Basketball anyone? As the college football playoffs and bowl seasons continue, the high school basketball season moves to another gear with Scotlandville High in a lead role.
The defending champion Hornets return home after a fifth-place finish at the City of Palms Classic in Fort Myers, Florida last Tuesday. They are again the top seed for the East Baton Rouge Parish tournament that begins Thursday at Zachary High. Scotlandville gets the lone bye for the tournament and meets the Broadmoor-Southern Lab winner in a quarterfinal game set for 8 p.m. Friday.
Host Zachary is the No. 2 seed, followed by third-seeded McKinley and No. 4 Lee. The title game is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 29.
But that is not all for the Hornets, who will then host the Big 8 Classic on Monday, Dec. 30, which features top Louisiana teams from multiple classes.
The schedule features Southern Lab vs. defending Class 1A champion North Central at 4 p.m., East Ascension vs. Ville Platte at 5:30 p.m., Madison Prep vs. Peabody at 7 p.m. and Hahnville vs. Scotlandville at 8:30 p.m.
“The parish tournament is traditional during the holidays, and you always see some good competition,” Scotlandville coach Carlos Sample said. “And it’s being held in a great venue at Zachary, which is good for the teams and the spectators who want to see a bunch of games in one place.
“The idea with the Big 8 was to get teams together that normally don’t play each other. All of the teams are doing well so far this season, which I think is going to add to it. It’s a good chance to see some good basketball.”
Other tournament notes
Old vs. new? That is one of the storylines for the 48th Episcopal Classic that begins at 3:30 p.m. Friday. Central Private taking on Newman at 3:30 p.m.
CPS is in its first year as an LHSAA school after spending many years in other associations, including the Mississippi Association of Independent Schools. Veteran coach Gary Duhe took over the Central Private program just before the season began. Newman is a traditional power that adds a new layer to its rich history with former Greenie and LSU star Randy Livingston as its coach.
Catholic High's Red Stick Classic also features a broad cross-section of teams that includes the Bears, a Division I semifinalist last spring. De La Salle was the Division II runner-up.
Basketball
Boys
Varsity start times are typically between 7 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Monday
Lee 53, Episcopal 43
Lee 14 11 10 19-53
Episcopal 12 12 8 11-43
SCORING: LEE: Jacob Wilson 21, Zaiver Sims 17, Madison Moore 6, Tim Kullman f3, David Weber 2, Quentin Henry 2, Emmanuel Metoyer 2; EPISCOPAL: Ricky Volland 10, DJ MOrgan 8, Jack Ter Haar 7, Kapan Mcmains 7, Stewart on necase 5, Thomas Bessleman 4, James Jordan 2.
3-POINT GOALS: Lee: 4 (Wilson 3, Kullman 1); Episcopal 4 (Volland, McMains, Morgan , Bonnecaze)
Records: Records Lee 8-4, Episc opal 11-3
JUNIOR VARSITY: Lee 42, Episcopal 11-3
University 85, Istrouma 40
University 16 21 25 23-85
Istrouma 14 7 10 9-40
SCORING: UNIVERSITY: Brock Brown 23, Bryce Brown 17, TJ Clayton 8, Milan Mejia 7, Zkach Ismaio 6, DJ Morton 6, Zen James 5, Jerry Cook 4, Roman Pitre 4, Terrington Butler 3, Shawn Jones 2; ISTROUMA: D. Browen 10, R. Brown 9, T. Christy 5, B. Detiege 4, M. Bla nd 4, M. Stevens 4, J. Longs 2, L. Jackson 2.
3-POINT GOALS: U-High 5 (Clayton 2, Bryce Brown, Brock Brown, Mejia); ISTROUMA 2 (Christ, R. Brown)
Records: U-High 12-0
Thursday
EBR tournament
At Zachary High
Broadmoor vs. Southern Lab, 11 a.m.
Baker vs. Northeast, 12:30 p.m.
Istrouma vs. Lee, 2 p.m.
Woodlawn vs. Tara, 3:30 p.m.
Belaire vs. McKinley, 5 p.m.
Mentorship Academy vs. Glen Oaks, 6:30 p.m.
