Family Christian holds off ESA, 48-43, to advance to quarters

The tension in Family Christian's gym swiftly ramped up Thursday as the Episcopal School of Acadiana finally chipped a 14-point second-half margin all the way to two in the final four minutes.   But senior guard Chance Martin stepped up time and time again to close out a 48-43 victory with his ball-handling and 11-for-15 foul-shooting down the stretch and help send the Flames to their third-straight state tournament.   "I knew I had to do it late in the game," the senior guard said. "I felt them starting to come back, and I just said, 'All right, I have to get this rebound,' or, 'I've got to knock this free throw down.' I feel like I needed to get in the game some type of way.   "I wasn't impacting the game in scoring, but the game's not all about scoring. You've got to do everything else. But I felt like I knew I had to do it and got it done."   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/embed/EA8JRA8FfTc </div></figure>   Chance Martin (2023) | 5-9 G | Family Christian   The only returning starter from the 2022 Division-V state championship team scored just two points through the first three quarters, but led the Flames in a slew of other ways before then scoring 13 of his 15 in the final period — an immediate drive and putback of his own miss to start the quarter, then 11-for-15 from the foul line in the final minutes. Martin finished with 15 points, a game-high 12 rebounds, three steals and three assists and few mistakes as a tough, poised floor general. What the senior doesn't necessarily have in height, he more than makes up for with a strong build, lateral quickness, physicality, active hands and smart play on both ends of the court.   Jordan Jones (2024) | 6-3 F | Family Christian   The long, lean junior forward was the standout early for the Flames, frustrating the Falcons with his length around the basket on both ends of the court for eight points, three rebounds and a blocked shot in the first quarter alone. Jones finished with a game-high 17 points, seven rebounds, three blocked shots and a steal. His height is an advantage against most players in Louisiana's smallest classification, he also moves and handles the ball reliably on the perimeter.   Timel Carmel (2024) | 5-7 G | Family Christian   The junior guard hit a first-quarter 3-pointer, four third-quarter points working inside and then 2-for-2 free-throw shooting late chipped into Martin's closing efforts. Carmel hit the only 3-pointer he attempted, but didn't shy away from working his way inside to get shots in the lane off around taller defenders. He finished with nine points, three rebounds, two assists and a fourth-quarter steal.   Kayden Colbert (2027) | 5-11 G | Family Christian   The eighth-grader scored seven points with an early free throws and a pair of second-quarter 3-pointers as Family Christian stretched its lead.   Seth Terrell (2023) | 6-0 F | Family Christian   The senior forward, a baseball standout headed to Missouri-St. Louis for college, grabbed four rebounds and helped deflect away a third-quarter pass to Jones to help slow some of the Falcons' momentum.   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-embed-handler wp-block-embed-embed-handler wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/embed/x83x5qpZpeU </div></figure>     Jacob Villar (2024) | 6-1 G | Episcopal School of Acadiana   The strong guard with the quick release finished with 14 points, four assists, three rebounds and a steal. He scored at all three levels, punctuated by a pair of fourth-quarter 3-pointers to help accelerate the Falcons' comeback push.   Wilt Hoggart (2023) | 6-4 F | Episcopal School of Acadiana   The senior forward helped finally begin turning the Falcons' perimeter shooting woes, an 0-for-9 first half, with a third-quarter 3-pointer, followed by an immediate drive for a quick 5-0 personal run. Hoggart matched Villar with 14 points — largely on driving baskets into the lane and alone the baseline — as well as seven rebounds and a chase-down block of a Family Christian fast-break layup attempt.   [player_tooltip player_id='1646174' first='Miles' last='Eble'] (2024) | 6-4 F | Episcopal School of Acadiana   The junior forward led the Falcons with 10 rebounds, eight of which came in the first half, and an assist.   Semar Flugence (2025) | 6-2 G | Episcopal School of Acadiana   The sophomore guard's emergence down the stretch for eight fourth-quarter points on baskets driving, cutting and once off a steal.

The tension in Family Christian's gym swiftly ramped up Thursday as the Episcopal School of Acadiana finally chipped a 14-point second-half margin all the way to two in the final four minutes.