Matt Vines

COUSHATTA – The Red River boys basketball team is on a quest to return to its third straight Top 28 this season.

To prepare for that journey, the Bulldogs are testing themselves with top-notch competition in its non-district slate.

Red River (5-3) will get one more tough test Monday when they welcome in Natchitoches Central (8-2) to Coushatta.

The Bulldogs have recently suffered close losses to Wossman (89-87 in triple OT) and Captain Shreve (55-48).

All three losses (including a Bossier loss) have come to larger classification teams and six of the games in total fit that category.

In the latest matchup with Shreve, the Bulldogs fell into a 23-point halftime deficit only to battle back in a seven-point deficit.

RIVERDALE BOYS
The Riverdale boys logged their second win of the season when the Rebels opened district play by beating Union Christian on Tuesday.

Riverdale (2-6) lost both of their games in the Winter Warrior Tipoff at West Side Christian, falling to Smackover and Bradley, the latter coming Thursday.

The Rebels aren’t scheduled to play again until Dec. 30 when they head to Shreveport Home School, who scored a 73-51 victory earlier this season.

RIVERDALE GIRLS
Riverdale pieced together a nine-game winning streak that included a district-opening win and a win the first round of the Winter Warrior Tipoff at West Side Christian.

But all good things must come to an end, and Riverdale fell in the second round of the tournament Thursday in a 55-48 loss to Class 1A Bradley (Ark.).

Riverdale started district off on the right foot with a 74-5 win against Union Christian on Tuesday. It’s the second time Riverdale has held an opponent to single-digit points as Word of God scored just nine points in a game earlier this season.

The week started off with a 65-30 demolition of Class 3A Smackover in the first round of the Winter Warrior Tipoff.

Dating back to last weekend, Riverdale pulled off an important 35-33 win against Class 2A Riverfield Academy.

The Lady Rebels are slated to return to the court Dec. 29 against Kirk Academy.

RED RIVER GIRLS
The Red River girls (7-6) are fighting a bit of a slide heading into the holidays after losing three of their last four games.

The Lady Bulldogs fell 52-51 to Arcadia after losses to Pitkin (65-30) and Fairview (73-28).

Red River does own a win over Homer (48-25) in that stretch.

The Lady Bulldogs will try their hand at Pleasant Hill on Tuesday before catching Southwood on Jan. 3.