LAKE CHARLES — Would fourth-seeded Huntington be the team to end Scotlandville’s streak of title-game appearances? Nope. Once again, the top-seeded Hornets were savvy, balanced and experienced.
UNO signee Dorian Booker scored a game-high 25 points and had 11 rebounds to lead top-seeded Scotlandville past Huntington 63-43 in a Division I select semifinal played Wednesday at the LHSAA Boys State Basketball tournament.
“Some of this stuff is devine guidance … by placing certain people, like my coaches, administrators and the Scotlandville family in our lives,” Scotlandville coach Carlos Sample said. “That allows us to be consistent with the things we do.
“We want to give something positive to the community that has supported us and given us so much. They wanted to keep that streak going.”
The Hornets (32-3) advance to an LHSAA title game for the 14th straight season. Scotlandville meets the winner of Wednesday’s late game between St. Thomas More and Catholic at 6 p.m. Saturday at Burton Coliseum.
Point guard Jamal Drewey added 15 points and 9 assists. SHS also got 14 points and 9 rebounds from Zae Teasett. Christopher Carpenter led Huntington (24-9) with 13 points.
The first half was a tale of two quarters. The Hornets ruled the first period with Booker scoring 10 points. Scotlandville led 22-9.
But Huntington flipped the script in the second quarter with three consecutive 3-pointers in the final two minutes. DeMarion Carter made two of the treys, the second of which got the Raiders with two points, at 31-29 with 1:03 remaining.
Two free throws by Teasett in the final seconds made it 33-29 Scotlandville at the half.
“Basketball is a game of runs,” Sample said. “They made a run at us, but these guys kept a poker face.”
A basket by Teasett and two more layups by Booker extended the SHS lead to 10 points three minutes into the second half.
“Going into the game my coach told me they (Huntington) would be physical and grabbing at me … anything to get me off my game,” Booker said. “When they tried it, my teammates told me to keep my head up and hands straight up.”
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