Capitol vs. Zachary, 8 p.m.
Green Devils Classic
At Plaquemine High
David Thibodeaux vs. Helen Cox, 4 p.m.
Donaldsonville vs. St. James, 5:30 p.m.
West Feliciana vs. Plaquemine, 7 p.m.
Amite vs. McMain, 8:30 p.m.
Walker Christmas Challenge
At Walker High
St. Amant vs. Denham Springs, 11 a.m.
Assumption vs. Ponchatoula, 12:30 p.m.
East Ascension vs. Covington, 2 p.m.
Booker T. Washington vs. Central Lafourche, 3:30 p.m.
Walker vs. Jehovah-Jireh, 5 p.m.
Friday
Basile at Catholic-Pointe Coupee
EBR tournament
At Zachary High
Consolation games 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m.
Quarterfinals at 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 6:30 p.m., 8 p.m.
48th Episcopal Classic
At Episcopal
Central Private vs. Newman, 3:30 p.m.
Pearl River vs. St. Charles Catholic, 4:45 p.m.
Central vs. Holy Cross, 6 p.m.
Albany vs. Episcopal, 7:15 p.m.
Green Devils Classic
At Plaquemine High
Consolation games, 4 p.m., 5:30 p.m.
Semifinals, 7 p.m., 8:30 p.m.
Red Stick Classic
At Catholic High
Port Allen vs. John Curtis, 2:30 p.m.
Runnels vs. Livonia, 3:55 p.m.
De La Salle vs. Catholic, 5:20 p.m.
St. Michael vs. Parkview Baptist, 6:45 p.m.
Walker Christmas Challenge
At Walker High
East Ascension vs. Ponchatoula, 11 a.m.
Jehovah-Jireh vs. Assumption, 12:30 p.m.
Live Oak vs. St. Amant, 2 p.m.
Denham Springs vs. Central Lafourche, 3:30 p.m.
Booker T. Washington vs. Dutchtown, 5 p.m.
Walker vs. Covington, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
EBR tournament
At Zachary High
Consolation games at noon, 1:30 p.m., 3 p.m., 4:30 p.m.
Semifinals at 6 p.m., 7:30 p.m.
48th Episcopal Classic
At Episcopal
Central Private vs. Albany, 9 a.m.
St. Charles Catholic vs. Newman, 10:15 a.m.
Holy Cross vs. Pearl River, 11:30 a.m.
Episcopal vs. Central, 12:45 p.m.
Green Devils Classic
At Plaquemine High
Consolation final, 4 p.m.
Third-place, 5:30 p.m.
Championship, 7 p.m.
Red Stick Classic
At Catholic High
Runnels vs. Catholic, 10:30 a.m.
Livonia vs. De La Salle, 11:55 a.m.
Port Allen vs. St. Michael, 1:20 p.m.
Walker Christmas Challenge
At Walker High
Covington vs. Denham Springs, 11 a.m.
Assumption vs. Booker T. Washington, 12:30 p.m.
Live Oak vs. Dutchtown, 2 p.m.
Ponchatoula vs. St. Amant, 3:30 p.m.
East Ascension vs. Jehovah-Jireh, 5 p.m.
Walker vs. Central Lafourche, 6:30 p.m.
Girls
Monday
Ellender at Scotlandville, 3 p.m.
Plaquemine at Denham Springs, 3 p.m.
Friday
Tournament
Episcopal Classic
At Episcopal
Dunham vs. Glen Oaks, 9 a.m.
Dunham vs. Central Lafourche, 10:30 p.m.
Istrouma vs. Walker, noon
Episcopal vs. Central Lafourche, 1:30 p.m.
Glen Oaks vs. Plaquemine, 3 p.m.
Episcopal vs. Istrouma, 4:30 p.m.
Dominican vs. Central, 6 p.m.
Doyle vs. Plaquemine, 7:30 p.m.
Saturday
Episcopal Classic
At Episcopal
Episcopal vs. Dominican, 9 a.m.
Glen Oaks vs. Doyle, 10:30 a.m.
Walker vs. Dominican, noon