FERRIDAY, La. &045; With no true post player on the roster but a number of hard-charging hustlers, those Ferriday Trojans could have sat back in a 2-3 zone in the hopes of containing big Justin Lawson on the block.

Ferriday head coach James Davis, however, wouldn’t stand for it.

Rayville had too many weapons to play zone, and the Hornets kept going to their big man to help take a 67-54 win over the Trojans in the regional round of the Class 2A playoffs. Davis kept his team in a man-to-man defense, and the Trojans had a couple chances late in the game to turn the momentum but came up empty.

The game, however, didn’t leave the Trojans feeling empty. Instead, it was a step getting back to where they once stood in the world of high school basketball when they made it to the Top 28 in 2001.

Rayville goes on to play the North Caddo-Zwolle winner.

&uot;Coming into the game, our main concern was they’ve got good shooters,&uot; Davis said. &uot;I thought we did a good job on their guards. Our backside help wasn’t what it needed to be, and that hurt us. But we’re young. Missing the playoffs for two years and getting back this year, we’re building. We’ll take this loss. To get past this point next year, we’ve got to work harder.&uot;

The Trojans were able to stay in the game and handle Rayville’s press for the most part, but Lawson just kept getting the ball on the block. The big man finished the game with 28 points, including 10 in the fourth quarter, to keep some separation on the scoreboard.

The Hornets canned three 3-pointers early in the game, and that was Davis’ biggest fear going into a zone defense.

&uot;I knew if we could get it to him, they couldn’t stop him,&uot; Rayville head coach Larry Wilson said. &uot;I figured he would play us a man. We were kind of looking for it. If he got it, he scored. I was kind of disappointed with our ball handling tonight. We turned the ball over and didn’t turn our offense over like we’re supposed to. I guess I’ll never be satisfied until we win it all.&uot;

The Hornets did a better job late in the game of getting it to their money man and didn’t have to shoot the 3-pointer to put the game away. Although the Trojans never went away until about three minutes left in the game, Lawson scored the Hornets’ last eight points and 10 of their last 14 as the plan late was simple.

If you can maintain control of the ball, get it inside.

&uot;When they went man on me, all I did was take it to the goal,&uot; Lawson said. &uot;My men were dishing it off to me. They were trying to take (the 3-pointer) away, but we kept shooting it and making it. I think we are (playing better). We started out slow, but we’ve come on since district.&uot;

Said Davis: &uot;If we play backside him, he’s going to get the ball. We played in front of him, and our backside help wasn’t there. But the thing about it is (Rayville) is so deep. He can bring extra guards in a game and have one big man. They can shoot it. We did a good job on the perimeter, but (the post) has been the weakest point of our game this year.&uot;

Big man or not, the Trojans had a chance to turn the tide a bit late in the game as they managed the Rayville press. The Hornets played a good bit of 1-2-1-1 press and executed it well, and later they pulled back in a 2-3 zone in the halfcourt.

A Ladrian Davis bucket with 1:41 left in the third cut the lead to 45-38, and the Trojans had a chance to cut the lead to five but turned it over.

The Hornets then got buckets from Lawson and Domontrel Wilson for a 49-38 lead, and Jeff Johnson drove the lane for another basket with 10 seconds left for a 51-40 lead heading into the fourth quarter.

&uot;We wanted to change things up (defensively),&uot; Larry Wilson said. &uot;I don’t ever want a team to know where I’m coming from. Our defense was real good. We’ve been playing that way lately.&uot;

The Trojans, who trailed by 14 late in the first quarter when they did have trouble with Rayville’s press, kept pecking away at the deficit but couldn’t get over the hump. After a Lawson bucket with 6:28 left in the fourth put the lead at 55-42, the Trojans got baskets from Dominique Myles and LaKenyon Russ to trim it back down to nine.

They had an opportunity to score again but turned it over. The Hornets got a bucket from Antwuan James and another from Mario Dorsey after he got a steal on the press and laid it in.

&uot;We worked on the press pretty good,&uot; James Davis said. &uot;One or two guys were out of their spots on the offense, and when they got out of their spots, we kind of lost focus. The press didn’t hurt us &045; we hurt ourselves. We’d get the layup, and we’d miss the shot. We missed a lot of layups tonight. That really hurt us. My hat goes off to them. They’ve got a good ball club.&uot;

Rayville 67, Ferriday 54

Rayville22141516&045; 67

Ferriday13111614&045; 54

SCORING &045; R: Justin Lawson 28, Jeff Johnson 11, Anthony Johnson 7, Antwuan James 5, Domontrel Wilson 4, Robert Briggs 4, Terry Powell 4, Mario Dorsey 2. F: Ladrian Davis 20, Eric Crump 12, LaKenyon Russ 9, Dominique Myles 9, Charles Jefferson 2, Dutch Samples 2.