Strong start propels Bridge City

By Brian Besch
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Livingston will end the 2023-24 basketball season as bi-district finalists, dropping an opening-round match to Bridge City 59-51.

Bridge City had a bit of a height advantage, and moreso in the low post that helped the Cardinals on the boards. They were also the more physical team, winning most of the loose balls and playing better defense. They were able to start with a 12-2 lead midway through the first quarter. Troubles both on offense and at the free-throw line continued the Lion problems, missing 5-of-6 from the line. After eight minutes, they trailed 18-5.

“When you miss field goals and miss free throws, you can’t win,” Livingston coach Frederic Camp said. “We missed enough free throws to win the ball game. When they don’t go with the game plan and go their own way, that is what happens. I never can tell what is going to show up.”

Livingston played much better defense in the second quarter and seemed to settle into the game. More shots started falling and there was a better performance on the free-throw line. The Lions outscored Bridge City in the second quarter by two, but still trailed at the half by nine.

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Both offenses opened up in the third quarter, with the Lions going for 18. Bridge City would top that by a bucket. Livingston outscored the Cards in the fourth, but it would be too late at that point.

For the contest, Livingston was just 4-of-14 from the free-throw line.

Ziekus Garner led the Lions with 17 points, Jayden Randolph had 10, and Tearance Gray eight. The Cardinals were led by Aiden Guitierrez with 19, Lincoln Breaux with 13 and Aaden Bush 12.

Camp said he would remember the team for the fact that they reached the playoffs. Seniors include Gray, Randolph, Jabari Carter, Nick Hancock, Peyton Hathaway, Tyrell Fagan and Jonathan McNeal Jr.

“They fought and came back. They were in third place, and lost it. Then, we came back and won (third place). When you get to the big lights and in the state tournament, you have to get focused. You can’t think about anything but 94 feet in the rectangle box. The rest of that stuff has got to go. We hit the bracket last week and we should have just been thinking about what we were going to do.”