MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / October 18, 2000

RESERVE – It was not the prettiest of wins but the Reserve Christian Eagles would take it.

With no returning starters from last season, the Eagles struggled at times in its season opener against Faith Christian in the Eagles Nest but pulled away in the fourth quarter for a 62-48 victory.

Reserve Christian led by only 50-48 early in the fourth quarter after Faith Christian’s Jahi Autman buried a jumper from the left corner. But that wouldbe Faith Christian’s last score of the game.

On Reserve Christian’s next trip down the court, Demond Carter bounced a pass inside to Jason Watkins inside to build the lead up to four. Following aturnover, Paul Labiche put back a shot was fouled. Labiche missed the freethrow but grabbed the rebound and drove in for the score, making it 56-48 with 4:02 left in the game.Chris McClain hit three free throws to build thelead to 11 with 3:17 left.

“It was our kickoff,” Reserve Christian head coach Timmy Byrd said. “It wasthe first game of the season and we have a lot of young players. We playedlike I expected us to play. We played like we were young. We had one seventh-grader and two eighth-graders. But I was pleased with them. DemarcusBranch gave us a big lift off the bench. I thought Penny Brumfield playedreally well. And I thought Paul Labiche showed some things tonight.”Labiche had a team-high 14 points and 13 rebounds. Watkins added 13 pointsand nine rebounds. Brumfield chipped in with 13 points while McClain hadseven. Branch had five points off the bench.Faith Christian was led by Jahi Autman with 17 points. Kevin Foy had 10points while Johnathan Rondeno had six. Faith Christian out-reboundedReserve Christian, 40-35.

Reserve Christian took a 36-32 lead into the break. Autman pulled FaithChristian to within two early in the third on a drive down the lane. ButReserve Christian answered with a 6-0 run. Labiche found Watkins inside tostart the run. Watkins then scored on a put back and Brumfield drove thelane to make it 44-38. In the final seconds of the quarter, Carter grabbed asteal in the front court and drove in for a layup as the buzzer sounded, giving Reserve Christian a 48-42 lead.

After Andrew Kerty scored for Faith Christian early in the fourth quarter, Brumfield found Watkins inside to make it 50-46.

Faith Christian led almost throughout the first quarter, taking a 14-8 lead late in the quarter on Rondeno’s turnaround jumper on the right baseline. A3-pointer from the right arc by Branch cut the deficit to three and Justin Augilard made it a one-point game by taking a pass from Marshall Williams inside. As the clock ticked down, Branch inbounded a pass from thebackcourt to Brumfield who drained a 3-pointer from the right arc as the buzzer sounded, giving Reserve Christian an 18-16 lead.

That lead grew to 23-17 early in the second quarter on a steal and a layup by Brumfield. Rondeno’s jumper from the free throw line pulled Faith Christianto within 24-21. Labiche followed with a drive inside, making it 26-21 with4:43 left in the first half.

Faith Christian then went on an 8-2 run to take its final lead of the game.

Foy scored the first six points of the run on two layups and a jumper from the left baseline. After two free throws by Autman, Foy again drove inside togive Faith Christian a 29-28 lead.

Labiche answered on Reserve Christian’s next possession, driving in to make it 30-29. Labiche added a layup off a steal and a put back to make it 34-29.Randy Giveans buried a 3-pointer from the left corner to bring Faith Christian to within two but Matt Jackson scored on a put back at the buzzer to make it a four-point game.

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