JOURNAL STAFF
Overcoming a seven-point deficit in the final 19 seconds to win at Paris Junior College Feb. 14 was one late-season stride by the Bossier Parish Community College basketball team.
The latest was even more impressive.
The Cavaliers went on the road Saturday and not only beat longtime nemesis Tyler Junior College, but smacked down the Apaches Saturday afternoon, 72-55.
It completed the first season sweep of TJC in the history of the Bossier Parish program. BPCC edged Tyler 75-72 in Bossier City on Jan. 31.
Saturday’s victory was the second in three games for the Cavaliers, who narrowly missed knocking off Panola JC Wednesday night in a 67-64 defeat. Those nailbiters have been frequent in BPCC’s 12-15 campaign, said coach J.A. Anglin.
“We’ve been in close games all season. We were controlling a lot of those games this year and for one reason or another lost focus.
“Our young team showed a lot of grit Wednesday against Panola, who is one of the best teams in the country. We came up one possession short,” he said.
But that frustrating near-miss fueled a superior effort at Tyler, he said.
“Our group needed to show some resilience with a great response against Tyler. The guys showed great maturity Saturday,” Anglin said. “We were in control from start to finish and never took our foot off the gas.”
The Cavs got 18 points and 16 rebounds from Ruston freshman Braylan McNeal. Nicholas Kaigler and John Awoke added 17 points each. BPCC shot 48 percent on 3-pointers (11-23) with Kaigler’s 5 for 9 outing setting the pace.
With three regular-season games to go, BPCC is back in action Wednesday at home in a 5:30 contest with Trinity Valley at the Billy Montgomery Gym, riding some momentum.
“We took a step in the right direction,” said Anglin. “We know we’ll have to bring that same intensity and focus Wednesday against Trinity Valley.”