Bossier Press-Tribune Online

BOSSIER DOWNS HUNTINGTON IN HALL OF FAME HOOPS GAME

Sophomore Kentrell Hardy scored 14 points to lead the Bossier Bearkats to a 54-42 victory over the Huntington Raiders in a preseason Hall of Fame boys basketball game Thursday at Bossier.

Deorvion Robinson and Rashard Owens added 11 points apiece for the Bearkats. Breon Morris scored nine points and Devonte Hall had seven.

Both teams were missing several key players who are still playing football. The game doesn’t count on either team’s record.

BOSSIER BOWL III SET FOR THIS WEEKEND   AT AIRLINE STADIUM

Bossier Bowl III, which features matchups of youth football teams, will be held Saturday and Sunday at Airline Stadium.

Action both days begins at 1 p.m. The final game Saturday is at 7 p.m., and the final game Sunday is at 5:30.

BPCC OPENS   BASKETBALL  SEASON TODAY

The Bossier Parish Community College Cavaliers open the season today in the Southern Classic in Shreveport.

The Cavaliers face Arkansas Baptist at 4 p.m. today and Coahoma Community College at 2 p.m. Saturday. BPCC’s first home game is Wednesday against the Northwestern State JV.

AREA COLLEGES  OPEN HOOPS SEASON

Area colleges open the college basketball season today, and several have Bossier Parish connections.

Former Airline star and BPCC coach Mike McConathy begins his 14th season as Northwestern State’s head coach as the Demons face East Texas Baptist at 7 in Prather Coliseum.

McConathy is 20 wins shy of tying the state men’s college coaching victories record of 572 set by Grambling legend Fred Hobdy, a Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame member. McConathy has 200 triumphs with the Demons, and 352 in 16 seasons at BPCC.

Jalan West, a three-time All-State selection at Bossier High, makes his debut for the Demons at point guard. After helping Bossier win the Class 4A state title in 2010-2011, West had to sit out last season because of NCAA Clearinghouse issues. He was impressive in a four-game exhibition trip to Canada earlier this season.

Tonight also marks the debut of former Benton High standout Lulu Perry and former Bossier High star Jasmine Bryant at Louisiana Tech. The Lady Techsters open against Tulane in New Orleans at 7.

Perry scored five points and grabbed eight rebounds in 23 minutes of playing time in Tech’s 95-25 exhibition victory over Mississippi College. Bryant, the daughter of former Airline star Larry Robinson, spent two years at Southern-Shreveport before signing with Tech. The 6-foot-2 forward scored seven points in the exhibition win.

Bossier City resident Ronnie Howell begins his 10th season as head women’s coach at LSUS, which faces Wayland Baptist today at 5:30 p.m. in Waxahatchie, Texas. The Lady Pilots were ranked No. 19 in the NAIA Division I preseason poll.

In other openers tonight, the Tech men face Texas A&M in College Station, Texas, at 8 p.m.  New NSU women co-head coaches Scott and Brooke Stoehr make their debut when the Lady Demons face UNO in New Orleans at 7.

LSU, NSU AT HOME SATURDAY; LA. TECH HITS THE ROAD

The No. 9 LSU Tigers (7-2) host No. 22 Mississippi State (7-2) Saturday night at 6 in Tiger Stadium. The game will be broadcast by ESPN.

Elsewhere, No. 19 Louisiana Tech (8-1) faces Texas State (3-5) in a WAC game at San Marcos, Texas. NSU (4-5) hosts Sam Houston State (7-2) in an SLC game at 3 p.m.