By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

NEW ORLEANS — Riverside basketball is beginning a season of unprecedented expectations, higher than even coach Timmy Byrd, for all his state championships, has seen before. The Rebels goals go beyond state; they reach the national level.

On Thursday, ESPN’s 18th ranked team nationally got started with a victory, topping McDonogh No. 35, 61-44, in a pre-season Hall of Fame game.

The win won’t count toward power points this season, but makes a difference toward the national profile of a team that will play in five national tournaments out of state and a sixth, the Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic, close to home in Kenner.

Byrd said he expected some rust from a team that was missing point guard Lucas Martin and incorporating a number of talented newcomers alongside a veteran cast. And he got that, as at times the Rebel offense bogged down, largely thanks to turnovers.

But when the Rebels got rolling, everyone saw a brief glimpse of just how high the team’s ceiling is. The Rebels led 12-11 after a quarter of play. But Riverside created all the separation it would need in a second quarter that it began by outscoring the Roneagles 20-2, mostly on the back of a suffocating pressure defense that led to several fast breaks — and rim-rattling dunks.

The Rebels’ Ricardo Gathers finished three such breaks with authority en route to a 20-point night.

“We had to pick up the intensity (in the second quarter),” said Gathers. “All in all, it was about our defense and working within our scheme. The defense is what’s going to win us games.”

Said Byrd, “I think he’s showing maturity, playing under control. He’s now playing the game like he knows how to play it.”

Donald Thomas scored 13 points and Louis Dabney had 12.

For McDonogh No. 35, George Brock led the way with 14 points. Kristoff Walker scored eight.

Gathers got Riverside going with a putback in the second quarter that made it 14-11. He then drew a foul and sunk two free throws. Dabney got a steal and ignited a fast break, which Thomas finished with an authoritative slam to make it 18-11. Zelvin Smith sunk a jumper, then Dabney a free throw to make it 21-12.

Noel Jackson answered for the Roneagles, briefly, with a putback to make it 21-13.

But the Roneagles committed their seven team foul early in the period, and Riverside took advantage by relentlessly attacking the basket and getting into the bonus. The Rebels made a string of four free throws before Khalea Turner scored off a feed from Dabney to make it 28-11. Turner returned the favor, finding Dabney on a fast break with a pretty pass — the senior converted a score to make it 30-13.

Turner is one of the team’s more noteworthy additions to say the least — a 6-foot-9 eighth grader who has been ranked as the top player in his class nationally.

“I was real pleased with his effort, and especially his passing,” said Byrd.

Gathers capped the run with an emphatic dunk to make it 32-13. RA led 37-21 at halftime.

Byrd often played Gathers and Turner on the floor together, the 6-foot-7 and 6-foot-9 duo creating an imposing interior presence.

“It’s interesting,” said Gathers. “He hasn’t been around the game as long, but he’s antsy to play. He brings intensity. What I love about him, he wants to learn.”

Riverside led by as many as 19 in the third quarter, but McDonogh made a push. Noel Jackson scored inside, then Brock hit a 3 to cut it to 14. Later, Walker’s bucket made it 45-34 and the Roneagles were on the verge of making it a game.

But once again, Riverside slammed the door defensively, holding McDonogh scoreless over the last 3:12 of the third quarter, then allowed just five Roneagle points over the first five minutes-plus of the fourth.

“I saw some things I liked, and some things we need to correct,” said Byrd. “We ran about four different defenses and I don’t think (McDonogh 35) was ready for that tonight.”