Stipe and Perrilloux both score 12 in big road victory

BY DAVID FOLSE II

Sports Editor

If you are not on the East St. John boys basketball bandwagon, you better hop on now before there is no more room left.

Perhaps the hottest team in the area, the Wildcats picked up yet another victory Tuesday night when they dominated South Lafourche on the road 52-37.

Ryan Stipe and Ryan Perrilloux led the Wildcats (22-7, 6-2) with 12 points a piece. Cazaro Young added 11 in the East St. John victory.

A battle of tempos throughout, a 10-2 run in the second quarter gave East St. John the lead for good and the Wildcats never looked back.

Wildcats head coach Charles Julian was happy with the way his team played, particularly against the slow-down style that South Lafourche presents their opponents.

“I’m glad we came away with the victory,” Julian said. “It was a very slow-paced game. They wanted to slow the ball down and we wanted to run a bit more. Our execution was pretty good. South Lafourche is an excellent team in terms of not turning the ball over.

“They are not a very big team, but they play hard and play the kind of game that is good for them. They are the type of team that wants to execute and make you make mistakes.”

Going up against a team like South Lafourche, Julian preached to his squad execution if the were to come away with the win.

We wanted to play a little smarter than we do because sometimes we get up and down and we don’t mind turning it over a few times,” Julian said. “However, against a team like South Lafourche, you can’t turn the ball over at all.

“Teams like Hahnville did that and only beat them by four points. They even beat Terrebone. In my opinion it is the style of play that allows them to do this.”

Julian also credited his team’s patience and not trying to force shots as a major key to victory.

“My team did a good job, but again the tempo of the game was so slow,” Julian said. “They got the opening tip and it took them 1:40 before they even took a shot.

“I told my guys that they wanted us to make mistakes. I said if we don’t make mistakes, rebound well and play good defense, we would have a chance to beat this team. If we just run wild and don’t execute, they are going to beat us.”

With his team now back to full strength and ready for the stretch run, Julian said the sky is the limit for his talented Wildcats.

“I think that people are starting to respect us a bit more,” Julian said. “I don’t know if we get the respect that we think we deserve, but I guess if we continue to win we will get what respect we think we are due.”