Four-peat for Port Allen boys with 73-56 win for Division III non-select title

Isaiah Howard scores 27 points and grabs 11 rebounds for the Pelicans

LAKE CHARLES, La. - The winning feeling never gets old for Port Allen. 

The Pelicans won their fourth consecutive title Saturday when they defeated Winnfield, 73-56, in the Division III non-select championship in Burton Coliseum.

“Year in and year out, the guys continue to lock in and know what the goal is,” Port Allen coach DiMario Jackson said. “They understand the work that goes into it, because you don’t get here without work, the preparation and the day-to-day grind that these guys are put through.

"They take it with a challenge.”

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Pels senior Isaiah Howard won Most Outstanding Player honors with 27 points and 11 rebounds as they pulled away from Winnfield in the second half after trailing 33-31 at halftime.

Port Allen (29-4) shot 12-for-20 from the field and 16-for-18 from the free-throw line in the second half - leading to a 42-23 advantage in the second half.

“We’ve been really good all year in the third quarter,” Jackson said. “The third quarter has always been our quarter to separate or, if we’re behind, come back and get the lead.

"It’s not so much offensively, but we lock in and make the proper adjustments at halftime and come back and guard the ball like we guard the ball.”

Port Allen junior Aries Lewis (11) attempts to block Winnfield senior Keithan Hamilton's shot during the Division III non-select championship game Saturday

Winnfield (26-5) started slow in its first championship game, but quickly settled down in the second quarter - going 9-for-19 to hold a 22-10 advantage.

However, the Tigers went cold in the second half from 3-point range - missing all seven of their attempts. Compounding matters, the Pelicans owned the paint with nine blocks - six of those from junior Aries Lewis.

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Jaylon Jackson led Winnfield with 21 points and 11 rebounds on 9-for-18 shooting, while Keithan Hamilton added 19 points.

“I didn’t feel like we played our style of basketball (Saturday),” Tigers coach John Jones said. “We played hard at times, but I didn’t feel like we played the ball that got us to this point.”

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This latest championship by the Pelicans means a lot to players such as senior EJ McQuillan, who now finishes his career a perfect 4-for-4 during his high school career.

McQuillan scored 20 points in his final game and Jackson gave him the ultimate honor by saying that his jersey should go up in the rafters.

“This one was a lot more intense,” McQuillan said. “We expected them to come out with beaucoup energy and effort after we eliminated them in the quarterfinals last year, but we know that we would eventually get away.”