By RYAN ARENA

L’Observateur

RESERVE – Riverside officially ended its regular season on a 10-game winning streak with a pair of victories in the last week. If they can make that streak 15, a second straight state championship will be on the way.

The Rebels defeated Westgate, 108-82, last Saturday in a non-district game then downed Haynes, 76-40, to finish their district schedule 6-0.

Against the No. 7 ranked team in Class 5A, Riverside opened things up in a second quarter in which it outscored Westgate 35-18. The Rebels led 59-39 at halftime.

Zelvyn Smith scored 21 to lead Riverside. Ricardo Gathers and Donald Thomas each scored 20. Louis Dabney scored 15.

It was the third straight game that the Rebels had scored 100 points or more.

“We started off a little slow,” said Riverside coach Timmy Byrd. “We settled on too many jumpers early. But in the second quarter we did a really good job in our full court press, got some easy points. I think our pressure and depth really took its toll on them. Defensively, we were very good in the first half, though not quite as good in the second.”

Byrd played 15 different Rebels in the game, which essentially was the last true tuneup for his squad before the postseason.

Against Haynes, Riverside rested its starters while showing off its noted depth. T.J. Scott led all scorers with 20 points. Trevin Woods scored 15 and Michael Buras scored 11.

Riverside (28-6, 6-0) led 40-17 at halftime.

The Rebels have clinched the top seed in Class 2A and will learn who it will face next on Monday, when the state playoff brackets are announced.

Byrd said he likes where his team is entering it’s latest attempt to drive for a title.

“We’ve got five or six guys who can all go for 20 or 30 points. You don’t know who will explode.

“It’s tough for everyone to be cold at once. We began the season as a defensive team trying to find its offensive game, and now we’ve been able to really put up some points lately.”