By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur

LAPLACE — St. James bounced back after a furious third quarter rally by host West St. John Tuesday, controlling the fourth quarter en route to a 66-55 non-district victory.

“It’s a big one for us,” said St. James senior D’Kwan Sandolph, who scored a team-high 12 points. “It’s always a big rivalry. This is our last time facing West St. John, and we were able to go out with a bang.”

The Wildcats led by as many as 16 points in the second half, but West St. John rallied to trail by just one and entered the fourth quarter down four, 42-38.

But a quick five-point spurt to begin the fourth gave St. James a 47-40 advantage and the Rams would never get closer than that seven point spread from there.

D’Kwan Sandolph scored 12 to lead St. James. Tevin Gros scored 11 and Jason Favorite 10 to lead St. James.

Jordan Hamilton scored 18 to lead West St. John (2-6). Austin Oubre added eight. 

Gros scored inside and drew a foul early in the second half to create a three-point play and a 34-18 Wildcats’ lead, their biggest advantage of the night after holding the Rams to just five first-half field goals.

“We were getting our hands up, getting into their passing lanes,” said Favorite. “Moving our feet, forcing turnovers.”

But West St. John coach LaVanta Davis emphasized the press at halftime, and the Rams’ ensuing defensive pressure began to give St. James fits. Hamilton hit two free throws and a runner to make it 34-23, then Oubre scored a layup off of a steal midway through the third quarter.

“Coach gave us a speech at half, basically telling us to check ourselves,” said Hamilton. “Are we doing this for a reason? Are we here to play ball? We started pressing their ballhandlers in the second half and gave them some problems.”

St. James (8-9) turned it over on three consecutive possessions and Oubre followed a Hamilton miss with a putback to make it 34-27. Another Wildcats giveaway led to a D’Jon Taylor three-point play inside that made it 34-30. Jimmy Conner made another steal for the Rams; Hamilton made a nifty layup while drawing a foul with 2:36 left in the third, making the free throw to make it 34-33. 

“We had to settle down. We weren’t playing St. James basketball,” said Sandolph. 

Said St. James coach James Smith, “I told them at halftime, we only accomplished one thing: we won the first half. We still had to execute.”

Favorite made a steal and then brother Jonathan Favorite scored on a layup to turn the momentum back for the Wildcats. Then Favorite scored off of an offensive rebound and followed that up with two free throws to put SJH up seven, 40-33. 

“He’s been solid for us all year long,” said Smith. “He’s our leader and he’s been playing like it. We got his brother back tonight for the first time, so he was a little pumped up about that … He’s an outspoken leader. We love him to death here.”

With 7.9 seconds left in the third, St. James had a chance to go up nine, but Jonathan Favorite missed a dunk and was then issued a technical for hanging on the rim. Jemoine Green made one of two free throws at the other end, then drew a foul and sank two more to pull WSJ within four entering the fourth quarter.

“I feel like if we played the first half like we played the second, it would have been a different outcome. We’ve got to start faster,” said Hamilton.  

Jason Favorite and Sandolph each made plays to begin the fourth to put the Rams back on their heels, Sandolph sinking two free throws and Favorite converting another three-point play inside. 

“At that point, we put ourselves into such a hole,” said Davis. 

“We expended so much energy just to come back.”

Two Hamilton free throws drew the Rams within eight with two minutes left, but the Rams comeback stalled there.