Rayville Hornets still heading to the finals

If you read last weeks article you may have thought I spoke disparagingly of the Jonesboro-Hodge Tigers saying if I were a bookie I would spot them twenty-five points.
I was only indicating what I thought was the relative strength of the two teams. It so happened that the Hornets covered the spread and then some with an 86-54 win in the regional playoff game but if they played again I don’t think that I would be that bold.
Actually the game was better than the score indicated. The Hornets had to work pretty much for the points they earned. They were up only 49-34 at half. Final score 86-54
The Hornets seem to take turns being high scorer; this time it was JaMarkus Wilson with 21 points. His cousin, Mylik Wilson was close behind with 19. Rashad Naylor and Michael Williams II had 13 each. Christopher Jones contributed 7, JaMichael Wilson had 6, Nashaun Ellis 4, Randle Dorsey 2, Thomas Hennessey and Demontrel Wilson had 1 each.
This set up a compelling quarter-final game with Sophia Wright out of New Orleans in Hornet Gym. This was a team as deep as the Hornets and could run with them. It was 16 all at the end of one. Some how we outscored them by nine in the second quarter but it was a brutal undertaking.
We built this lead to 15 in the middle of the third period but even then it didn’t seem safe for they were raining threes; they had 10 for the game to our 4.
We led by 11 starting the fourth but with 3:39 to play the lead was three 58-55. That’s when the Rayville D showed up, and the crowd got involved. I don’t remember crowd support like this ever in Hornet Gym. No doubt they played a big part in those last three minutes. We didn’t know it at the time but Sophia Wright was not to score again, but its was not until Rashad Naylor drained a three from the corner that gave us a 10 point lead with :59 seconds left that we could relax and feel confident that this one was ours.
Final score 67-55. Once again it was JaMarkus Wilson leading the way with 25 points, Mylik had 18, JaMicheal 9, Rashad Naylor 8 and Michael Williams II 7.
Now it is on to Lake Charles for the semis and finals. It will be North Caddo who upset Ferriday the #3 seed by five points in Ferriday. North Caddo is the #6 seed. If comparative scores mean anything we should be able to take North Caddo, but do they?
Next week we will tell the tale.
Also next week, wel will offer full coverage of the Lady Hornets.