The Eunice High Bobcats claimed a 62-61 victory over the Northwest High Raiders in District 5-3A play Friday night at the Bobcat gym.
Coach Chad Andrepont’s Bobcats held the early advantage by a 21-16 margin at the end of the first quarter after Jude Cormier scored the first five points for the Bobcats.
Malik Poullard drained two three-point goals and added a three-point play attacking the goal and drawing a foul.
The two teams went back and forth in the second quarter, with August Pitre hitting a couple of big goals for the Raiders and Mykal Moore working hard on the inside for a couple of goals for the Bobcats, who maaged to maintain their lead at 33-28 at the half.
Northwest came out firing in the third quarter, erasing the Eunice High lead with a 9-4 run in the first three minutes of the quarter.
The Bobcats did bounce back, however, thanks to three field goals by Deshawn Vigers which cut the Raiders’ lead to 46-42.
But the Raiders would hang on to a 50-44 lead heading into the fourth quarter.
Carlin Vigers gave a boost to his team with a steal and a dunk to open the quarter, cutting the Northwwest lead to 50-46.
Two free throws by the Raiders Anthony White put Northwest back ahead at 52-46.
Georrein Dupre cut the lead to three points with a three-pointer and Moore added a jumper to cut the lead to 52-51.
Carlin Vigers rebounded a Bobcat shot and put it for a field goal with 5:49 left in the fourth quarter to give the Cats a 53-52 lead.
Deshawn Vigers added a field goal for a 55-52 lead.
Kammryn Jones made a basket for Northwest, but Dupre’s goal put the Cats back on top 57-54. Northwest’s Caleb Allen had back-to-back goals to give Northwest a 58-57 lead with 3:10 left on the clock.
Both teams struggled offensively over the next two minutes, but Eunice’s Jude Cormier nailed a field goal from beyond the 3-point arc to put his team on top by a 60-58 score.
The Raiders fouled Eunice’s Brandon Ndubueze with just seconds remaining, and he missed the front end of a one-plus one, but Cormier was fouled as he grabbed the rebound and he went to the foul line with six seconds left and his team holding a 2-point lead at 60-58.
Cormier calmly hit both free throws for a 62-58 lead as the Bobcat section of the jam-packed gym roared its admiration.
Northwest’s Jones got off a three-point shot at the final buzzer to close the scoring at 62-61.
The Bobcats, now 3-4 in district play and 9-16 overall, were led in scoring by Deshawn Vigers with 13 and Cormier with 12.
Dupre added 10, Malik Poullard nine, and Carlin Vigers and Moore finished with nine apiece.
Jones led Northwest in scoring with 23 points.
The Bobcats will travel to Church Point( 9-19, 0-7) on Tuesday to continue district play.
NWHS 54, Eunice 35
The Eunice High Lady Bobcats took a 12-6 first quarter lead over the Northwest High Lady Raiders and held an 18-15 lead at halftime.
But Coach Wayne Fontenot’s Lady Cats couldn’t maintain the momentum in the third quarter as the Lady Raiders put up 27 ponts to just 11 for the Lady Cats. Northwest, leading 42-29, breezed through the fourth quarter to claim a 54-35 victory.
The Lady Cats held a 25-24 lead with 5:34 remaining in the third quarter, but the Lady Raiders shut down the Lady Cats over the final 4:34 with an 18-4 run.
Khahli Malone and Jelissa Duffey were key contributers for Northwest (20-9, 7-2) in the third quarter.
Eunice’s leading scorer Stacie White fouled out of game in the third quarter.
The Lady Cats also lost starters Shania Malveaux and Leah Walker before the game ended.
For the game, the Lady Bobcats were called for 21 fouls.
White led the Eunice scoring with 14 points, including one from three-point range.
Malveaux added six points before exiting the game due to fouls. Jesslyn Reed and Walker finished with four points apiece.
Malone led Northwest with 12 points and Duffey added 11. Alixia Rubin pitched in with 10 points for the Lady Raiders. Jordan Duplechain had seven points for the Lady Raiders.
The Lady Bobcats (5-21, 3-6) finish the regular season Tuesday at Church Point (5-18, 0-9).