By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

Reserve Christian captured the championship at this past weekend’s Woodlawn tournament after defeating Istrouma in the championship game Friday, 88-80.

RCS (11-1) defeated Helen Cox in the semifinals to advance there, 81-52.

Cedric Jenkins captured tournament MVP honors after scoring 29 points in the final game, one in which Reserve led by 21 entering the final quarter.

The Eagles’ Chris Roussell made the all-tournament team, scoring 23 points in the semifinals and 15 in the finals.

“They each really played well,” said RCS Coach Timmy Byrd. “Cedric really came thorough in the fourth quarter Friday when we needed him to. He was 10-of-12 in the fourth quarter when we needed to put them away.

“And Chris is really our X-factor. When he plays well, we’re very hard to beat.”

Reserve led Istrouma (2-1) 65-44 after three quarters, but Istrouma got hot from the outside in the fourth, making seven 3-pointers and scoring 36 points.

“We didn’t guard them the way we needed to,” said Byrd. “We’re still not where we need to be finishing games out. But credit them, they shot the lights out at the end. Everything they threw up there went in.”

Louis Dabney scored 14 in the championship for RCS.

Rob McGee led Istrouma with 20 points.

Contrarily, Reserve defeated Helen Cox soundly in each of their four quarters of play on Thursday.

Jenkins scored 22. Ed Gallina scored 15 and Ricardo Gathers added 13.

For Helen Cox, Javier Bush led the way with 15. Taj Givens added 12.

It was the second game in four days that Reserve faced a defending state champion. The Cougars (2-2) are the defending Class 4A champions, while Christian Life — which defeated RCS last Monday — is the defending 1A champion.

“They might not be the Helen Cox of last year, after losing Greg Monroe, the best player in America,” said Byrd. “But that’s still a talented team. I think that’s the best game I’ve seen us play this year.”