The temperature may have been a little chilly outside the first day of December but inside the Calvin gymnasium Saline was scorching. The nets that is! Playing only their second game all season and first in a month the Bobcats made up for lost time by scoring the most points they have in over a decade in their 94-76 victory over former district 4C rival Calvin.
The last time the Bobcats have orchestrated such an offensive onslaught was on February 2nd, 2010 when they blew past Bienville High (now defunct) 99 – 55. The near century mark total also marks the most points, Saline head coach Klint Robinson has seen a squad of his ever score in his seven year tenure.
“It has been a long month” said Robinson, who also was victimized by the COVID-19 virus. “I am really proud of the guys the way stayed focused during the down time and very happy for them to see the fruits of all their hard work come to them.”
Titus Malone and Kenton Lee Crawford, a pair of sophomores starting to come into their own, led the way with 21 and 17 points apiece. Ethan Roberts chipped in with 16 and Titus Jackson added 14 as the Bobcats placed four players in double figures. Blake Clifton and Ryder Blanchard scored seven, Will Dyson 4 and Rafe Martin two to round out the Saline scoring.
Saline (1-1) 24 19 29 22 – 94
Calvin (0-1) 16 20 25 14 – 76
Saline scoring: Malone 21, Crawford 17, Roberts 16, Jackson 14, Clifton 7, Blanchard 7, Dyson 4 Martin 2
Calvin scoring: Kyle 26, J. Adams 22, A. Adams 11, Anderson 6, Clark 6, Griffin 3, Yocum 2
Calvin’s been waiting too! Before you start to feel too bad about Saline playing only two games in the month of November, it’s been even worse at Calvin. The Cougars had all six of their prior games cancelled or postponed meaning this was their season opener.
Cougar Head coach Justin Tinsley has to be pleased with his team’s progress as two days later the district 4C school took down Class A Cedar Creek of Ruston 59-55 in Calvin’s home opener. The loss was the first of the year for Cedar Creek after opening the season with three road victories.
Ruston showing it has “Bond”ed! In former Weston High School head basketball coach Ryan Bond’s first year at Ruston High last season his Bearcats beat only five teams from Class 3A or higher. This year they have already beaten four in their first four games.
Furthermore, after the Bearcats (5-0) 64-13 smashing of perineal Class C power Summerfield this past Saturday, you have to go all the way back to 2007-08 when Ruston won their first eight, to find as impressive a start to a season.
More signs! The 13 points allowed most certainly is one of the best defensive performances in school history and is the fewest the Bearcats have given up since Max Preps.com started keeping stats in 2005. The last time a Ruston team held an opponent to anything close was when they beat Loreauvile 52-17 way back in 2010.
Ruston began the year by winning three straight at home. First they mauled Class 4A Minden 80-44 then followed that up with a 53-49 win over Class 5A Southwood. Class 3A Green Oaks was no match in the 62-28 Bearcats victory then Ruston won their first road game of the year 64-60 over Class 5A Parkway before suffocating Summerfield.
Arcadia wins Bienville Parish Tournament
The biggest school in the parish turned out to be the best this year in the annual Bienville Parish Tournament. Class A, Arcadia (5-0) won all three of their contests to finish with the best record in the round robin event and run their season opening winning streak to five games. The Hornets beat Gibsland-Coleman 67-47 after taking out Saline 73-55 and fellow district 1-1A rival Ringgold 52-28 in earlier contests played last weekend.
Class C, Gibsland-Coleman’s (3-5) had the next best as other than their loss to Arcadia the Bulldogs took out Class A Ringgold 64-47. A contest with Saline(1-2), who didn’t play again after the Arcadia loss due to COVID-19 quarantine requirements once again was cancelled. Ringgold (1-4) did manage to win their first of the year by beating Class B, Castor 73-32 in the Tigers only contest of the tourney.