By: RHETT MANUEL
Sports Editor
OPELOUSAS – The Ville Platte Bulldogs may well be on their way to something special this season, but Wednesday night saw them face a team that was able to match them blow-for-blow in the Opelousas Tigers.
Ville Platte hung tight, but Opelousas ultimately rode a third quarter where they outscored the Bulldogs by a 23-15 margin to hold off a big fourth quarter by Ville Platte in defeating them 66-62.
The Bulldogs placed four players in double figures and scored 25 points in the final period, but it wasn’t enough to grab a victory as Opelousas went into the final period leading by 10 points.
The Bulldogs outscored Opelousas in the first and fourth periods. But, the game was decided when the Tigers exploded offensively and did enough defensively to limit Ville Platte.
The Bulldogs found themselves leading after the opening quarter, led by a pair of Latravian Thomas three-pointers.
Thomas finished the game with 11 points, nine of them coming from beyond the arc as he finished the game hitting three three-point shots.
Opelousas edged Ville Platte 14-11 in the second quarter, with the Bulldogs mostly struggling to find its stride and allowing the Tigers to take a 24-22 lead into the locker room.
Opelousas’ third quarter saw its leading scorer put up eight points to lead his team.
Ville Platte did its best to keep pace by Latelldrick Prejean, who scored seven of his 11 points in the third quarter.
Where Opelousas thrived was in limiting one of Ville Platte’s main weapons in guard Sage Papilion. Normally a prolific scorer, Papilion was limited to two points in the first three quarters.
Uncoincidentally, when Papillion came alive the Bulldogs were at their best.
He scored 11 of his 13 points in the final quarter, leading the Bulldogs to a 25-point frame that ultimately couldn’t push them over the hump.
Papillion and Montavis Seraille tied for the team high with 13 points each. Jakahalen Slaughter added eight points for the Bulldogs.
June 19, 2026
