History in the Making: Second year program Prairieville hosts, wins first playoff game
by William Weathers // GeauxPreps.com Contributor
PRAIRIEVILLE – With the game out of reach, visiting Ouachita Parish decided to hold the ball out on the perimeter and dribble out the remaining seconds.
Prairieville High’s home crowd rose to its feet in unison, showering the Lady Hurricanes with a rousing ovation on a job well done in Monday’s 65-49 victory in a Division I non-select state regional playoff game.
“It was great,” Prairieville senior guard Marley Gatlin said. “It was really great to have the whole crowd into it, have the whole gym into it, and they stood up and cheered. We hope to have them here again supporting us.”
Third-seeded Prairieville, in its second year of existence, will host the school’s second playoff game – a state quarterfinal – Thursday at 6 p.m. against sixth-seeded Salmen, a 62-51 winner over No. 11 Parkway.
The Lady Hurricanes (25-4) hosted and delivered the school’s first postseason victory, leading from wire to wire, and polishing off their 21st victory in their last 22 games.
“Just a box we were able to check tonight,” Prairieville coach Chase Delrie said. “This was against a really solid opponent. They gave us everything we could ask for. I told the girls we survived and advanced.
“We didn’t play our best basketball over 32 minutes, but in spurts we did well enough,” Delrie said. “We kind of weathered the storm a little bit. We kept finding a way to get a bucket when we needed to, and I thought we were really good from the free-throw line late as well. It feels good.”
With the team’s leading scorer, Rhian Comery, dealing with early foul trouble and never truly getting in an offensive rhythm, the Lady Hurricanes relied more on their supporting cast.
Freshman Aubrey Theriot scored 14 of her game-high 25 points in the first half – with all five of her team’s 3-pointers – to go with double-digit contributions from Comery, a University of New Orleans signee with 16. Gatlin had 14 points, and Kailey Miles added 10.
“Just being focused when we have such a good player out,” said Theriot, who averaged 18 points on the season. “We tried to keep things flowing the same, even with her out, being there for our teammates even when they’re not physically on the floor.”
Prairieville took a 50-36 lead into the fourth quarter before Ouachita (13-13) scored on consecutive baskets from Mikenna Cooley and Ma’Laysia Scott in the first minute.
On the Lady Hurricanes’ next possession, the Lady Lions lost Scott when she fouled out trying to help on Comery. Her two free throws triggered an 8-0 run over the next 2 ½ minutes – opening their largest lead at 58-40 with 4:39 remaining on Gatlin’s two free throws.
During that decisive stretch, Miles, who later fouled out with 4:29 to go, scored on consecutive putbacks that sandwiched the four combined free throws.
“Our backs weren’t against the wall, but for us not to play great and find a way to keep our composure well enough, I’m just so proud of this group,” Delrie said. “They’ve been through so much this season, so much adversity. So many people kind of counted us out, and they continued to find ways to just win.”
Ouachita got as close as 60-49 with 2:04 remaining on a 3-pointer from Cooley, the team’s top scorer with 17 points, while Scott added 12.
With the Lady Lions turning up the heat and applying full-court pressure, Prairieville got the ball into Gatlin’s hands. She not only broke the pressure but also helped dribble away precious time off the clock.
The Lady Hurricanes made five trips to the free-throw line and were 5 of 6 in the last two minutes of play and 11 of 14 in the fourth quarter. Theriot led the way with a perfect 6 of 6 showing at the line, including her team’s final points with 54.1 seconds left.
“This time last year, I would have never thought I would be in this role and contributing to my team this much,” said Theriot, who was in eighth grade at Galvez Middle School. “I thought I may be in the backseat and not as much of a big influence. I’m grateful that I made the jump from last February to this February and helped out the team to a win.”
Prairieville welcomed a group of six freshmen to its existing roster that was 15-10 and lost to Denham Springs in the first round of their first season. The Lady Hurricanes also gained the services of Comery, who transferred from St. Amant and was eligible Dec. 20 against South Lafourche, who averaged 23.1 points.
The Lady Hurricanes rattled off the game’s first eight points and took a commanding 13-3 lead in the first four minutes when Miles knocked down a 10-footer on an inbounds play.
They wound shooting 60% in the opening quarter, building a 23-8 lead with 12.5 seconds left on another short jumper from Miles on the same inbounds play, but on the opposite side of the floor.
Comery picked up an offensive and defensive foul and went to the bench with four points and 2:46 left in the opening quarter.
“It’s been foreign to see Rhian kind of go through some struggles this season,” Delrie said. “Tonight, might be the first time it’s kind of happened.”
Cooley scored six of her team’s eight consecutive points over the first three minutes of the second quarter, reducing Prairieville’s lead to 23-16.
Gatlin’s driving layup stopped the surge before Theriot went to work, spinning through the lane for a basket and adding a free throw that made it 29-16 with 2:39 left before halftime.
The Lady Hurricanes were limited to 2 of 12 shooting and turned the ball over five times in the quarter.
“We struggled a little bit in the second quarter to get in some flow,” said Delrie, whose team shot 37% (21 of 57) overall and turned the ball over 16 times. “They did a good job of mixing (zones) and matching defensively what they were doing. It was so hard to communicate with the girls on the floor. There were spurts where they switched up defenses, and we’re in one thing, and we needed to be in another.”
The third of four 3-pointers from Cooley drew Ouachita within 32-25 with just under a minute gone in the third quarter.
Comery’s impact was felt over the next two minutes. She drove coast to coast for a three-point play and sent Scott to the bench with her fourth foul.
Comery added a 10-foot bank shot and another rim-to-rim drive after a defensive rebound, helping Prairieville re-establish its momentum for a 39-25 lead with five minutes showing.
She added a free throw and fed Theriot at the top of the key for a 3-pointer with 1:16 left and a 48-33 lead, and Gatlin followed with a steal and layup.
“For a freshman to be able to embrace and step up in this moment, I told Aubrey at the end of the game she played great,” Delrie said. “She made shots early on and scored in the second half. She went to the free throw and was consistent. She’s a big-time player, and tonight in a big-time game, that’s exactly what she did. I’m really proud of her.”
Prairieville’s defense held Ouachita to 25% shooting (12 of 48), 4 of 20 shooting from 3-point range, and forced 17 turnovers.
“It was great,” said Gatlin, who began her career at Dutchtown. “This is what we’ve tried to prove all season long. This is what we worked for during the season and in the postseason. The work doesn’t stop.”
Box Score
Prairieville 65, Ouachita 49
Score By Quarters
Ouachita 8 12 16 13 – 49
Prairieville 23 6 21 15 – 65
SCORING: OUACHITA (49) – Mikenna Cooley 17, Ma’Laysia Scott 14, Kaylea Brown 8, Tylah Saucer 4, Soraya Henderson 2, Jordanne Warren 2, Jourei Pines 2; PRAIRIEVILLE (65) – Aubrey Theriot 25, Rhian Comery 16, Marly Gatlin 14, Kailey Miles 10.
3-POINT GOALS: OHS 5: Cooley 4, Scott; PHS 5: Theriot 5.
RECORDS: Prairieville 25-4, Ouachita 13-13