High School

St. Thomas More nips John Curtis: John Luke Bourque's buzzer-beater propels Cougars to Division I semifinal win

Follow along as the third-seeded Cougars collide with No. 7 John Curtis in an LHSAA semifinal

Mike Coppage

Grayson Roy and the St. Thomas More Cougars are trying to make consecutive appearances in the state final.
Grayson Roy and the St. Thomas More Cougars are trying to make consecutive appearances in the state final. / SCOTT CLAUSE/USA TODAY Network / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Thursday's action at the Louisiana high school boys basketball state tournament tips off at 1 p.m. at Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles with No. 3 St. Thomas More (27-4) facing seventh-seeded John Curtis Christian (24-6).

Pregame

Seven-time state champion St. Thomas More, which finished as runner-up to Liberty last season, is seeking its first title since 2022, when the Cougars won a fourth straight crown. Coach Danny Broussard, who earned his 1,000th career win in the 2019-20 season, was selected to coach the West at the upcoming McDonald's All-American Game.

The defensive-oriented Cougars have one player averaging in double figures: 6-foot-4 senior forward Grayson Roy (10 points per game). The starting five includes senior forwards Elijah Guidry and Bo Couvillon and senior guards John Luke Bourque and Trenton Potier.

STM defeated No. 11 Huntington (53-50) in the quarterfinals on a half-court buzzer-beater by junior Xarian Babineaux. The Cougars eliminated No. 14 Tioga in the regional round (58-37). Babineaux (6 pgg) is part of a deep bench that includes Matthew Cook, Eli Deats and Chase Jones.

John Curtis, coached by former player Biko Paris, won its first Catholic League basketball championship this season. The Patriots knocked off district rival No. 10 Archbishop Rummel (57-39) and No. 2 Catholic-Baton Rouge (55-51) in their quest to win a second state title.

The Patriots start five nonseniors: junior guard Autrail Manning, junior forward Hayden Joseph, sophomore guards Zavion Shepherd and Marlin Johnson, and freshman guard/forward Jarvis Stevenson. Manning, who is ranked as a four-star prospect by ESPN, was the District 9-5A MVP. Shepherd scored 23 points in the quarterfinals.

Follow this post, refreshing frequently to receive the latest live update, with real-time reporting on scores and key plays.

First quarter

-STM making its 10th straight appearance in the semifinals. For John Curtis, leading scorer Autrail Manning is questionable, according to Jarryd Boyd of The Hash it Out Show. He is dressed out and warming up. Manning reportedly sustained a lower-body injury in the quarterfinals.

-About to tip off. Cougars in white. Patriots in blue.

-Curtis turns it over on the opening possession.

-Manning's 3-pointer provides the first points. Curtis 3, STM 0 5:53, 1st.

-Elijah Guidry draws a foul. Shooting two free throws for the Cougars. Curtis 3, STM 2. Marlin Johnson scores for the Patriots. Curtis 5, STM 2 5:20, 1st.

-Three team fouls on the Patriots. Curtis 5, STM 2 4:44, 1st.

-Fourth team foul on the Patriots. Curtis 5, STM 2 3:08, 1st. Grayson Roy to the line after another foul. Gets the roll on the first free throw. Makes both. Curtis 5, STM 4 3:00, 1st.

-Jakyri Martin off the bench with two free throws for the Patriots. Curtis 7, STM 4 2:07, 1st.

-Grayson Roy is tough to stop on the blocks. He has four points. Curtis 7, STM 6 1:29, 1st.

-John Luke Bourque with two free throws for the Cougars. Makes one. Curtis 7, STM 7 35 seconds left in the quarter.

-Bucket by Jewellz Tapp of the Patriots wiped out by an offensive foul with seconds left. Bourque drives for a lay-up at the buzzer. STM 9, Curtis 7 End 1.

Second quarter

-Roy has four points for the Cougars. Bourque with three. Manning has three points for John Curtis. Bourque with five points after another lay-up. STM 11, Curtis 7 6:17, 2nd.

- Cougars were 5-for-6 on free throws in the first quarter (2-of-7 FG). Patriots were also 2-for-7 from the field (28%) and 2-of-2 from the line.

-Bourque keeps driving to the rim and converting lay-ups. He has seven points. That's what he averages per game. STM 13, Curtis 12 4:26, 2nd.

-Marlin Johnson floater gives the Patriots the lead. Curtis 14, STM 13 3:35, 2nd.

-STM 17, Curtis 16 3:01, 2nd. Roy has six points for the Cougars.

-The freshman, Jarvis Stevenson, with the left hand for the Patriots. Matthew Cook finds an easy shot in the lane off the bench for the Cougars. Stevenson again for the Patriots. Curtis 20, STM 19 1:21, 2nd.

-Xarian Babineaux, the hero of the quarterfinal win over Huntington, hits an NBA 3-pointer off the bench. STM 22, Curtis 20 57.4 left in the half.

