Matt Vines

LAKE CHARLES – In a game in which field goals and points of any kind were at a premium, Red River turned defense into offense as a fourth-quarter explosion pushed the Bulldogs past Donaldsonville, 54-45, on Tuesday in the Division III Non-Select semifinals.

Down one point with 3:30 remaining, the No. 13 seed Bulldogs ended the game on a 14-4 run to prevent No. 8 seed Donaldsonville (20-11) from reaching its first title game in program history.

“We were just taking the points as they came,” said Red River coach Dadrian Harris, who is making his first Top 28 appearance as a head coach but third with the program overall. “We were taking their punches, and we weren’t falling down.

“We kept fighting. We’ve been in this situation all season, being down and having to fight back. So we were used to this situation. When that run started, I felt like this game was ours.”

Red River (23-14) hasn’t won a title under its new name in two trips (2006 and 2003), but the former Coushatta High has three state titles in 11 appearances.

Red River will aim to add a banner under its new name when the Bulldogs meet No. 6 Marksville on Saturday at noon at McNeese’s Burton Coliseum. Fans who can’t make the trip can download the LHSAA Network television app for free to catch the action.

The Bulldogs have built their title game run with their tough defense creating transition offensive opportunities, and that’s exactly how Red River created separation Tuesday. Red River outscored Donaldsonville 25-11 in the final quarter.

“That’s our philosophy, hard-nosed defense and push the tempo,” Harris said. “We worked hard every day since our (second-round) loss to Ville Platte.

“We took that and ran with it. I’m so proud of these guys.”

A Collin Stafford 3-pointer, his second of the game, snatched the lead back for Red River at 43-41 and sparked the game-ending run.

Red River scored on its next two possessions in transition on layups from Warren Bowman and Jayden Wells, the second of which came from a heads-up bounce pass from halfcourt from an astute teammate.

Leading 47-41, Bowman sliced through a pair of defenders for another driving bucket before one free throw capped the 10-0 run and put Red River up 50-41 with 1:30 remaining.

Donaldsonville had its chances late thanks to offensive rebounds, but the Tigers couldn’t find the bottom of the bucket enough to threaten.

Bowman scored a team-high 14 points with Jomello McDonald adding 11.

The explosive finish made up for a slow start as both teams slogged to an 8-8 score after the first quarter. Red River led 25-23 at halftime, which set up a back-and-forth third quarter and most of the fourth quarter.

“It was all very new to us with this being our first time in the Top 28,” said Wells, who added nine points. “We had to get the nerves and jitters out.”

Donaldsonville led 37-34 after the third quarter before Red River started the fourth on a 6-0 run with a Christopher Gay basket and then a Gay assist.

Red River enters the championship game winners of nine of its last 10 games, including knocking off No. 4 Vinton, No. 5 Madison and now No. 8 Donaldsonville (who upended No. 1 French Settlement in the quarters)