Thanksgiving Week Hoops: The Monday Daily Dive

While Thanksgiving week begins week four for Classes B and C, all other classes are beginning week two. Tournament play ruled the first day of week tournament all around the state. On the Monday daily dive, we will highlight holiday action from the Thanksgiving Classic at Green Oaks and the City of Lights tournament in Natchitoches. Evangel nips Marshall (TX) in a close one The Evangel Eagles moved to 3-0 on Monday with a 43-40 victory behind a tough matchup zone and timely scoring. [player_tooltip player_id="1285341" first="Je’Cal" last="Bryant"] had a 11 points and was part of the backend of a defense that thwarted many attempts of the Mavericks to score at the rim. The perimeter defense was just as active as [player_tooltip player_id="1285340" first="Kennedy" last="Calhoun"], [player_tooltip player_id="1105532" first="Braylen" last="Clark"], and the other Eagle guards accumulated ten steals on the day. Evangel was victorious without star guard [player_tooltip player_id="932856" first="Lance" last="Waddles"] which says plenty about the growth of the team. Anytime that a team can win a game without their best player, it gives the rest of the players plenty of confidence. Huntington dominates Bradley (Arkansas) The Raiders garnered their second victory of the season with a thorough dismantling of a Bradley Bears team from Arkansas who came into the contest undefeated. What was encouraging in the Raider win was the play of guard [player_tooltip player_id="781849" first="Rayshun" last="McCullar"]. He seemed to have shaken back from a summer of missing grassroots play due to off-court issues. McCullar was 3-4 from deep in the first half scoring 15 points by intermission. Wings [player_tooltip player_id="1127251" first="Decedric" last="Webb"] and [player_tooltip player_id="1130807" first="Devin" last="Myers"] had six points at the half. Webb using his athleticism for rebound putbacks while Myers was a terror leaking out on the break. There are few teams that can match the athletic ability of the Raiders and they proved that on Monday. Zachary looks dominant The senior-laden Broncos hit Bossier early and often during their tilt at the Christmas of Lights tournament. The 40 point win was one of the more dominant performances I have seen against Bossier in recent history. Guard Michael Quiett had early three pointers during the initial 14-0 run to begin the game. [player_tooltip player_id="1275312" first="Jordan" last="DeCuir"] came off the bench and pretty much bullied his way to the rim against the smaller Bossier guards. [player_tooltip player_id="1275274" first="Jalen" last="Bolden"] was a force in the paint. His offensive rebounding was a surprising part of the Bronco dominance as Bossier could not keep him off the boards. He also blocked attempts by [player_tooltip player_id="1211105" first="Marquis" last="Harris"] in the paint as the Bossier post could not get anything going at the rim. Zachary looked like a team on a mission to repeat as 5A champions on this day as they won their second contest of the season. Tuesday holiday action will see games in Campti (Lakeview High), Green Oaks, and Natchitoches Central. Class C to Class 5A will be involved in all action on a Tuesday chalk full of basketball.

While Thanksgiving week begins week four for Classes B and C, all other classes are beginning week two. Tournament play ruled the first day of week tournament all around the state. On the Monday daily dive, we will highlight holiday action from the Thanksgiving Classic at Green Oaks and the City of Lights tournament in Natchitoches.

Evangel nips Marshall (TX) in a close one

The Evangel Eagles moved to 3-0 on Monday with a 43-40 victory behind a tough matchup zone and timely scoring. Je"Cal Bryant had a 11 points and was part of the backend of a defense that thwarted many attempts of the Mavericks to score at the rim. The perimeter defense was just as active as Kennedy Calhoun, Braylen Clark Braylen Clark 5'8" | PG Evangel | 2024 State LA , and the other Eagle guards accumulated ten steals on the day. Evangel was victorious without star guard Lance Waddles Lance Waddles 6'3" | CG Victory Rock Prep | 2022 State LA which says plenty about the growth of the team. Anytime that a team can win a game without their best player, it gives the rest of the players plenty of confidence.

Huntington dominates Bradley (Arkansas)

The Raiders garnered their second victory of the season with a thorough dismantling of a Bradley Bears team from Arkansas who came into the contest undefeated. What was encouraging in the Raider win was the play of guard Rayshun McCullar Rayshun McCullar 6'1" | PG Huntington | 2022 State LA . He seemed to have shaken back from a summer of missing grassroots play due to off-court issues. McCullar was 3-4 from deep in the first half scoring 15 points by intermission. Wings Decedric Webb Decedric Webb 6'5" | SF Huntington | 2023 State LA and Devin Myers Devin Myers 5'10" | SG Leavenworth | 2022 KS had six points at the half. Webb using his athleticism for rebound putbacks while Myers was a terror leaking out on the break. There are few teams that can match the athletic ability of the Raiders and they proved that on Monday.

Zachary looks dominant

The senior-laden Broncos hit Bossier early and often during their tilt at the Christmas of Lights tournament. The 40 point win was one of the more dominant performances I have seen against Bossier in recent history. Guard Michael Quiett had early three pointers during the initial 14-0 run to begin the game. Jordan DeCuir came off the bench and pretty much bullied his way to the rim against the smaller Bossier guards. Jalen Bolden was a force in the paint. His offensive rebounding was a surprising part of the Bronco dominance as Bossier could not keep him off the boards. He also blocked attempts by Marquis Harris Marquis Harris 6'5" | SF Bossier | 2022 State LA in the paint as the Bossier post could not get anything going at the rim. Zachary looked like a team on a mission to repeat as 5A champions on this day as they won their second contest of the season.

Tuesday holiday action will see games in Campti (Lakeview High), Green Oaks, and Natchitoches Central. Class C to Class 5A will be involved in all action on a Tuesday chalk full of basketball.