Blistered by Brister, Lake Arthur star lights up Tors for 28 points
Rodrick Anderson
SULPHUR — Nicholls State signee Deonna Brister scorched Sulphur for 28 points, and Lake Arthur got solid performances throughout its lineup Tuesday to down the host Tors 63-38.
Brister had 17 points by halftime and added five rebounds and four steals. She scored nine of Lake Arthur’s 19 first-quarter points as the Tigers (18-2), who won their ninth consecutive game, led by as many as 13 in the first quarter.
“Deonna works hard no matter what,” Lake Arthur head coach Vickie Sketoe said. “She works hard on defense, rebounding, shooting. She is just an all-around player, and that is why she is going to Nicholls.”
Freshman point guard Vivian Sketoe kept the offense running smoothly as Lake Arthur committed one turnover in the first half. Sketoe had nine points, six steals and six assists, and Brooke Daboval had five assists. Kali Hornsby scored her 1,000th career point in the third quarter, and Katherine Leonards came off the bench to score 14 points for the Tigers.
“I thought we played under control,” Sketoe said. “We are working to do a better job at it, playing under control, and not getting in such a hurry.
“At the beginning we took a lot of quick shots, but I thought we calmed down. I thought we played good defense. We always play good defense, and I was really proud of them.”
Sulphur (10-10) made up ground with an 8-2 run to cut Lake Arthur’s lead to 19-12 with 7:15 left in the second quarter on a bucket in the lane by Gabby Gunter, who led the Tors with 17 points. Sulphur kept it close for a time, but Lake Arthur pushed its lead out to 20 late in the third quarter.
“The first half we started in zone, and they lit us up,” Sulphur head coach Carol Turner explained. “So we switched to man, and we were able to contain them a little bit better.
“Going into halftime, I felt like we were getting back into the game, then when we came out in the second half they stretched the lead out again. They are a very solid offensive team. They don’t stand around and they move the ball well.”
Lake Arthur closed out the third quarter on a 12-0 run capped by a 3-pointer at the buzzer by Sketoe for a 50-27 lead.
Leonards scored eight of Lake Arthur’s 13 fourth-quarter points, including a pair of 3-pointers.
Kirk Meche / Special to the American Press