Rebels had their chances, but lose game in fourth quarter

BY DAVID FOLSE II

Sports Editor

JEANERETTE-Throughout the remaining teams in Class 2A, there is only one team who’s season will end on a happy note.

Tuesday night, Riverside was eliminated from any chance of becoming that team.

The historical ride through the 2005 playoffs came to end for the Rebels Tuesday night when they lost on the road to Jeanerette, 73-54.

Josh Labiche led Riverside with 18 points and Matt Rogers had 12 points. Chris Fontenot also added 11, but it wasn’t enough.

With the loss, the Rebels conclude their season with a very solid 24-9 overall record and second place finish in district 10-2A.

Riverside had their chances throughout the game, but Jeanerette stepped up when it mattered the most, outscoring the Rebels 29-16 in the final quarter to come away with the victory.

“They (Jeanerette) ran 10 guys at us and they were by far the most athletic team that we have played all year,” Riverside Head Coach Tommy Monier said. “We were right there though. We were down four towards the end of the third quarter, but we had two trips down the floor that we turned the ball over. That denied us the chance of cutting the lead to two or even possibly one.

“They ended up converting those baskets and took a six-point lead heading into the fourth quarter and we just ran out of gas. They were tough, they were deeper than us, more athletic than us and just a better ballclub than us.”

A senior-heavy ballclub, Monier said it was hard to find a dry eye in the locker room after the game as the senior class realized it was their last game in a Riverside uniform.

“Without a doubt that speech was tough,” Monier said of his speech to the seniors after the game. “I don’t think that there was a dry eye in the entire locker room.

“A lot of that stems with the fact that they have been with me for four years (the seniors), Their freshmen year was my first year here. We kind of grew up together. It is hard to lose kids like that, not just as basketball players, but the people that they are and the friends that they are to you. You like being around them and that is hard when it ends and you have to say goodbye.”