Bayou grabs district lead with blowout win

Southern Sports & Travel

It was billed as a District 2-A heavyweight battle between sixth ranked Bayou and perennial power Greenville Christian but the knock-out blow was delivered quickly as Bayou pummeled GCS 50-23 in Cleveland last night to take control of the district race.
Seniors Caleb Pilgrim and Michael Portner each scored 12 points to lead a balanced Bayou attack and the Colts dominated the paint from the opening tip.

Grey Clark’s bucket two minutes into the contest gave Bayou a 2-0 lead but Greenville Christian answered with a Turner McGaugh 3-pointer from the wing at the 5:45 mark to give the Saints what would be their only lead of the contest at 3-2.

(Above) Bayou's Tyler Kitchings (#2) goes up strong against two GCS defenders in the 2nd half

Bayou’s dominance in the paint helped produce a 10-0 run to finish out the opening quarter and gave the Colts a 12-3 advantage.

The second quarter didn’t get any easier for Greenville Christian.

Grey Clark’s fast break basket off a GCS turnover pushed the lead to 14-3 followed by a Michael Portner 15 foot jumper at the 5:26 mark.

Chantz Arbuckle’s transition basket and a Portner 3-pointer from the deep corner extended the lead to 21-3 and forced a Greenville Christian time-out with 4:34 left in the half.

Portner would serve up an assist to Caleb Pilgrim on a fast break lay-in off of a GCS turnover and Portner’s offensive rebound and put back at the 2:19 mark capped a 13-0 run to give Bayou their biggest lead at 25-3.

Greenville Christian’s lone score of the quarter came at the 1:10 mark on Turner McGaugh’s second 3-pointer of the night.

Bayou went into the half holding a commanding 25-6 lead in which 16 points came in the paint.

The closest Greenville Christian would get in the second half was at 27-10 following Devonte McPherson’s offensive rebound and lay-in three minutes into the third quarter.

(Above) Michael Portner (#4) nails a 3-pointer as Bayou head coach Winn Scott looks on

Bayou promptly answered with a 12-5 run that was capped on a Peyton Aldridge 3-pointer from the wing as the quarter expired to give Bayou a commanding 39-15 lead.

Bayou opened the final eight minute quarter with a Tyler Kitchings bucket in the paint and the Colts grabbed their biggest lead of the game at 50-18 on a Michael Portner 3-pointer from the corner with 2:08 remaining.

With the win Bayou improves to 16-2 but more importantly 8-1 in district play. Caleb Pilgrim led Bayou with 12 points and 11 rebounds, Michael Portner also had 12 points and 5 boards, Grey Clark added 10 and 5 rebounds, Tyler Kitchings had 8 points and 7 rebounds, Peyton Aldridge 6 and Chantz Arbuckle 2.

Greenville Christian (10-10 & 8-1) was led by Turner McGaugh with 9 points, Devonte McPherson added 6, Caleb Jenkins and Tevin Taylor 3 apiece and Hayden Burford 2.

Bayou stopped Greenville Christian’s 43 game district winning streak and the Colts hold the tie-breaker advantage should both squads close out district play tied.

Bayou will hit the road to take on Tunica on Thursday.

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Post Game with Bayou Head Coach Winn Scott