By JOHNNY PEPPO

Sports Editor

RESERVE– Reserve Christian’s Eagles and their small school 1B status took on neighboring Class 5A East St. John’s Wildcat squad for the very first time in the history of those two schools Monday night. Separated by just more than a mile on Airline Highway in Reserve, fans of the two school’s have been anticipating the match-up for some two months. But Eagle’s guard Demond &#8220Tweetie” Carter laid that debate to rest.

He outscored the other team all by himself.

&#8220That was something else,” said Reserve Christian head Coach Timmy Byrd. &#8220He might have just set a [Louisiana basketball] high school record. We’ll have to check.”

A 5’10” 180 lb. senior, Carter has committed to Baylor and is regularly ranked as one of the top point guards in the nation. He showed his home crowd why he is so highly regarded Monday night in Reserve Christian’s Nest with a 74-point performance that included 13 three-pointers.

The Eagles shot out of the gate early as Carter knocked down 3 three-pointers and scored 11 points in just over three minutes of game time. Supported in the quarter with baskets by senior guard Tino Brozos and junior Kevin Branch, the Eagles went into the second period ahead 23-6.

The Wildcats came out firing, determined to cut into the lead and stifle Carter with double teams and hustle, and went on a seven-to-three run, mostly by senior Trenton Marshall. But a three by Brozos and a basket by senior Daniel Johnson spread the defense back out and Carter started back up. Pulling up shot after shot from long range, often well behind the line, Carter piled up 44 points by halftime. Willie Lago kept the Eagles honest with some lightening fast moves through the lane, but couldn’t quite make a dent in the score, which went into halftime at 53-27.

Branch set the tone for the third quarter to spoil any hopes of a momentum swing for ESJ, posting a pair of threes in the opening minute of action. Marshall upped the pace with some early baskets for the Wildcats, but even with a half left to play, it was too little too late. Carter went on to score 30 more points as the game started to look like a highlight reel with dunks and alley-oops once the score was out of any possible comeback range. Carter came out with just under one minute of game time left following a final basket for the game high 74 points, which according to Byrd, was a personal and school best by far.

After wholesale substitutions by the Eagles, the Wildcats could do little to change the outcome which finished up 114-71.

ESJ’s Marshall was their high-scorer, with 22 while Lago added 16 and Jamond Kenner had 11. Rounding out scorers for the Eagles, Branch got 15 and sophomore Eddren McCain got 14.

The teams have a scheduled rematch at East St. John on January 24.

&#8220That’ll be another good one,” Byrd said. &#8220Unless they think about canceling it.”