Destrehan is back into the swing of things — and then some — after a break for the holidays.
Just two days after besting archrival Hahnville, the Wildcats leap into tournament action competes in the Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic at the Alario Center in Westwego.
DHS is competing in one of two Sugar Bowl tourney brackets, the “Platinum” bracket.
Destrehan coach Angi Butler said the tournament — which also includes Natchitoches Central, John Curtis, Fair Park, St. Thomas Aquinas, Cabrini, Richwood, University, Karr, Mount Carmel, Ouachita, Pineville, Salmen and Madison Prep — is a big plus for her team because the competition is fierce year in and year out.
“It’s a good tournament to be in because you’re facing very strong teams and it’s pretty high-profile,” Butler said. “We lost by four to Salmen last year.Their roster is a little different than what we saw last year but they’ve played plenty of good teams this season.”
That said, she said her message to her players is to not concern themselves with the overall bracket and to simply focus on the next game.
“Just as we would in the playoffs, we need to approach this one game at a time,” Butler said. “When we focus on each task at hand one by one, that’s when we give ourselves a chance to do very well.”
The Wildcats are coming off a victorious performance in their District 7-5A opener at Thibodaux. DHS captured a 63-56 win on the road in a performance that Butler said may not have reflected her team’s “A-game,” but proved to be enough.
“We didn’t play our best,” Butler said. “We seem to struggle when we go to Thibodaux. It was the same thing last season.
“We were up 19 in the first quarter (this time), but then we get to halftime and we’re tied at 32. They’ve got some big girls and we’re definitely a bit height challenged. The girls told me, ‘They’re tall but on the court they’re even bigger.’”
In that game, Cara Ursin scored 27 points, while Kiki Kenner and Nytea Sanchez each added 11 for the Wildcats.
While Ursin has continued her torrid start — to both her junior season and prep career — the Wildcats are also getting a big boost from guard Kenner and forwards Brandi Mason and Kali Mealey.
Mealey, Butler said, has emerged as a major contributor off the bench.
“With us being a smaller team, what (Mealey and Mason) do becomes that much more important,” Butler said.
BUTLER HONORED: Butler has another reason to be excited than simply the hot start of her team. She was named the Sugar Bowl Exist to Assist Prep Coach of the Month for November and honored at the Smoothie King Center during the Dec. 23 NBA game between the Portland Trail Blazers and the New Orleans Pelicans.
“What an honor it is,” Butler said. “I was super excited, and still am. I got to go to the game and will get to go to their end of the year banquet. And the Pelicans donated $1,000 to our program, which will be a big help.”
The donation, Butler said, is a boon at the right time; Destrehan plans on competing next year in a national tournament taking place in Houston, and the money can help to fund that trip.
DESTREHAN 65, HAHNVILLE 31. The Wildcats dominated from start to finish Tuesday night at HHS.
Kiki Kenner scored 18 points to go with seven rebounds and four steals. Cara Ursin scored 17 points with 11 rebounds and six steals.
Hahnville’s Makaila Carter and Ruyana Bossier scored 13 and nine points, respectively.
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