Matt Vines

LAKE CHARLES – By the time Red River found their range, it was just too late.

Down by 12 points, No. 2 seed Red River made their first four 3-pointers in the final four minutes, but No. 3 seed Marksville held the Bulldogs at arm’s length in a 62-54 win in the Division III Non-Select semifinals.
Senior Jomello McDonald made two of Red River’s four 3-pointers in the final four minutes with Jayden Wells and Collin Stafford supplying the other two.

But Marksville answered with transition buckets and enough offense as Red River never threatened late beyond the eight-point final margin.

McDonald scored a team-high 19 points while Malique Smith added 13 in the loss.

Marksville created distance in the third quarter of a back-and-forth game with a 10-2 run to lead 38-30 midway through the period.

While both defenses clamped down throughout the game, Marksville endured its droughts by making 22-of-26 free throws along with Elydrick Murray’s four 3-pointers.

Two Devin Lavalais buckets broke a 28-28 tie, and a Murray 3-pointer and a Dayne Small 3-point play extended the Tigers’ lead to 38-30.

Lavalais scored a game-high 20 points (matching his 20 from the state championship game against Red River a year ago) with Small adding 15 and Murray 12 points.

Red River responded with the next five points – a McDonald dunk and three Smith free throws, but the 38-35 margin was as close as the Bulldogs would come down the stretch.

The Bulldogs made just 10-of-21 free throws as points in a mostly halfcourt game were hard to come by. Red River did win the turnover battle (10-6) and the rebounding battle (48-40), but poor shooting from both the field and the line were too much to overcome.

Murray sank another 3-pointer as Marksville closed the third quarter on a mini 5-2 run to lead 43-37.
In the fourth quarter, Red River closed the gap to 45-40 with 5:20 remaining, but Marksville scored the next seven points and didn’t look back as the reigning champions will make another appearance in the state championship game.

Marksville ended Red River’s playoffs for the second straight season after defeating the Bulldogs in the 2024 championship game – also by eight points.

Red River advanced to consecutive Top 28 tournaments for the first time since Coushatta High went three straight seasons (1998-00).

McDonald and Wells end their storied careers as seniors, but the rest of the Bulldogs return as they try for three straight Marsh Madness trips next season.