BY DAVID FOLSE II

Sports Editor

RESERVE-It’s not the type of momentum teams want to have heading into the state playoffs.

After all but clinching a playoff spot with a victory over Hahnville, the schedule as of late has not been kind to the East St. John girls basketball team.

The Lady Wildcats lost their second consecutive game on Monday night when they fell to Ellender, 64-54.

Crystal Fleming led East St. John with 10 points. Randi Donald and Gaynelle Brown each had nine points in the loss.

The defeat drops the Lady Wildcats to 22-16 overall and 10-5 in district 6-5A action.

A close game throughout, the two teams each scored 13 points in the third quarter and 12 points in the fourth quarter. Ellender only outscored East St. John 22-20 in the second quarter.

The difference in the game was the opening period.

Ellender outscored the Lady Wildcats 17-9 in the first quarter and it proved to be the difference.

East St. John head coach Troy Giordano said his team played well for three quarters, just not the opening period.

“Ellender is the fifth-ranked team in the state,” Giordano said. “They are a really good ballclub. After the first quarter we played them even for pretty much the rest of the game. We just came out flat in that opening quarter. We didn’t come out with the intensity that we needed to.

“After the first quarter we picked it up. Ellender broke out to some leads and we fought back and made it close. We just could never make it over the hump. When you play a good team like that, it’s hard to come back once they get a lead on you.”

Giordano said the mistakes are correctable, but his young team must mature quickly if they are to make their customary run in the state playoffs.

“We just have to come out with more intensity from the get-go,” Giordano said. “Every possession that we have has to be big. These young kids don’t realize that yet.

“Every possession when you play a team like Ellender is important. They are not understanding that you can’t just wait until the fourth quarter.”

Giordano can only hope that his young Lady Wildcat squad can comprehend the message in time.