COVINGTON — Bogalusa went 2-1 in the Hannan Hustle Tournament at Archbishop Hannan that took place Thursday and Saturday.
The Lumberjacks hung tough in their opener against a solid Isidore Newman team into the second half, but a big second-half run was the key, as the Lumberjacks were defeated, 76-37.
Bogalusa got off to a rough start and trailed Newman, which entered Friday’s play at 13-2, by a score of 24-7 halfway through the second quarter. But the Lumberjacks went on a 10-0 run to get back in it.
The run began when DaJuan Powell found Tyrese Rousell in the middle of the lane with 3:56 to go in the first half. Chance Turner hit a 3-pointer, and Powell passed to Dianté Lenoir for a layup to close the gap to 10. Powell made a shot, got fouled and converted the 3-point play and Bogalusa, which was down 17, now trailed only 24-17 with 1:36 left in the first half.
Newman scored the final six points to end the half and it was 30-17 at halftime.
Bogalusa got off to a good start in the second half, as Demarcus Spikes hit a 3-pointer just 23 seconds into the period and Bogalusa was down just 10 points at 30-20.
But Newman’s James Amoss came back quickly and connected on a 3-pointer to push the lead to 33-20. That began a 34-2 run to end the quarter. Riley Demps hit a 3-pointer to make it 36-20 with 6:47 left in the third. Javon Ruffin added two more before Zachary Gertler hit for three and Finnian Bendana split free throws for a 42-20 lead. Ruffin, Demps and Amoss all hit 3-pointers for the next nine points and Bendana added two for a 53-20 lead.
Bogalusa’s Rousell made a shot along the baseline to make it 53-22, but Bendana followed with two points of his own. Demps scored the final nine points of the quarter on a pair of 3-pointers and a 3-point play. It was 64-22 through three quarters.
Bogalusa outscored Newman, 15-12, in the fourth quarter.
“It was 10 in the second half and then they went on a 34-2 run,” Bogalusa coach Randall Ginn said. “When everybody, including former players who come back, and referees and coaches of other teams that I respect, look at you and say, ‘coach, y’all play hard, you just can’t score,’ then there must be some common denominator there — we must play hard and not be able to score.
“To me, it was just another situation of that, except, in addition to not scoring, we didn’t close out on great 3-point shooters. I mean, that team has beaten Jesuit. That team has beaten John Curtis. That team is something like 14-2, something like that, playing in New Orleans. We didn’t close out on shooters during that run either. I thought we played pretty good ‘D’ at halftime … but, a 34-2 run, I don’t know if I’ve ever been a part of that.”
Powell led Bogalusa with 10 points, which included a 3-pointer.
Demarcus Spikes posted seven while Turner and Lenoir posted six each and Rousell, Braedtrick Whittine, Quintay Henry and Charles Taylor added two each. Turner made two 3-pointers and Spikes hit one.
Demps topped Newman with 23 points, which included five 3-pointers.
Bendana added 17.
Bogalusa rebounded the next two days with victories over French Settlement and Pearl River, respectively.
In the 58-55 win over French Settlement, Spikes and Turner led the way in scoring with 13 points each.
Whittine pulled down 13 rebounds and Rousell tallied 11 boards.
Bogalusa shot just 36 percent from the floor, but offset that by doing a great job on the boards, outrebounding French Settlement, 46-26.
Bogalusa also won Saturday’s game by three, defeating Pearl River, 52-49.
Powell and Lenoir were in double figures.
Powell recorded 14 points.
Lenoir recorded a double-double with 11 points and 12 boards.
Whittine once again was the team’s leading rebounder — this time, he had 14.