Northwest and David Thibodaux boys basketball put on a show in a non-district matchup.
All the prep basketball fans at Northwest High School got their money’s worth Jan. 23 when the boys basketball team hosted David Thibodaux.
Each possession held weight, with tension swarming the court from the opening tip. The non-district matchup mirrored an LHSAA Marsh Madness game, going to double overtime and forcing fans to change their dinner plans just to see how it would unfold.
In the end, Northwest just wanted it more, beating the Bulldogs 72-68 in dramatic fashion.
“This win means everything,” Northwest head coach Mark Cassimere said. “I almost forgot we had a game tomorrow, but this one means more. Coach Chris Cane is like family to me, man, and he’s been to at least 15 of my games. So it means a lot to get this win over them.”
The rebounding Raiders
All game long, the Raiders and Bulldogs went back and forth, exchanging the lead on nearly every possession. With both teams playing evenly on offense, rebounding was the difference-maker. Lucky for Northwest, it had the size to crash the glass.
Leading the way was dual-sport senior Reginald Lavergne, who finished with a team-high nine rebounds. Listed at 6-foot-3 and 190 pounds, Lavergne had a knack for snagging 50-50 balls, similar to his days as a wide receiver in the fall.
“He’s been grinding,” Cassimere said. “I know he’s trying to play a little limpy right now. He was still trying to go back into the game and I had to stop him. But man, he’s been big for us all year long. He’s getting a double-double almost every night.”
When it wasn’t Lavergne, 6-foot Hartle Richard was the Raiders’ next-best rebounder, grabbing seven boards. Those offensive and defensive rebounds led to a ton of second-chance points.
Leading the way in both overtimes were senior guard Courtlan Young, junior combo guard Markez Davis and Lavergne.
David Thibodaux was a deep-ball threat every time he touched the ball, draining four 3-pointers to finish with 17 points. Young relentlessly drove to the basket and also finished with 17 points, while Lavergne added 16. It was Young’s free throws that put the nail in the coffin.
“This win really means a lot to us,” Young said. “We’ve been working hard every day at practice for this. We’re trying to make a state championship run this year, and this was a step in the right direction.”
David Thibodaux’s missed opportunities
The Bulldogs were close to avoiding overtime, holding a two-point lead late in the fourth quarter, but getting stops proved difficult. Defensively, they tried to keep the taller Northwest team in check, bringing midcourt and full-court pressure.
“We just couldn’t get stops, so hats off to them,” Cane said. “They got a lot of offensive rebounds, a lot of putbacks with an and-one. So I’m proud of my team. We played hard, and the other team played super hard as well.”
In the loss, senior guards Ja’Nathan Dalcour and Bryston Sledge led the Bulldogs in scoring. Dalcour finished with 26 points, while Sledge added 21. Junior guard Kortlan Williams led the team in rebounding with 10 boards and added 10 points.
Shannon Belt covers high school sports and the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns for The Daily Advertiser as part of the USA TODAY Network. Follow her high school and Cajuns coverage on Twitter: @ShannonBelt3. Got questions regarding HS/UL athletics? Send them to Shannon Belt at [email protected].
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Daily Advertiser: Overtime Madness: Northwest boys basketball outlast David Thibodaux
Category: General Sports
