An 11-0 spurt to close the first half was just the spark Ferriday High School needed as the No. 3 Trojans raced past No. 30 Capitol 79-65 in boys LHSAA Class 2A Bi-District tournament action Friday.

Ferriday (21-6) trailed Capitol 15-11 at the end of the first quarter, but once the Trojans got going they couldn’t be slowed down.

“We started at the first half with too many turnovers,” Ferriday coach K.G. Watkins said. “We just made too many mental mistakes. I’m hoping it was just first game jitters; everybody was a little too tight and trying to do too much with the ball.”

Carlos Collins led Ferriday with 22 points, and Jer’Lyric Brooks had 18 points. All of Brooks’ points came from 3 and proved pivotal as Trojans big man Dantrieze Scott was hampered by foul trouble for most of the game. The 6-foot-4 post player finished with 15 points in limited minutes.

“(Scott) was playing very timid because of the foul trouble,” Watkins said. “But guys stepped up. When someone is not 100 percent, somebody has to step up, and Jer’Lyric stepped up. He hit some big shots in the second quarter.”

Ferriday also received a spark from Collins after a pair of highlight-reel plays. The senior wing player punctuated Ferriday’s first half run with a blocked shot, landing in the bleachers. Collins then brought the home crowd to its feet in the second half with a one-handed fastbreak dunk.

“I’m just doing what I have to do to help my team,” Collins said. “We have a lot of confidence. I’m thinking we are going to go all the way.”

Ferriday kept its foot on the gas to open the third quarter, eventually building a 23-point lead. Capitol managed to close the deficit to 13 in the final minutes, but Ferriday staved off the charging Lions.

“We came out a lot more relaxed, and we were able to put a gap (in the score),” Watkins said.

Ferriday will host Red River Tuesday in the Regional Round. The Bulldogs beat Mentorship Academy 48-46.

“We’ll practice and get ready and try to correct some of the mistakes,” Watkins said.