Featured photo by Douglas Blow
The Minden Crimson Tide advanced to the second round of the non-select Division II playoffs with a 65-54 victory over Leesville Thursday night at home.
The victory was the Tide’s first playoff victory since 2011.
Minden (15-8), the No. 14 seed, will travel to Monroe next week to take on No. 3 Carroll. The Bulldogs (25-8) received a first-round bye.
Leesville, the No. 19 seed, closed its season 13-16.
The Tide have gotten contributions from many players all season. Thursday’s game was no exception.
Five Minden players scored in double figures.
Christian Lofton, Darnell Morris and Cameron Parker all scored 12.
Maurice Rabb and Kameron Harris had 10 each. Jekoye Knowles was one point short of joining his teammates in double figures with nine.
Minden led 13-9 after the first quarter.
Both teams picked up the pace offensively in the second. The Tide outscored the Wampus Cats 19-15 and took a 32-24 lead into the locker room.
Lofton scored eight in the second. Parker hit two 3-pointers. Knowles was 4-of-4 from the free throw line.
Minden scored 19 again in the third quarter and held Leesville to 11. The Tide led 51-35 going into the fourth.
Parker and Morris knocked down 3-pointers in the third. Rabb scored six points.
The Tide made 8-of-11 free throws in the final quarter.
Jeremiah Lee led Leesville with 20 points.
Doyline, the only other Webster Parish team in the playoffs, hosts District 1-B rival Castor in the first round of the non-select Division V playoffs Friday night at 6:30.
The No. 5 seed Panthers (23-3) and No. 28 Tigers (13-17) split their district games. Castor won 71-63 at Castor on Jan. 26 and Doyline won 56-55 on Feb. 6 at Doyline.