5:30 today at tournament.
TERREBONNE 49, HIGGINS 26 (at Sugar Bowl Classic at Alario Center in Westwego)
Statistical leaders: Terrebonne -- Arecia Celestin (21 points), Beyonce Henry (12 points)
Records: Terrebonne (8-10); Higgins (9-4)
Note: Terrebonne will play East Jefferson at 8:30 tonight at tournament.
-- Complied by Chris Singleton/Staff Writer.