Still hungry, Gators’ district win streak reaches 30, counting

Published 10:00 am Wednesday, February 1, 2023

Make it 30-for-30.

The LaGrange Gators kept their four-year, 30-game district winning streak alive with a dominant 65-39 win over Rayne on Tuesday night.

LaGrange (20-7, 6-0 District 3-4A) took control by scoring 15 unanswered points in the first quarter while building an 18-point lead.

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Ala’Jsa Walker jump-started the first-quarter run with a steal and layup. A 3-pointer by Katelynn Wilson capped the outburst and gave the Gators a 24-8 lead.

Kylei LeBlanc scored 10 points in the opening quarter. Wilson scored 14 points in the first half, turning the style on with a spinning reverse layup and hesitation dribble move that resulted in another layup.

“Katelynn was a little frustrated at the start then we got her a quick sub,” Gators head coach La’Keem Holmes said. “She realized it and got it together. She’s been working on the mental side of the game. She did a great job of slowing the game down in her head and stayed on the attack.”

Rayne (12-11, 4-2) led for the opening 4 minutes behind the shooting of Sarigh Mitchell, who drained a trio of 3s in the first quarter while scoring all 13 points for the Wolves.

The Gators defense took over in the second quarter, forcing a spate of Rayne turnovers while holding the Wolves to six points.

Wilson scored seven points in the quarter as the Gators stretched their lead to 23 points at halftime.

Wilson finished with 22 points to lead LaGrange. LeBlanc added 18 points and 17 rebounds. She totaled 39 points in the two games against Rayne.

“Kylei is one of the best bigs in the state. … When she realizes it, watch out,” Holmes said.

Mitchell scored a game-high 23 points and Bailee Brown added 10 for the Wolves.

The Gators have not lost a district game since the regular-season finale of the 2018-19 season, a 51-41 loss at Sam Houston. LaGrange was reclassified to Class 4A that summer and have gone undefeated in district play each of the last three seasons, winning two state championships.

Boys

LaGrange. . . . . . . . . . . . . 66

Rayne. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51

The Gators (17-7, 6-0) used big scoring runs in each half to remain perfect in district.

Trailing by 12 early in the second quarter, the Gators scored 13 unanswered points in the second quarter en route to a 31-27 halftime lead.

Rayne (10-14, 3-2) briefly regained the lead in the third quarter, but LaGrange took the lead for good with a 24-4 run that took it from down three to a 17-point lead. Omarion Randolph scored 11 points in the outburst, which also featured eight points by Calyb Mitchell.

Randolph led the Gators with 16 points. Mitchell added 13 and Jordan Lewis scored 12.

Anthony Blunt led Rayne with 15 points. Paul Guillory added 12.