It’s been said that officials can be known to provide home court advantage at times. That was surely not the case in Monday’s Class 2A basketball game at Ville Platte High School between the Pickering Lady Red Devils and the Lady Bulldogs of VPHS. Before the game was officially started, the Lady Red Devils benefited from a technical foul due to a pre-game VPHS banner being placed in the wrong area of the court. The technical foul led to a pair of free throws and two more points on the in-bound play.

Pickering went up 4-0 and had a ton of momentum. VPHS got a three-point bucket from Deja McKinney, which cut the score to 6-3.

It was obvious that Pickering knew they would have to keep Breonna O’Conner out of the game. At times the Lady Red Devils could be seen literally holding the back of her jersey. However, no calls were ever made for holding.

As the first period came to a close, the two teams were engaged in a heated battle. VPHS had tied the game at one point, 9-9, but the Red Devils made sure to get the momentum back. Tyreona Doucet hit a last-second buzzer shot to make it a 22-15 contest.

Pickering held the lead for the second period despite a superb effort from the Lady Bulldogs. VPHS hit five straight points, but saw the whistles come flying out quickly. O’Conner was called for her third foul after a pair of blocked shots. Shalinda Thomas picked things up on both sides of the ball. Her blocks and steals helped to spark the team as the period came to a close. The Lady Bulldogs made it a close, five-point game as the mid-way point began.

The third period began as VPHS was down 37-32. VPHS hit five points to begin the frame, but the Lady Red Devils answered with a three to keep the lead. At one point, things looked as though they would get out of hand. As one official proceeded to scowl at a VPHS player, the home team crowd was not too happy. However, the lack of professionalism by the Baton Rouge area officials sparked the VPHS girls. They began an 11-2 run that would allow them to take a 54-53 lead at the end of the period.

O’Conner caught fired in the fourth period and hit several shots. She teamed up with Thomas to help VPHS convert on several fast breaks.

The contest began a back and forth sessions as the final minute closed in. A jump shot from Doucet and another from O’Conner should have sealed the deal at 68-63. PHS bounced back with a three-point bomb and then a jump shot to tie game with 31 seconds left on the clock.

VPHS in-bounded and had back-to-back missed layups under the goal. Pickering rebounded and headed to the hoop. A foul was called, sending the visitors to the free throw line. One of the two shots was made, making it 69-68.

VPHS broke for the goal with only 3.5 seconds left on the clock. O’Conner was fouled on the floor and went to the line in a 1-1 free throw situation. If she hit the first free throw, she would get a chance at the second. Her first shot skimmed the rim and Pickering rebounded to take the one-point win.

The loss was not as sour for the Lady Bulldogs, compared to the way the game went down.