RESERVE — When the Riverside Rebels started their season with three consecutive losses, there might have been some who questioned, a few who rejoiced and several who panicked.

Riverside coach Timmy Byrd was not one of them.

Byrd, the longtime coach of the Reserve Christian Eagles who won seven Louisiana High School Athletic Association titles and, since 2010, the coach of the Rebels who have won five, knew it was only a matter time.

“Maybe if I hadn’t been doing this for a while I’d have panicked,” Byrd said. “I knew there was no reason to panic. I knew we weren’t in any kind of basketball shape yet. But I know how good these players are. And the teams we were playing weren’t slouches. It may have been raining on everyone else’s house but it wasn’t raining on mine.”

The Rebels seem to be proving Byrd right. They have won their last four games on the court and picked up another win off it to improve their record to 5-3.

The off-the-court win — Riverside’s first of the year — came courtesy of a forfeit by Landry-Walker. The on-the-court wins came during competition at this week’s annual Country Day Classic Tournament. The Rebels beat St. Thomas Aquinas 100-42 on Dec. 18, Central Lafourche 75-51 on Dec. 19, Scotlandville 53-51 on Monday  and Karr 76-52 on Tuesday.

The win against Scotlandville was a statement, Byrd said. The Hornets, who are ranked in the Top 20 by MaxPreps, had taken a 67-55 victory over Riverside on Dec. 15. Scotlandville also was the last Louisiana team to have beaten the Rebels (on Dec. 17, 2013) before this season.

But the win against Karr was bigger. It sealed the Country Day Tournament championship for the Rebels for the first time since 2009. And it was decisive. Riverside hit 12 3-pointers in the game, 10 of those in the first half.

Malik Crowfield and Jared Butler, the only two returning starters from last year’s state championship squad, combined for 51 points. Crowfield got hot first, hitting five 3-pointers in the second quarter, during which he scored 17 points. He finished with 25 points, six rebounds and four steals in the game and was named the tournament Most Valuable Player. Butler finished with 26 points, seven assists and four rebounds.

“This tells me that we are ahead of schedule, actually,” Byrd said. “I didn’t think we’d be in any kind of basketball shape this early. Normally it takes us a little longer.”

The Rebels (5-3) will ride that momentum into the Holy Cross Toni Rodi Christmas Classic, where they will face St. Thomas Catholic of Houston at 7:30 p.m. today.  Eagles  forward Jeremy Pec, has committed to Drexel.

St. Charles Catholic took a few days off following Tuesday’s 59-38 victory over Grace King. Jordan Arceneaux led the team with 20 points. Jobe Kelley scored 14 and Zachary Weber added 12. Next up for the Comets (7-6) is a little road trip.  Coach Kemper Todd is taking his team to Mobile, Ala., to compete in the UMS-Wright Prep Tournament Monday through Wednesday.

Todd coached at the school from 1994 to 2003, winning a state championship. One of his former players, Michael Napp, is now the head coach.

East St. John lost a tough one to Helen Cox Wednesday night.  After leading 35-23 at the half, the Wildcats let the Cougars come back and take the win, 66-64 in overtime.

East St. John (6-7) will take next week off before beginning District 7-5A play Jan. 5 at H.L. Bourgeois.