LSCPA sports information

CARTHAGE — John Comeaux has hit some big shots in his freshman season at Lamar State College Port Arthur. None of them was bigger than the basket he made to lift the Seahawks to a 97-95 win over Panola College on Friday night.

Comeaux finished with a career-high 47 points, setting a new school record, and led the Seahawks (10-3, 1-3) to their first NJCAA Region XIV win of the season. Of those 47 points, the most important came with 2 seconds left on the clock. With the game tied 95-95, Comeaux drove to the basket for a quick jumper.

Comeaux dominated from tip to buzzer, scoring 26 in the first half that helped move the Ozen High School graduate into the annals of Seahawks basketball history.

“I spent a lot of time talking to John this week, and I told him he needed to take control and play the kind of game he was capable of playing,” LSCPA assistant coach Barry Wellington said. “There are a lot of guys on this team who are capable of being a great player. I think you’ll see more examples of that as the season goes on.”

With big man Petar Radojicic in foul trouble early, the Seahawks had to rely on its perimeter game to maintain a rhythm that kept the game close through the first 20 minutes. Aside from Comeaux’s 4-of-4 target practice from beyond the three-point line, sophomore Chase Rutledge knocked down two from outside the arc in the first half, and four in the game, to leave the Hawks trailing by just two, 39-37, with about 3 minutes left until halftime.

That’s when Comeaux went to work, going on a personal scoring run, outpacing the Ponies 14-2 all by himself as the Hawks took a 52-41 lead into the break.

Freshman Cam Frank put together some big baskets to open the second half and Radojicic went back to work in the paint as the Seahawks pushed their lead out to what appeared to be an impenetrable 15-point advantage. But that’s the funny thing about playing on the road in Region XIV; nothing is easy.

Panola College chipped away at the LSCPA lead, finally tying the game on a pair of free throws with 7 seconds left in the game.

Rutledge finished with 14 points, while Radojicic and Frank each added 11 points in the win.

Paris Junior College comes to Port Arthur for a Monday conference game at the Carl Parker Center with tipoff at 7 p.m. After a quick rest, the Seahawks travel to Bossier Parish Community College for a game Wednesday at 7 p.m.