Varnado forced several turnovers and converted them into points, as the Wildcats defeated Bogalusa, 78-63, at home Tuesday.
“We played them last Saturday (Dec. 2 and won 67-64 in the Franklinton Tournament) and we noticed we came out in the press and we forced a few turnovers, so that was our plan for tonight — throw a couple of different presses at them, force some turnovers and capitalize on them,” Varnado coach Brett Cooper said.
Bogalusa led 6-4 in the first quarter when James Williams hit a 3-pointer to put Varnado up, 7-6, with 5:12 left. His play began a 7-0 run. Eight seconds after his shot, Ardarryl McGowan hit a layup after he made a steal and Gary Crumedy also recorded a steal, followed by a layup. It was 11-6 with 4:52 left in the first quarter and Varnado never trailed after that.
The Wildcats pushed the margin to 22-16 after the first quarter.
Throughout the game, Varnado would get the lead into double digits, but the Lumberjacks continually fought back to trim it to a one-or-two possession game, although they never re-take the lead.
Varnado’s biggest lead in the first half was 33-20, but the Lumberjacks finished up the first half on a 15-4 run to make it 37-35 at halftime.
Bogalusa tied the game, 37-37, just 25 seconds into the third quarter, on a pair of free throws by Demarcus Spikes.
Varnado then went up by one on a free throw by Williams.
Leading 41-39, Varnado ran off 10 points in a row. Williams split from the line and McGowan did so twice. Crumedy hit a 3-pointer, Williams made a backcourt steal and hit the layup and Williams made a fastbreak layup. Varnado was up 51-39 with 2:31 left in the third quarter.
Bogalusa continued to come back and did so with a 10-2 run of its own. The first four points came in the third quarter. DaJuan Powell made two free throws and then Powell passed to Spikes for two more. Varnado led 51-43 through three quarters.
In the fourth quarter, Dianté Lenoir made a fastbreak layup just 12 seconds into the period.
Jadarrell Magee hit a shot and got fouled. He was unable to convert the free throw, but he did extend the lead to eight points at 53-45.
Chance Turner hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key for Bogalusa, and Spikes split from the charity stripe. Bogalusa trailed 53-49 with 6:24 on the clock.
But Varnado did not allow the Lumberjacks to take the lead, as the Wildcats went on a 5-0 run to push it to a 58-49 contest at the 4:57 mark.
“We just had our composure,” Williams said. “Our coach would call a timeout and talk to us, recuperate, gather up and just get back as a team.”
The Wildcats’ biggest lead was the 15-point margin they won by at 78-63.
Bogalusa coach Randall Ginn talked about the game.
“This is game eight. There are only so many days that I meet you that I can tell you that we don’t have any game experience and no returning starters,” he said. “That’s not an excuse anymore. We turn the ball over too much and we don’t stop the ball from going to the rim.
“We’re shooting 32 percent for the year. We’re allowing other teams to shoot 48 percent. End of story.”