The top seeded Rapides Lady Mustangs' quest for a State Championship ended Thursday night in Lecompte as the eighth seed Mamou Lady Demons wrangled the opposition to win 68-55 in the quarterfinal round.
Rapides head coach Shane Henderson before the game characterized his team's mood in the locker room. "The girls are really confident, he said. "They feel good about where they're at. They feel that if they can do what they're supposed to do we should be fine."
His mood became more somber after the loss. "We just couldn't get anything to fall. In the first quarter their (Darelzray Bellard) couldn't miss, and we dug ourselves a hole. Everytime we'd make a run, we'd miss an easy put back or an easy shot or more free throws. For whatever reason it wasn't our night tonight."
Tori Mitchell led all Lady Mustang scorers with 26-points and went four-for-four from the free throw line. She was the only player with double digit points as Darylnetta Martin, Katie Couvillion, and Naomi Lewis each recorded six points.
Rapides won the tip, but Mamou forced the early turnover and got a three-pointer to cap off the possession. Mamou then got another three-pointer as the Lady Demons came out playing with energy. Rapides went on a run to make it a two point game before Darelzray Bellard drilled a long range three ball. Rapides then made it a one point game at 11-10.
Bellard was at the line at the 2:22 mark of first quarter and connected on all three free throws. Mamou scored on back-to-back possessions for the 18-10 lead. Braylin Charles added to the scoring run as Rapides called a timeout trailing 20-10 with 1:12 remaining in the first stanza. Katie Couvillion got the bucket as the first quarter came to an end with her team trailing 22-10.
Charles received the lob pass and put the ball through the net leading off the second quarter, then Bellard added a jump shot. Kazhana Richard was at the line with 5:22 before the half and made both free throws giving her team the 16-point lead.
The student section sensing the enormity of the situation erupted in "Let's go Mustangs!" Darylnetta Martin answered the call and scored on both attempts from the charity stripe. A timeout was called on the court 4:08 before the half with Mamou leading 33-17.
Chants of "Let's go Mamou!" echoed through the strong contingent of Demon faithful. Martin picked up her third foul coming out of the timeout sending Bellard to the line where she made both free throws. Charles then got the steal and capitalized at the basket. She later got the basket just inside the three-point line. A timeout was called with 1:32 before the half with Mamou up 41-25.
As Couvillion missed a three heading into the final minute, Kiajah Wilson drove down the court for the layup. The first half ended with Mamou leading 43-25.
Bellard got the steal on the opening possession of the second half and got the points. Mitchell then scored as she picked up second chance points. Bellard was then at the line at the 5:32 mark and made both free throws to go up 49-31. Rapides went on a 4-0 scoring run half way through the third quarter. Couvillion connected on a long range two-pointer from the far end of the key approaching the final minute. At the end of three quarters of play in Lecompte, Mamou led Rapides 56-42.
Mitchell got the first points of the final quarter as Rapides was in the midst of a 7-0 scoring run. She then extended the run making it a two possession game befor Bellard got the basket. Mamou called a full timeout leading 58-51 with 4:45 remaining in regulation, and "Let's go Mustangs!" again erupted in the student section.
Bellard scored to lead 60-53 going down the home stretch, and "Let's go Demons!" echoed through the stands as a timeout was called with 2:12 on the clock. Richard gave her team the easy basket and more separation. Mamou called a timeout inside the final minute leading 64-55 as shouts of "We believe, Demons!" rang out. Rapides resigned to fouling the Lady Demons, and Mamou took advantage to hold on for the win.
Henderson did not let the loss damper his thoughts on the season as his team went through play in District 3-2A undefeated. "(The season) went really well, he said. We probably exceeded expectations. The girls came together, and everybody knew their roles, and everybody did their job. It translated to a lot of wins. We'll come back strong. We'll give them off a few weeks and start making preparations for next year."
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