Pat’s of Chauvin says retirement not in vocabulary
March 12, 2013Central Lafourche forfeits baseball wins
March 19, 2013
After years of hard work and heartbreaking finishes, all that stood in the South Lafourche Biddy Basketball team’s quest to win the Biddy World Championship was one final 24-minute tussle with Jefferson Parish Recreational District’s East team.
This was the same JPRD East team that had beaten the now-12-year-old girls in the Biddy World Tournament finals two years earlier in the 9-10 bracket.
It was also the same squad that had shellacked the young Lady Tarpons earlier in this tournament in a 42-20 blowout – a game that sent South Lafourche to the loser’s bracket.
But with one last crack at their nemesis, South Lafourche played arguably its best game of the season.
As a result, the team rode back home from Dallas loaded with trophies and most importantly – the title of 2013 Biddy World Champions.
Thanks to a strong first quarter effort, the Lady Tarpons overcame history and scored a 38-28 victory over JPRD East.
The victory capped an 11-games in four days streak for South Lafourche that culminated in the elusive championship for the team’s girls who made runs at the title as both 8-year-olds and 10-year-olds.
“It’s awesome,” said South Lafourche post Emily Danos. “Words cannot express how good it felt to finally beat the team that you’ve been waiting to beat since you were little. It’s just awesome. It’s an amazing feeling.”
“Words just cannot describe how good it feels,” forward Victorianna Nelson added. “We never knew that we would be able to do this, so it’s unbelievable. And I’d never have been able to do this without my team.”
A ‘Great Bunch’ inspires run
South Lafourche’s 2013 run to the championship wasn’t an accident.
It’s actually been brewing ever since these bunch of Tarpons started swimming together on the hardwood.
“This is a great bunch of kids,” South Lafourche coach Jason LeBoeuf said. “Not once do you have to tell these girls anything about attitude or effort or anything like that. They are talented, but they are good kids. It’s not always easy getting this many 12-year-old girls to focus, but they have character and make my job easier.”
As 8-year-old youngsters, the core of South Lafourche’s roster made a push to the Biddy World Tournament and had success, finishing third in the event.
Two years later as 10s, the team took another step in its progression and finished as the runners-up.
“We played JPRD East in the finals that year – and they just hammered us,” LeBoeuf said. “It really wasn’t close.”
But instead of hanging their heads, the young Tarpons continued to work and got better.
Now more talented, bigger and stronger, the 12-year-old children entered the All-Star season as one of the early favorites in the field.
They solidified that status by roaring in early tournaments, scoring most of their victories by 20 or more points.
“A lot of the people on the outside looking in thought we should be the favorites,” LeBoeuf said. “We were playing teams from down here and beating them by big margins with the starters only playing two quarters. … Of course when other people see that, it’s easy to say, ‘Oh, ya’ll should go ahead and win Nationals.’”
But LeBoeuf knows from experience that early success doesn’t always breed championships.
As a player, LeBoeuf and his team won the championship.
He is the only known player to win the title in the event as both a player and a coach.
“I knew that when we hit the road and traveled, it was going to be tough,” LeBoeuf said. “But I always knew we had a special bunch of girls. I knew we had a shot. But by all means, I didn’t think it was a sure thing.”
Adversity overcome in the championship push
LeBoeuf was right.
Nothing came easy for the Lady Tarpons in Dallas.
South Lafourche opened the event against St. Bernard and Slidell – scoring a pair of victories to push forward in the winner’s bracket.
Up next was JPRD East and a rematch of the 2011 Finals.
The Lady Tarpons’ winning ways ended in that game, as JPRD’s size and athleticism overwhelmed South Lafourche in a decisive 42-20 game.
“They played a good game and they took us out of our rhythm,” LeBoeuf said. “We knew we could play better, but that’s not an excuse. They played a good game and they earned the win.”
The setback meant the Lady Tarpons would have to win five-straight games in less than 24 hours to win the title.
LeBoeuf said he didn’t give his girls any sort of magic pep talk after the loss.
He simply didn’t have the time.
Just two hours after losing to JPRD East, South Lafourche was back on the floor.
“We had a lot of work to do,” LeBoeuf said. “But we didn’t have a lot of time to hang our head. We sat for a few hours and then it was back at it.
