Bulldogs top Gueydan, Lady Dogs slip past North Vermilion

IOTA – The Iota Bulldogs didn’t exactly match up well with the Gueydan Golden Bears Tuesday in the 2014 prep basketball season opener for both teams.
But what the Bulldogs lacked in height, they more than made up for it with tenacity.
Using a pressuring defense, the Bulldogs wore down the Bears and pulled away for a 53-35 victory.
“We had no choice but to get after them,” said Iota coach Stacy Bertrand, whose team forced the Bears into countless turnovers on the night. “They (Gueydan) got tired. We don’t get tired and we’re not going to get tired. We are in good shape and we are going to press every day.”
The constant pressure allowed the Bulldogs to pull away in the second half when they went on a 12-0 run in the first five minutes of the third quarter.
Tristen Fontenot drained a pair of 3-pointers and Dylan Hebert knocked down another during the run before Gueydan’s Colton Woods scored the Bears’ first point of the frame on a free throw with 2:20 remaining in the quarter.
Brett Clay and Landon LeJeune each knocked down a bucket after that and Hebert drove baseline for a layup to give the Bulldogs a 42-20 advantage heading into the fourth quarter.
The Bears rallied in the final frame and cut the lead to 15 at one point. Woods and Malik Criner each scored four points in the final eight minutes.
Iota’s Brett Clay then drove the lane for a layup to lead Iota on a 7-2 run to end the game.
“I’m really pleased with what I saw tonight,” said Bertrand. “Everybody has their role and they are working together; and if we continue to do that, we will be fine. As long as we stay together and continue to do the right things, we can be successful.”
The Bulldogs had a lot of success from beyond the arch where they sank seven 3-pointers on the night.
Sophomore guard Dylan Hebert drained two 3-pointers and finished with a game-high 14 points while Triston Fontenot hit three long balls in a 13-point effort. Kade Hebert (10 points) and Bray Latiolais (5 points) each had one 3-pointer.
“We had wide open shots all night,” said Bertrand. “The wings were wide open; so if that’s what they are giving, then that’s what we have to take.”
Bertrand also got key contributions from a pair of freshmen - Hunter Andrus and Brett Clay.
Andrus scored five points and Clay had four off the bench.
“The two freshmen did a great job and once they get the hang of things, they will be okay,” said Bertrand. “It’s a totally different world from where they came from in elementary ball.”
Landon LeJeune rounded out the Bulldogs’ scoring with two points.
Woods paced the Bears with 12 points and Cade Sonnier had eight. Criner added six points, Emit Richard pitched in five, Dakota Laquette had two and Corey Romero finished with one.
Iota returns to action on Monday when they take on Oakdale at 2 p.m. in the opening round of the Sacred Heart of Ville Platte Tournament.
Lady Dogs hold
off North Vermilion
IOTA – The Iota Lady Bulldogs shrugged off a mediocre shooting performance and survived six turnovers in the final three minutes to hold on for a 38-34 victory over North Vermilion Tuesday in the season opener for both teams.
The Lady Dogs shot just over 30 percent from the floor on the night, but they were able to put some much needed distance between themselves and the Lady Patriots in the second half.
The Lady Dogs outscored the Lady Patriots 13-9 in the third quarter behind seven points from Jillian Boone and they then scored the first six points of the fourth quarter to take a 36-24 advantage with just over four minutes remaining.
North Vermilion rallied from there thanks to countless turnovers by the Lady Dogs down the stretch. Lanie Breaux scored eight of her game-high 11 points in the final four minutes and hit a layup at the buzzer to account for the final score.
Mallory Faul led the Lady Dogs with nine points. She also had 13 rebounds and two blocked shots. Boone, Cambri St. Andre and Whitney Landry each followed with seven points. Landry also had nine rebounds, one block and four assists.
Becca Fantroy added four points while freshmen Madeline Gatte and Madison Oliver each had two points. Gatte also had one block, two assists and three steals.
The Lady Dogs return to action tonight when they travel to Lafayette High for a 6 p.m. contest.