Ferriday couldn’t quite close the deal in a district game against McCall Friday.

The Trojans had the district’s top team on the ropes before falling in overtime, but it might have been a good lesson for them.

&uot;We had our opportunities. With nine seconds left, we had a good look, the guys just didn’t finish it,&uot; Ferriday coach James Davis said. &uot;We stayed in it the whole game, didn’t let them get in a big rally. When you play good teams like that, you have to take care of your opportunities. Hopefully we can stay focused and do well in the playoffs.&uot;

That game against McCall was probably excellent preparation for the playoffs, where execution will be a premium.

Now the job is to prepare for the playoffs and try to stay sharp while not playing for more than a week, That is, unless the Trojans can schedule a game for this week. Davis said he is trying to find an opponent for the Trojans to play before the playoffs next week so that his team can stay sharp.

&uot;I’m going to try to find somebody to play, because I don’t think we’re going play until the next week,&uot; Davis said. &uot;If you’re just practicing against each other, the kids get bored and lackadaisical. You need a game to get them excited and stay polished at what you’re doing. Hopefully we can get somebody.&uot;

Just who the Trojans’ opening round opponent will be is still up in the air. Davis said it will probably be either Red River or Lakeview, but those teams may have to play each other to break a tie between them.

&uot;I hope they’re tied so I can get a chance to go watch them,&uot; Davis said. &uot;Otherwise, I’ll just have to call around to see who I can find to tell me about them.&uot;

That uncertainty about opponents is one of the things that makes the playoffs exciting, but it can be nerve-wracking for coaches.

&uot;It’s very difficult. As a coach, it puts you in the dark so you can’t help your players because you don’t know,&uot; Davis said. &uot;You play the first quarter and then try to make adjustments in the ballgame. It’s a disadvantage, but the good teams manage to get it done anyway.&uot;

D GETS JOB DONE &045; The Trinity Saints might not have had much left on Saturday, but they put together two strong showings on the defensive end in wins over Adams Christian and Prairie View to get to the South State championship Saturday.

The biggest may have been the first game against the Rebels, when the Saints rallied for two buckets in the game’s final seconds to take the 47-45 win Wednesday. The Saints went man the whole game, and Zach Rogel had the assignment of covering AC shooting guard Dustin Case.

Case had just two points in the first three quarters and not many touches, giving the Rebels problems putting points on the board.

&uot;They were going with a box and one, and he didn’t get a lot of touches,&uot; Adams head coach Kyle Smith said of Case, who had six in the fourth to finish with eight. &uot;I don’t mind any of our guys shooting the basketball. As all of them are, he’s an important part of our offense. We wanted him to get a few more touches, but that didn’t happen. Trinity played well on defense.&uot;

Ray Simpson came to his aid and led the team in scoring with 14 points as the Rebels continued a balanced attack scoring. But they had just 11 points over the second and third quarters while the Saints put up 23.

Casey Gould also spent much time on the bench in foul trouble in the first half.

&uot;In my opinion, Dustin Case is one of the best players in the MPSA,&uot; Trinity head coach David King said. &uot;Casey Gould is a great player, and we knew we couldn’t let Case touch the ball.

Said Rogel: &uot;I didn’t look at the other guys on the court. I just frustrated him all game. But Case is a good player.&uot;

The win set the stage for the biggest surprise of the tournament and the entire week in both the South AA and South A this week. The Saints will go into the state tournament next week at Brookhaven Academy as the No. 2 seed from the South in their ninth straight trip to state.

&uot;Our goal at Trinity is to go to the Overall,&uot; King said. &uot;We want to go back. That’s one of the goals we set every year.&uot;

GOING INSIDE &045; Cathedral forward Matthew Hall had another big game Friday, and it’s really starting to pick things up for the Green Wave.

Hall had 31 points Friday night in the 80-56 win over Enterprise after he rung up 29 against a good West Lincoln team on Tuesday. Hall may not be the tallest guy in the world, but he’s found a niche around the basket with solid post moves.

&uot;Everybody keeps running this 1-2-2 zone,&uot; Cathedral head coach Peter Arnold said. &uot;If we move the ball around and go to the left wing, Matthew will get the ball inside. Matthew is just strong on the inside. He was 13 of 15 from the field (Friday). He’s got a good solid body, and he uses his body real well.&uot;

Hall and the Green Wave will open the Division 7-1A tournament tonight at West Lincoln. Both the Wave and Lady Wave will play Bogue Chitto in the first two games of the tournament, and both will need a win to qualify for the state playoffs.

The Green Wave enters as the No. 3 seed and will face the No. 6-seeded Bobcats.

&uot;They’re 4-8 in division, but they’ve won their last three games,&uot; Arnold said. &uot;They play a very deliberate style of offense that makes the game slow, and it’s hard to pull away from them. It’s going to be a dogfight to the finish.&uot;

TIE-BREAKER TONIGHT &045; There’s still unfinished business in the girls’ side of 4-1A, and it will come down to tonight’s tie-breaker game pitting Block against Newellton at 6 p.m. at Franklin Parish High School.

The Lady Bears were in the driver’s seat in the district until losing at Newellton near the end of the season for their first loss in district. They handed Newellton its only loss when the two teams met in Jonesville.

The winner will host a wild card in the first round of the playoffs Thursday, and the loser will host the No. 3 team out of District 6.

Sports editor

Adam Daigle

contributed to this report.