Matt Vines

LAKE CHARLES – When Christopher Gay connected on a long jumper to give Red River a three-point lead with five minutes remaining in the Division III Non-Select championship game Saturday, it appeared the Bulldogs were headed for their first trophy under the school’s new name.

But the offense went through an unexplainable cold snap, and No. 6 seed Marksville ended the game on a 14-4 run to claim their first-ever state title with the 67-59 win.

“We had a couple of turnovers that led to transition points for them,” said Red River coach Dadrian Harris, who led the Bulldogs to the state title game in just his third season as head coach. “(Warren Bowman) was in foul trouble, so he couldn’t be aggressive.

“And then (Jomello McDonald) got called for hooking on a made basket that would have stopped their run. But we didn’t make the shots we normally would make, and the momentum swung while we went into a shooting slump.”

Red River’s (23-15) lone bucket in the last five minutes came on a three-point play from McDonald, which tied the game at 59-59 with 3:14 remaining.

McDonald’s three-point play answered Marksville’s three-point play from Most Outstanding Player Zach Schuler, who finished with 19 points. Devin Lavalais scored a team-high 20 points for Marksville.

The Bulldogs, who controlled most of the game with their transition offense and solid rebounding, became the victims of Marksville (22-16) sprint outs in the final minutes as the Tigers scored the game’s final eight points.

Red River also made just 3-of-10 from the free-throw line after making clutch free throws to seal the win against Donaldsonville in the semifinals.

“I feel that we were in control for the majority of the game even though it was close,” Harris said. “We controlled the tempo and the boards.

“But basketball is a game of runs, and we just didn’t counter their run with our own late in the game.”

Red River, the No. 13 seed, was trying to become just the second double-digit seed to ever win a state title (Landry-Walker in 2017).

Marksville went on an 8-2 run late in the first quarter to lead 17-11, but the Bulldogs erased that quickly with 3-pointers from Collin Stafford and Gay to spark a 12-3 run.

Gay scored 20 points off the bench with McDonald contributing 19 points.

McDonald handed Red River a 31-26 halftime lead after scoring the last two buckets and blocking a shot that led to the second basket.

The Bulldogs suffocated Marksville’s offense in the second quarter as the Tigers scored just eight points.

But the Tigers had an answer in the third quarter in this back-and-forth heavyweight bout.

After Gay scored two straight buckets to put Red River up 35-28, Marksville responded with an 18-5 run to snatch a 46-40 lead. Dayne Small scored his first five points of the game to end the run.

“Marksville is a very scrappy team,” Harris said. “They had a few second-chance opportunities, which is normally how we have dominated teams in the playoff run.

“The way they spread their offense out took Jomello and Chris away from the rim, and that worked in their favor late in the game.”

Red River battled back with two Bowman baskets and one from Jaylen Wells before a McDonald bucket handed the Bulldogs a 50-48 lead entering the fourth quarter.

Much like the Bulldogs used the 2023 second-round loss to Ville Platte to fuel this season, Harris said getting so close to a state title will motivate his players through the offseason and through next season.

And nearly all of those players will be back in a Red River uniform. Josiah Jones and Wilmer Blount are the only seniors.