Lake Charles Area Report: St. Louis looking for right formula against hot Sulphur

By WARREN ARCENEAUX

AMERICAN PRESS

With a new head coach in place and an influx of football players just joining the team, St. Louis is still searching for the winning formula. Sulphur, with its entire starting lineup returning, is having no such problems while jumping off to a hot start.

The Saints will host the Tors tonight in a nondistrict game.

Sulphur head coach Clint LeBato said having so many veteran players has helped make up for a lack of practice time as the Tors have raced out to an 8-1 start.

“We have been doing pretty good for not having so much practice, we have only had four practices since the football players came in,” he said.

“All of the experience has helped. All of the guys know what is going on and know what is expected of them, they have been able to just get out there and play.”

The Tors return longtime stalwarts Chip Armelin and Matt LeBato. Coach LeBato said the supporting cast has also raised its level of play.

“Donovan Williams is giving us a boost inside,” he said. “Tanner Kuykendall is playing well at point guard. We have a pretty tough schedule and St. Louis is going to be another test. They beat us last year. We played them in a jamboree, but they were missing many of the players because of football.”

New Saints head coach Billy Dreher said his team has played pretty well despite not being able to work together much. The Saints are 6-5.

“We started off pretty good when we were able to work with the same group for four or five weeks, then the football kids come in, and it was another adjustment. Being a new coach, there was always going to be a transition. I thought it would take until January to get on the same page.

“I am pretty happy with where we’re at. We have been in every game but have been struggling down the stretch and with free throws. The kids are playing hard and getting used to what I like to do. If we had made free throws, we might be undefeated.”

Dreher said the Saints are capable of playing a variety of styles.

“I like to play a lot of different defenses and adjust to whoever we are playing. We can get up and down the court, but can also slow it down offensively. We can’t run up and down for 32 minutes with 4A teams.”

Courtesy of the American Press