Scotlandville ended St Paul’s hopes for the school’s first state basketball championship.
MVP Reece Beekman scored 22 points, and LSU signee Ja’Vonte Smart scored 20 as Scotlandville cruised to a 63-40 victory in the State Division I championship Saturday night at Burton Complex in Lake Charles.
The Hornets led 15-4 after one quarter, and 30-16 at the half.
St Paul’s star Parker Edwards was held to 10 points, on four of 10 shooting from the field. He was blanketed most of the game by Beekman.
“They played a great game,” said St Paul’s coach Stephen Dale of Scotlandville. “They did a great job defensively of getting us out off what we wanted to do.”
St Paul’s committed 21 turnovers, and made only 16 of 48 field goal attempts.
However, Dale said his 2017-2018 team will be remembered for being the first team in school history to reach the Top 28 and reach a final.
“St Paul’s has been opened 106 years, and no team has played in this game,” said Dale. “These guys will be legendary the rest of their lives.”
St Paul’s ended the season 29-7. Scotlandville ends the year with a record of 28-5.