By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur

EDGARD — After a solid performance at the Allstate Sugar Bowl Prep Basketball Classic tournament, West St. John wasted no time reestablishing itself as the team to beat in District 8-1A.

The Lady Rams scored the first 15 points of Tuesday night’s district home game against East Iberville and never slowed down, taking a 68-40 victory over the Tigers to move their district record to 2-0.

“We jumped on them quick,” West St. John coach Lester Smith said. “We played really well defensively, especially in the first and second quarters. Their best player (Jasmine Mosby) hurt us a little bit, but our team defense was on point (Tuesday).”

The Rams have won their district championship in each of the past five seasons and appear primed to do it again. West St. John is 16-4 this season, its losses each coming to contenders in higher classifications, including Karr and Warren Easton.

Lakendra Lewis scored 18 points to lead the Rams. Maya Trench scored 15 and JuJuan Nicholas added 13.

Mosby scored 25 to lead East Iberville.

The two teams went scoreless over the first two minutes and change, but once Nicholas nailed a corner 3-pointer at the 5:53 mark of the first quarter, WSJ was off and running.

Mychelle Lumar made a putback to put the Rams ahead 5-0, then Nicholas hit a runner before making a layup in transition. Trench made a 3 in transition, then Lewis made one of her own to make it 15-0. East Iberville didn’t score until a Mosby bucket with 1:54 left in the quarter.

“We had a good pregame warm-up tonight and we just kept it going,” Nicholas said. “We have to keep getting off to good starts, especially in district play.”

Said Smith, “JuJuan started off hot. Between she and Maya, that’s what we look for. We expect big things from the two of them.”

It was 19-2 after the first quarter and WSJ kept the pressure on. Jaquanna Hunter made a pair of inside baskets for the Rams, then Trench hit consecutive jumpers to push the lead to 31-6. WSJ led 33-11 at halftime.

Suffocating defense keyed the Rams’ success. West St. John’s on-ball pressure led to countless steals, leak-outs and easy baskets.

“We locked them up,” Nicholas said.