Ponchatoula vs. Bogalusa: The 10 Best (Video)
Ponchatoula vs. Bogalusa: The 10 Best The Covington Tournament hosted nine teams from November 16-19 at the Hubie Gallagher gym and Ponchatoula versus Bogalusa on the final day may have been the most exciting matchup. The Lumberjacks had the size…
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Continue ReadingPonchatoula vs. Bogalusa: The 10 Best
The Covington Tournament hosted nine teams from November 16-19 at the Hubie Gallagher gym and Ponchatoula versus Bogalusa on the final day may have been the most exciting matchup. The Lumberjacks had the size advantage with 6-foot-6 2017 duo B.J. Mingo and Tramarcus Levi inside and they took advantage early on leading 31-26 at halftime.
The Green Wave came out firing in the third quarter, though, and outscored Bogalusa, 19-6, in the period to take the lead. The 2017 guard trio of Raymond McKay, Troy Jackson and Josh Doussan led the way once again combining for 43 points and they also got a big boost from 2018 F Damontez McGary in the paint. The two teams were tied at 54 at the end of regulation and Ponchatoula outlasted the Lumberjacks 64-62 in the 3-minute overtime.
MVP: Tramarcus Levi (Bogalusa)
Levi couldn’t do quite enough to get Bogalusa over the hump but he was still the best player on the floor. The 6-foot-6 prospect operated as a point-forward for the Lumberjacks and did everything from score (13 points) to rebound to assist and block shots. His fingerprints were all over the game on both ends and he’ll get even better as the season progresses. Just a couple of weeks ago, Levi was on the football field for Bogalusa playing as a defensive end and some of that physicality has translated to the basketball court as well.
Play Of The Game: Tramarcus Levi Block (Bogalusa)
Ponchatoula had a chance to win the game in regulation after coming up with a stop on defense late in the fourth quarter. The Green Wave had 7.9 seconds to get the ball in bounds and go the length of the court and they found Dareyell Wells on the wing for what looked to be an open 3. Levi quickly closed out to the shooter, though, and not only contested the shot but blocked it as time expired to send the game into overtime tied at 54.
Best Offensive Performance: B.J. Mingo (Bogalusa)
Mingo filled it up with a game-high 26 points and when his production slowed, so too did Bogalusa. He had 14 in the first half and just two in the third quarter but picked up the pace again in the fourth scoring 10 before fouling out with under two minutes to play in regulation. Had Mingo stayed in the game, his advantage in the middle may have been too much for Ponchatoula to overcome. He used an array of shots at different angles in the paint and also took his defender off the dribble on multiple occasions.
Best Defensive Performance: Dareyell Wells (Ponchatoula)
It’s only fitting for Wells to garner the label of best defender in the game as the two-sport athlete has spent the last few months locking up opponents on the gridiron. The 2017 6-foot-1 guard is a two-year starter at cornerback for the Green Wave and was on the basketball court not even a full 24 hours after Ponchatoula lost in the quarterfinals to Acadiana. Wells was intercepting Bogalusa passes all game long on Saturday and played a big role in the Green Wave coming out on top.
Best Intangibles: Troy Jackson (Ponchatoula)
Jackson was a steadying hand for the Green Wave as a secondary point guard to McKay and seemed to come up with a big play whenever Ponchatoula needed it. The 5-foot-9 guard finished with a team-high 18 points, connected on four 3-pointers and also came up with several key plays on defense.
Best Under-The-Radar Performance: Raymond McKay (Ponchatoula)
McKay followed Jackson in scoring with 15 and was once again the orchestrator of Ponchatoula’s offense. The 5-foot-9 point man controlled the pace of the game for the Green Wave and set the tone as a ball-mover and distributor. McKay also scored 15 in a season-opening win over Lake Area New Tech (58-53) and is capable of putting up big numbers on offense both in and outside the arc when he gets going.
Best X-Factor: Damontez McGary (Ponchatoula)
2018 F Damontez McGary was huge for the Green Wave battling with both B.J. Mingo and Tramarcus Levi for critical rebounds in the paint. Ponchatoula would have gotten destroyed on the boards if not for McGary’s presence and there’s no way they would have won the game without the physicality of the 6-foot-4 junior. He had 11 points, which included a big offensive rebound and putback for an and-one in overtime that gave Ponchatoula a 57-54 lead with 1:43 to play. He also tipped the final inbound attempt of the game by Bogalusa with 2.5 seconds left and Jackson came up with the steal to seal the win.
Best Catch-And-Shoot: Josh Doussan (Ponchatoula)
Doussan knocked down two 3’s and a long 2 against Bogalusa and is always a threat as a catch-and-shoot option for Ponchatoula. He has more of a scorer’s mentality with McKay and Jackson doing the distributing and the role suits the 5-foot-10 guard well. He was the team’s leading scorer in a 60-52 win over Franklinton with 22 points. Bogalusa 2017 G Thomas Turner was also in contention for best catch-and-shoot player drilling two 3-pointers, the last of which cut the score to 62-59 with 14.8 seconds to go in overtime.
Best Underclassmen: K.J. McGowan (Bogalusa)
McGowan was really the only freshman or sophomore to receive significant playing time in the senior-heavy matchup. The 5-foot-6 guard was a starter for the Lumberjacks and played his role well as a scrappy defender and ball handler when his senior counterparts got into trouble.
Best Guy Off The Bench: Dominique Tillman (Bogalusa)
The starters played big minutes for both Ponchatoula and Bogalusa but Tillman saw some solid action for the Lumberjacks. The senior was able to chip in with four points in the second quarter and also had a block with a few other gritty defensive plays as well.