Bearcats fall to Ponchatoula in state semifinals
LAKE CHARLES – Ruston’s historic season has reached its end.
The No. 2 Bearcats (29-4) fell to the No. 3 Ponchatoula Green Wave (28-7) 62-55 in the Division I Non-select semifinal Thursday evening, falling one game short of reaching the state championship game.
Trailing 37-35 entering the fourth, the Bearcats began to turn the ball over at a high rate and lose the free-throw battle in the closing minutes as the Green Wave built a 13-point lead at one point in the frame to close it out.
RHS head coach Ryan Bond forecasted Ponchatoula junior post Allen Graves would be a difficult matchup and it didn’t take long for the 6-foot-9 junior to show it. The big man racked up three blocks and five rebounds in the first quarter alone, setting the tone for what was a slow first quarter for the Bearcats.
He'd finish with 20 points, 19 rebounds, four blocks.
Ruston had an uncharacteristic opening eight minutes, picking up four personal fouls and giving up uncontested drives to the basket and second-chance rebounds. Ponchatoula took advantage and lead by as many as four in the quarter, only for the Bearcats to respond with 6-2 run in the final four minutes to tie it up at 11-11 going into the second.
It was the first time a playoff opponent scored more than seven points in the first quarter over Ruston.
The Bearcats started quicker in the second with a 4-0 run in the first two minutes. But the Green Wave’s tide kept washing over Ruston’s shores and eventually gave away the lead to sit tied 17-17 with 4:40 left.
Ponchatoula seemed to take control and potentially put Ruston in danger up 21-17 with 3:20 left. The Bearcats had other plans and went on an 8-4 run in the final three minutes to tie it back up at 25-25 at the break.
Ruston shot 8-of-26 from the field, including 1-of-8 from three in the opening half. Ponchatoula’s offensive struggles were stark as well, as the Green Wave shot 9-of-25 in the first half.
Graves already had a double-double at half with 10 points and 12 rebounds to go with 3 blocks at the break. Braylan McNeal put up 8 points in the first half to lead the Bearcats.
As the third quarter began, Ponchatoula kept up the pressure and took a four-point lead once again up 32-28 with three minutes left. With 1:25 to go, the Green Wave built its largest lead of the night up 37-32 but it was McNeal who once again came up big with an and-one layup to the cup to have Ruston trailing just 37-35 heading to the fourth. The senior shot five free throws in the frame.
McNeal and Lontravious Dimmer ended with 16 points each to lead Ruston.
The Bearcats finish the season 29-4 overall and reached the state semifinals for the first time since 1988 in the process.