“I think the girls knew what was going on and that we couldn’t lose again.”
Up first was Finland Blue – the best international team in the field.
Finland Blue had beaten the Lady Tarpons in pool play 40-21.
“No coach would ever say this to his team, but honestly, I looked at that matchup and thought it was maybe the end for us,” LeBoeuf said.
In the loser’s bracket game, the European squad showed why the coach had his doubts. They hung around throughout the game and kept South Lafourche out of its rhythm.
They did so thanks to a tough, physical man-to-man defense that most youth teams do not play at this level of competition.
“The first time we played them and even early in the second game, we were running our man-to-man offense just for the sake of running offense,” LeBoeuf said. “We weren’t looking to score. We were just dribbling the ball around.”
To combat Finland’s defense, the coach also shifted his own group into a zone.
“They couldn’t shoot from the outside,” LeBoeuf said. “We don’t usually stray from man-to-man. But in a winner goes home game, you have to do whatever it takes.”
The Lady Tarpons scored just enough points to earn a gutsy 31-27 win against Finland Blue.
Up next was Finland White – the European group’s “B” team.
That game was easier for South Lafourche, who scored a decisive win.
Then, the Lady Tarpons decisively trumped Lights Out – a Texas-based team.
That set up the championship with JPRD East.
South Lafourche had to beat its nemesis twice to win it all.
Two shots to win it all
“You have to understand something – this JPRD team isn’t used to losing,” LeBoeuf said. “They beat us in the finals two years ago and they were undefeated before playing us in the championship. And we had to beat them twice – a national championship team like them – and we had to beat them twice.”
Initially, things didn’t look good for the Lady Tarpons.
JPRD East roared to a 19-10 lead in the middle of the third quarter and looked to be in control of the game.
But in the final 10 minutes of play, things changed.
LeBoeuf shifted his team into a full-court man-to-man defense, which generated steals and easy buckets.
With momentum, South Lafourche finished the deal and earned a comeback 34-30 win.
In the final minutes of action, the team’s players said they noticed a change in JPRD East’s demeanor.
Once the invincible champion, they were now beatable.
“At the end of the first game, their best players were crying and everything,” guard Traya Bruce said. “I think when we looked around and saw that, we knew that we had them where we wanted them.”
“We knew it was ours to win after that,” Danos agreed.
The young Lady Tarpons were right.
In the winner-take-all game, South Lafourche roared out of the gates and took a 22-14 halftime lead.
They took control for good in the third quarter, pushing the lead to 38-18 heading to the fourth quarter.
JPRD made a run late in the game, but never seriously threatened victory.
As the final seconds ticked off the clock, the Lady Tarpons rejoiced knowing that after years of coming up inches short, they were finally the champions.
“I looked up at the clock and I just started to cry,” Nelson said. “I didn’t know what else to do. I was just so happy. We did it – we finally did it.”
“To help get these girls over the top was just an incredible thing,” LeBoeuf said. “They were so close for so long. But this year, we finally were able to break through and win the final game.”
As the game ended and the celebration was complete, the Lady Tarpons were awarded for their season-long efforts.
A total of six players on the South Lafourche roster were named to the All-American Team – a group led by Bruce, who was also 2013’s Miss Biddy.
Danos, Nelson, Sierra Lerille, Ramey Messer and Macie Matherne also earned the honors.
“And even with that much talent, the kids understood and accepted their roles,” LeBoeuf said. “There was never an ego problem with these girls. That’s the most special thing about it.”
With an additional year of junior high basketball to go, the young girls will continue to polish their games.
The final destination for the squad will eventually be South Lafourche High School, where they hope to build on their successes and keep winning.
LeBoeuf said he believes the team’s winning ways should continue.
The players agree.
They say they are sticking together until the end.
“We can’t wait to keep growing up and keep playing with each other,” Bruce said.
“I love my teammates,” Nelson added. “I wouldn’t want to play with anyone else.”
The South Lafourche Biddy Basketball 11-12 girls’ basketball team poses after winning the Biddy International Tournament this past week in Dallas. The local girls played more than 10 games in four days to take home the title. To reach the top, they overcame their rival JPRD East, beating the foe twice in the championship round.
