RESERVE — Riverside Academy’s hopes of putting a basketball state championship trophy next to the one the football team brought home in December were thwarted Tuesday night in Sulphur.

No. 1 seed Country Day once again proved to be the Rebels’ nemesis, taking a 58-43 victory in the Division III semifinals at Burton Coliseum. It was the third win for the Cajuns over No. 3 seed Riverside Academy this season, the first two coming in District 12-2A play.

It was the first time in 13 seasons that coach Timmy Byrd did not get a team to the finals, including his stint at the now-closed Reserve Christian School. The Rebels have won the state championship five of the last seven years before this one.

No. 3 Riverside finished the season 24-13.

Jared Butler gave a valiant effort, scoring a game-high 26 points. He got 17 of those in the second quarter to help tie the score at the half.

Country Day opened the third quarter with a 5-0 run, however, to regain the lead and the momentum.

The Cajuns built up a 16-point lead in the fourth quarter. With 6:40 remaining in the game, the Rebels cut it to 45-36, but never got within nine for the remainder of the game.

Byrd said his team simply couldn’t overcome a poor night of shooting and Country Day’s strategy against Butler.

“It’s frustrating that we lost, and I feel bad for my players, but we didn’t overcome the adversity,” Byrd said. “They beat us. Make no mistake, they beat us.”

No other Rebels player reached double figures. Garland Robertson finished with six  points.

Last year it was Riverside that ended Country Day’s season. The Cajuns’ Romin Williams remembered that and led the Cajuns with 18 points, seven rebounds and five assists.