The Minden Crimson Tide won the Brown Service Center Minden Holiday Classic with a 67-52 victory over the Gibsland-Coleman Bulldogs Saturday night at Minden High.
It’s believed to be the first time the Crimson Tide have won its tournament since 2014.. Minden is also 10-0 for the first time since the 2010-11 season when the Tide started 13-0.
This is Minden’s second tournament championship this season. The Tide won the Don Stahl Memorial Classic last month.
Minden will be looking for another title later this month. The Tide play Ruston in the first round of the 18-team “Doc” Edwards Invitational the day after Christmas at 3 p.m. at Airline, which is the host school.
Gibsland-Coleman dropped to 13-4. Three of losses were to Minden — all by double digits.
The Tide got off to a fast start Saturday. Darnell Morris scored eight points and Cameron Parker sank two 3-pointers in the first quarter, helping Minden build a 22-10 lead.
Kameron Harris scored six and Parker hit another 3 in the second quarter and the Tide led 40-25 at the half.
Parker, who led Minden with 18 points, knocked down his fourth 3 in the third quarter. Jaiden Franklin also hit one from behind the arc.
Gibsland-Coleman’s Demarquis Durham scored nine ponints and DeAvery Durham seven in the third but the Bulldogs didn’t close the gap.
Minden took a 61-43 lead into the fourth.
The Durhams finished with 21 points each.
Morris and Franklin scored 13 each.
Arcadia successfully defended its girls title with a 46-24 victory over Mansfield. The defending non-select Division IV state champion Lady Hornets raised their record to 12-3.
Parkway won the boys consolation title with a 63-52 victory over Homer. The Panthers improved to 8-7.
In the best game of the day, Homer defeated Gibsland-Coleman 70-69 in overtime in the girls consolation finals.
Homer’s Jaliya Franklin hit a shot from just behind the half-court line to send the game into overtime tied at 60. The Lady Pelicans built a lead in OT and made some big free throws.
Gibsland-Coleman made three 3-pointers down the stretch, including one at the buzzer after the Homer made a free throw for a four-point lead.