Ladycats suffer first loss, fall on road
Published 11:45 pm Friday, December 7, 2012
By RYAN ARENA
L’Observateur
NEW ORLEANS — East St. John absorbed its first loss of the season Monday night as it fell at McDonogh No. 35, 45-38.
Forward Kaitlyn Pratt led the Roneagles with 31 points.
Da’Rae Taylor led the Ladycats with 14. Kariontae Victor added 11.
The game was ultimately decided in the second quarter, one that saw McDonogh No. 35 erase a five-point ESJ lead after the first quarter by outscoring the Wildcats 22-7 in the second period.
Though the Wildcats (5-1) usually stingy defense held to form in the other three quarters — ESJ allowed no more than nine points in any of those — the damage was ultimately done.
“We didn’t take care of the things we can take care of ourselves,” said East St. John coach Jackson Manuel. “We missed wide open layups, especially in the last five or six minutes. We need to do a better job of controlling the things we know we can.”
Pratt, a returning All-State post player, proved particularly problematic for ESJ. She scored 21 of her 31 points in the first half.
“She ate our lunch,” said Manuel. “And as much as she was doing good things offensively, we were helping her out by blowing assignments.
“We made some adjustments and she didn’t put up the same big scoring numbers in the second half, but we had to account for her.”
Still, East St. John never fell too far out of it and found themselves in the game down the stretch.
“We forced them into a number of turnovers, but just didn’t convert enough of them into baskets,” said Manuel. “We had opportunities for sure.”
EAST ST. JOHN 33, THOMAS JEFFERSON 29 — The Wildcats overcame some offensive struggles in the second half to emerge with a four-point victory over Thomas Jefferson at the Central Lafourche tournament Thursday.
Da’Rae Taylor scored 12 and Jermani Thompson 11 to lead ESJ.
The Wildcats led 22-15 at halftime, but Thomas Jefferson held them to just two third quarter points to cut the lead to three entering the fourth quarter. But ESJ held Thomas Jefferson to just six fourth quarter points to secure the victory.
