Ville Platte downs Notre Dame for key district wins

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The Ville Platte Bulldogs and Lady Bulldogs hosted their third league games here Tuesday night against the Notre Dame Pioneers and Lady Pioneers and swept their district rivals, with each picking up key wins.
The Lady Bulldogs controlled the game from the start and held on for the 49-43 victory. With the win the Lady Bulldogs improve to 7-11 on the season and 1-2 in district play.
The Bulldogs overpowered the Pioneers down the stretch in a close match the entire game for a 66-52 win. The Bulldogs improve to 19-1 on the year and 3-0 in league competition.
Both Ville Platte teams will travel to Welsh Tuesday to continue district play.
The Lady Bulldogs took the Lady Pioneers by surprise to start the game, taking a quick 7-2 lead after three minutes of play. The game slowed down dramatically over the next two minutes, as neither team could knock down a basket.
Notre Dame found a way to score again with 3:00 left in the quarter. However, Ville Platte answered back with a three-point basket from Trinity Leday to hold a 10-4 lead at the close of the first period.
The second period saw the two teams triple the amount of points scored in the first quarter. Only one time in the quarter did one of the two clubs score back-to-back baskets, making for a truly interesting period.
Ville Platte was more efficient on the offensive side of the floor, owning a 24-20 lead with only five seconds left on the clock. As the time wound down, Ville Platte’s Vandryua Wilson took her chances on a Hail Mary half-court buzzer beater. To everyone’s surprise, she made it, causing the stadium to erupt as both teams headed into their locker rooms with the Lady Bulldogs up 27-20.
The third quarter was mainly Notre Dame’s, holding Ville Platte to only eight points. Still, the Lady Pioneers couldn’t seem to overcome the lead. Despite scoring 13 points, the Lady Pioneers still found themselves down 37-31 heading into the final period.
The final quarter closely resembled the second, being a back and forth shoot out between the two district rivals. Unfortunately for Notre Dame, the Lady Pioneers could not shake the six point deficit from the previous period, as the Lady Bulldogs were able to close out the game at the free throw line.
Kaydan Coward kept Ville Platte afloat, leading her team in scoring with 15 points.
The boys took center stage next, and did not disappoint. The Pioneers were the ones to strike first blood, raking in the first four points to open up the initial quarter.
That four point advantage remained throughout most of the entire period until Ville Platte was able to tie it up 12-12 following a set of free throws from Tye’Wuan Byers and Terrian Roy. Notre Dame tried to stay ahead getting a basket and free throw from Jacob Dore, but Byers was able to finish off the quarter with a three pointer basket to tie the game at 15-15.
The Bulldogs found their footing in the second quarter, hitting the first four points. The two teams battled it out for a bit, with the score once again all tied up at 22-22 with 2:53 left before the half.
Terrian Roy and Jahmal Byers proceeded to take the game in their hands after a Notre Dame bucket, punching in a combined seven points to close out the quarter, and earning a 29-22 lead for the Bulldogs as both teams headed into the locker rooms.
In the third quarter, the Pioneers came out more aggressive on defense, hoping to slow down the relentless, efficient Bulldog offense. Unfortunately for Notre Dame, Ville Platte was still able to keep up the pace set.
As battled back and forth, the Bulldogs were struggling to hold a tight 41-40 lead following a three point bucket from Pioneer Kaizer Lamm. Roy and Tyler Jones proceeded to relieve some of the pressure on Ville Platte towards the end of the period, with each knocking down three point baskets, leaving the Bulldogs on top 46-40 going into the final eight minutes of the game.
The final period was relatively competitive, but Ville Platte continued to not let Notre Dame breath. Despite Notre Dame’s best efforts to stem the bleeding, the
Bullldogs still held on to a 62-52 lead with only 1:44 left the game. Realizing the game was out of reach, Notre Dame benched their starters, allowing Jahmal Byers to score four points before the buzzer to close out the game.
Ernest Roberts was a major difference maker in Ville Platte’s district contest, pulling through with 21 points. Byers chipped in 13 points, while Roy added 10 points.