Iota tops Church Point in season opener

Iota’s Brett Broussard goes up for a layup

 Monday in the Bulldogs’ 69-55 victory over

Church Point. Broussard poured in

 a game-high 22 points in the victory.

By Chris Quebedeaux


SPORTS EDITOR


IOTA – When Troy Harmon took over the Iota boys’ basketball program two years ago, he inherited a squad that was averaging about three victories a season.

Harmon’s main goal at the time was simple - change the way people looked at Iota boys’ basketball.

In 2008, the Bulldogs responded with seven victories in Harmon’s first year.

“One thing we’ve been talking about for two years is trying to get some respect,” said Harmon. “We don’t want to be thought of as a stepping stone. We want teams to know that if they come to Iota, they are going to have to play to win. You’re going to have to work for every bucket you get.”

The Church Point Bears found that out the hard way Monday in the 2009 season opener at Iota’s Bulldog gym.

The Bears kept it close throughout the contest before Iota went on a 12-5 run in the final three minutes to claim a 69-55 victory.

“We really played hard tonight,” said Harmon, whose squad clung to a 28-27 lead at the break. “It was back and forth early on and when we went to the half, I told the kids we were going to keep doing what we were doing. We just had to try and outlast them.”

The game remained tight throughout the third quarter and early in the fourth when Church Point cut the lead to 49-46 with just over six minutes remaining.

Iota broke the game open after that, outscoring the Bears 12-2 over the next three minutes to take a 61-48 cushion.

“They had a big man who kept hitting threes in the corner so we kept trying to cut the lanes to stop him from getting the ball,” said Harmon. “And their big man in the middle, once he got tired, we had them.”

Iota’s Brett Broussard led all scorers on the night with 22 points. Brennan Miller added 21. Also contributing for the winners were Daniel Scott, who chipped in 10 points to go along with four blocked shots, Tyler Leblanc with 11 points and Johnny Guidry with five.

Church Point was led by freshman center Dexter Charles and guard Devante Malveaux. Charles poured in 18 points in the paint while Malveaux drained three 3-pointers. Tyrone Alexander added 10 points.

Iota will be in action again tonight when they take on Crowley High at 6 o’clock in the second round of the Kaplan Tournament.

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