-Trenton Potier with a steal for the Cougars. He gets fouled. Shooting two free throws with 4.3 seconds left in the half. Makes both. Manning answers with a 3 at the buzzer. STM 24, Curtis 23 Half

-Halftime stats: John Curtis shooting 47% (9-of-19 FG) from the field. Perfect 3 for 3 from the free-throw line. Manning has six points. Hayden Joseph with five. Curtis made all seven of its 2-point field goal attempts (2-of-12 from 3-point land). Shepherd has four fouls. Xavier Brown has three fouls.

Third Quarter

-Potier scores quickly for the Cougars. Patriots turn it over. STM 26, Curtis 23 7:45, 3rd.

-STM shooting 53% from the field in the first half (8 of 15 FG). 7 for 9 from the free-throw line. Only three turnovers. Autrail Manning with a 3 for the Patriots. STM 26, Curtis 26 6:49, 3rd.

-Bourque, Couvillon and Guidry with two fouls apiece for the Cougars. 26-26 6:40, 3rd. Roy with a power move for two points and a foul. Missed the chance at an and-1. Stevenson scores for the Patriots. STM 28, Curtis 28 6:07, 3rd.

-Roy (10 points) and Manning (11 points) trade baskets. STM 30, Curtis 30 Timeout 5:43, 3rd.

-Marlin Johnson called for his third foul. Patriots with four fouls in the first three minutes and three seconds of the third quarter. Tied at 30-30 4:57, 3rd.

-Jarvis Stevenson gives the Patriots the lead and get fouled by Roy. That's his second foul. Curtis 32, STM 30 4:25, 3rd. Stevenson has eight points. Cook makes a 3 for the Cougars. STM 33, Curtis 32 4:07, 3rd.

-Tapp makes a 3 for the Patriots. Curtis 35, STM 33 3:32, 3rd.

-Third foul on Grayson Roy as the freshman comes up big again for the Patriots with offensive rebound. Jarvis Stevenson can pad the lead at the line. Makes one free throw. Curtis 36, STM 33 2:26, 3rd. Stevenson has nine points.

-Stevenson gets fouled by Bo Couvillon. Fifth team foul on the Cougars. Stevenson now in double-digits with 11 points. He made two free throws. Curtis 38, STM 33 1:36, 3rd.

-Potier runner in the lane for the Cougars. Curtis 38, STM 35 :45 left in the third.

-End of the third quarter. Curtis 38, STM 35

Fourth quarter

-Still 38-35, Curtis. 6:21, 4th.

-Bourque called for his fourth foul. 38-35, Curtis (six minutes remaining).

-Patriots shooting 50% from the field through three quarters (14 of 28 FG). Cougars shooting 54% (13 of 24).

-No points through the first half of the fourth quarter. (38-35, Curtis)

-Timeout, Patriots. Curtis 38, STM 35 4:04 to go.

-Manning dishes off to Stevenson. Curtis 40, STM 35 3:40, 4th. The freshman has 13 points.

-Curtis 40, STM 35 2:54 to go.

-Fourth foul on Marlin Johnson. Bourque gets the roll on a free throw. He has eight points. Misses the second. Lane violation. He gets another crack at it. Curtis 40, STM 37 2:31, 4th.

-Bourque (11 points) cuts it to one point with a lay-up. Timeout, Cougars. Curtis 40, STM 39 2:25, 4th.

-Another timeout. Curtis 40, STM 39 2:23, 4th.

-Roy steals the ball and puts the Cougars ahead. STM 41, Curtis 40 2:08 remaining.

-Stevenson ties it with a free throw. He has 14 points. Gives the Patriots the lead with his 15th point. Curtis 42, STM 41 1:45, 4th.

-Bourque (13 points) makes two free throws for the Cougars. STM 43, Curtis 42 1:40, 4th.

-Patriots travel. STM with the ball and a one-point lead. 1:18 and counting left.

-Elijah Guidry misses a free throw for the Cougars. Makes the second. STM 44, Curtis 42 1:07, 4th.

-Stevenson (17 points) steal and bucket ties it. Timeout. We're even at 44-44 with 58.1 seconds left.

-Cougars turn it over twice. Timeout. Curtis 44, STM 44 14.8 seconds left.

-Timeout, Cougars. Curtis 44, STM 44 9.5 seconds left.

-Jump ball 2.9 seconds left.

-Roy to Bourque for a shot on the baseline as time expires. STM 46, Curtis 44 Final

POSTGAME

-Bourque scored 15 points on 5-of-5 FG and 5-of-6 free throws. He said at the postgame press conference that "cereal and apple juice" was his breakfast. Coach Danny Broussard ordered the senior to eat the same meal on Saturday. John Curtis freshman Jarvis Stevenson led all scorers with 17 points.

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Mike Coppage
MIKE COPPAGE

Mike Coppage is a Louisiana-based veteran reporter with decades of experience covering recruiting and high school sports for Scout, Rivals, The Acadiana Advocate and The Daily Iberian. He has been freelancing for High School On SI since 2024.

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