By RYAN ARENA

Sports Editor

East St. John cut an 18-point halftime lead to eight in the second half, but could get no closer as the Wildcats fell to Terrebonne on Friday night at the Donaldsonville tournament.

Jamaan Kenner led the Wildcats with 15 points. Malcom Lago added 13.

East St. John (0-1) struggled in large part due to 33 turnovers, which dug a hole that was ultimately too large to climb out of.

“They jumped on us in the first half, but really, the key was the turnovers,” said East St. John Coach Yusseff Jasmine. “We turned it over 33 times. We have some inexperienced players that haven’t gotten the playing time until now.”

Jasmine, who made his debut as Wildcats’ head coach on Friday, credited the team’s defensive effort in the second half as keying the team’s comeback attempt. East St. John scored 22 in the fourth quarter, 11 more than it’s next highest scoring effort in a quarter.

“We turned the defensive pressure up in the fourth,” said Jasmine. “We used a lineup that I didn’t come in expecting to use, and that combination was able to cut the lead to eight.”

But the comeback stalled after a key turnover in the fourth quarter, and Terrebonne (2-0) took advantage.

“We ran a set play that should have cut the lead to six with a basket,” said Jasmine. “We turned it over and from there, it was very up and down.”

East St. John will play again at the Natchitoches Central tournament on Monday.