Featured photo by Michael Odendahl/GeauxPreps.con
The Minden Crimson Tide’s outstanding season came to an end Thursday afternoon with a 51-35 loss to the Bossier Bearkats in the non-select Division II semifinals at the Burton Complex in Lake Charles.
Minden, the No. 2 seed, finished 23-4. The Tide made it to the semifinals for the first time in 24 years. Sixth-seeded Bossier (22-11), which has won 15 in a row, will play No. 1 Wossman in the championship game Saturday at 6 p.m.
“I thought our kids competed,” Minden Hesd Coach Jacob Brown said. “They played hard. What an amazing experience. These guys have nothing to be ashamed of. In this world people remember your last game.
“You’re either a hero or a goat however you want to refer it. But I got a bunch oh heroes in here. They laid it on the line for a great community. I hope this gets to be a continuous thing where every year we have the opportunity to get here, put yourself in that position, and you’re not defined by this last game.”
Minden senior Darnell Morris led the team with 14 points and 13 rebounds.
“It felt good,” he said of making it to the state tournament. “Mainly I just want to thank the team. This wasn’t easy. Nobody saw what happened behind the seen. Our blood, sweat and tears. It felt good to have everybody come and watch us. We just didn’t get it done.”
Both teams played tough defense, but the Tide had a difficult time getting shots to fall regardless.
Minden shot 21 percent from the field in the first half and 28 (15-of-52) for the game. The Tide attempted 16 3-pointers and made only two.
Minden also struggled at the free throw line, making just 3-of-13. Bossier was 21-of-30.
“Probably the difference in the game — free throws you get you have to make. And giving up some buckets at the rim,” Brown said. “We traded makes at the rim and misses at the rim, contested misses not alway blown wide-open shots.”
Minden trailed 9-2 early and 11-5 after the first quarter. Bossier extended the lead to 22-11 at the half.
The Bearkats went up 25-13 early in the third. The Tide then gave their fans something to cheer about.
Morris scored inside and was fouled. He converted the 3-point play to get Minden within nine. Minden got the ball back and Morris drained a 3-pointer to cut the lead to six with 5:45 left in the quarter.
The Tide had two chances to cut even more into Bossier’s lead but couldn’t do it.
The Bearkats finished the quarter on a 6-0 run and led 31-19.
Bossier pushed the lead to 42-25. Minden got within 44-33 but that was as close as the Tide would get.
Minden’s Kameron Harris had six points and eight rebounds.
Bossier shot 31 percent (14-of-45) from the field. The Bearkats were 2-of-8 from 3-point range.
Kam Davenport and Kerel Woods led Bossier with 15 and 14 points, respectively. Jatravion Bunnery had 18 rebounds to go with his 10 points.