By ROBERT L. LEE

RESERVE – Riverside coach Tommy Monier explains the Rebels’ play as “the Jekylll and Hyde syndrome” after falling 69-47 to Grand Isle Friday night.

Monier said his players are still trying to find themselves, but will have no luck with that or winning if they keep playing impatiently on offense and defense.

“We played absolutely no defense and Grand Isle beat us like a drum,” he continued. He said he knows his Rebels aren’t a high scoring team, averaging about 55 points each game, but they are capable of a much stronger defense which will make them successful by limiting their opponents.

The Rebels’ struggle started with the tip off. Riverside brought it to their side of the court and got a shot off, but the Trojans took the rebound and brought the ball to their side for three points.

The Rebels’ Tim Treas was quick to answer the challenge with a three pointer of his own. The Trojans and the Rebels returned blows and baskets evenly throughout the first quarter, but Grand Isle edged out Riverside for a one-point first quarter lead, 16-15.

A Riverside foul shot by Joshua Labiche evened the score at 20, in the opening minutes of the second quarter after teammate Tim Brignac landed two foul shots and Treas followed up with a two-point goal.

After their offensive accomplishment, the Rebels let down their defensive guard. The Trojans exploited their opportunity by taking a nine-point lead from four successful shots on transition in one minute.

With Monier screaming “Patience” from the sidelines, the Rebels began passing along the outside to keep the Trojans’ defensive threat low. Following their fluid passing, few shots fell in and the Rebels’ score only crept up four points until the last minute of the half. Determined, the Rebels closed the quarter with a four-point scoring spurt. But it was not enough to dig them out and they finished the first half down 34-28.

Grand Isle started the second half with a steal and two points, matched 30 seconds later by two points from Treas.

After screaming patience a few more times, Monier rotated all five players. The new Riverside players caused the Trojans to scramble for a moment, but they found an open shot behind the three point line to add to their eight-point lead. A minute later Monier rotated the previous five players back into the game, still stressing patience. Treas scored an immediate four points close to the goal, but the Trojans continued to break through Riverside’s defense and build on their lead. The Trojans managed to score from inside and out to stabilize a 13-point lead, 53-40, through to the end of the third quarter.

The first four minutes of the fourth quarter saw the Rebels score only one point, compared to the nine put up by Grand Isle. Riverside’s Joey Guidry ended his team’s scoring drought with a goal, but they had already fallen 65-43.

The Trojans continued their barrage, trying for shots from the outside, but gained their points in the paint to finish the game up 69-47.

“I think offensively we scored more than not,” said Monier, “but we have to be quick and move our feet defensively.”

Treas ended the night totaling 13 points, while teammates Shawn Klibert and Labiche finished with 11 and 10. The Rebels’ next game will start district play at home against St. Martin’s.