Eunice, Northwest split in key District 5-3A games

PRAIRIE RONDE – The Eunice High Lady Bobcats claimed at least a tie for the District 5-3A title here Friday night with a 37-27 victory over the Northwest High Lady Raiders at the Raiders gym.
The victory gives Coach Wayne Fontenot’s team a district record of 8-1 with a game remaining on Monday against the Church Point Lady Bears. Overall, the Lady Cats sport a record of 15-10.
The Lady Cats opened the game with a 3-0 lead, but the Lady Raiders stormed back to take an 11-5 lead at the end of the first quarter thanks to back-to-back 3-point plays in the final minute by Bethany Lazard and Jordan Duplechain.
Eunice would dominate the second quarter, outscoring the Lady Raiders by a 9-1 advantage to enjoy a 14-12 halftime lead. Shay Vigers and Stacie White had a field goal apiece and Shania Malveaux added a conventional three-point play to lead the Lady Cats in the second quarter.
The Lady Raiders tied the game on their first possession of the third quarter on a drive by Alexia Robin, but Aisha Ledet responded with a steal and a layup to put the Lady Cats back on top with 5:51 left in the quarter. Another steal and layup basket, this time by Stacie White enabled the Lady Cats to take a 19-14 lead into the fourth quarter.
The game’s pace intensified in the fourth quarter. After a free throw by Northwest cut the Eunice lead to 19-15, the Lady Cats took control of the contest with an 13-0 run.
Skylar Ardoin led the way with five points, while White and Vigers added four points apiece. Muzoni Roberson snapped the streak for Northwest with a field goal with 2:20 left in the game.
The Lady Raiders went on a 6-0 run, but field goals by Vigers and Malveaux sealed the win for the Lady Bobcats.
The Lady Cats were led in scoring by Vigers and White, with 10 points apiece. Ledet had seven, with Ardoin and Malveaux scoriing five apiece. Duplechain led Northwest in scoring with 10 points. Roberson finished with eight.

Raiders 51, Bobcats 47
The Eunice High Bobcats suffered their second district loss of the season Friday night, dropping a 51-47 decision to the Northwest High Raiders.
Coach Chad Andrepont’s Bobcats opened the game with a 3-point field goal by Malik Poullard and a field goal inside by Travis Godfrey for a 5-0 lead.
But the Raiders would score the next eight points for an 8-5 lead with just over a minute left in the quarter. Poullard tied the game at 8-8 with a field goal beyond the 3-point arc as the buzzer sounded to end the quarter.
Northwest would dominate the early going in the second quarter, building a 21-10 lead thanks to the scoring of August Pitre, Abraham Gordon and Caleb Allen. The only field goals for the Bobcats in the second quarter came from Kevin Williams. Williams made a three-point field goal and drove for another, but the Raiders finished the quarter with a 6-0 run for a 27-13 halftime advantage.
The Bobcats managed to cut into the Northwest lead by outscoring the Raiders 17-13 in the third quarter. Deshawn Vigers and Williams did most of the scoring for the Cats, with Williams scoring eight points and Vigers scoring six. Terreyll Poullard added a 3-point field goal as the Cats cut the lead to 38-30 heading into the fourth quarter.
The Cats managed to pull within five points at 48-43 in the fourth quarter on field goal by Brandon Ndubueze with 2:01 left in the game. A free throw gave the Raiders a 49-43 lead, but Vigers drove the lane for a field goal and Williams hit two free throws to draw the Cats to within two points at 49-47 with 39 seconds on the clock.
The Raiders would clinch the victory with a couple of free throws in the final seconds.
Williams topped the scoring for the Bobcats with 20 points. Malik Poullard would finish with nine and Vigers with eight for the Cats. Allen led the Raiders with 16 points. August Pitre had 14 points.
The Bobcat will host Church Point on Monday in district play.