With both of his leading scorers out of the game Tuesday, Catholic High School girls’ basketball coach Dave Theriot turned to an eighth grader, Ella Guilbeau, and she delivered the three biggest points of the game for the Lady Panthers.

Guilbeau hit three of four free throws with less than a minute left in regulation to seal a 47-45 win over the visiting Westgate High School Lady Tigers Tuesday at Monsignor Disch Gym. CHS had bolted out to a big lead, then watched as Westgate tied the game before the Lady Panthers pulled got the narrow win to improve to 1-1 on the season.

“We had a 13-point lead, then pressure came and we lost our two big girls,” Theriot said. “Once we lost them the pressure was intense and we had an eighth grader hit the four key fouls shots at the end.

“For an eighth-grader that was impressive. I’m proud of her.”

 After falling to Highland in its season opener Monday night, the Lady Panthers had their home opener Tuesday against Westgate and slowly built a 14 point lead at 37-23 by the end of the third quarter behind Madison Bienvenu and Christina Viator,.

Then the foul troubles started for CHS as Viator  sat down with four fouls, which put more pressure on Bienvenu, who eventually fouled out of the game in the final quarter.

With Bienvenu out, Viator re-entered the game and picked up her fifth foul later in the final period, leaving the Lady Panthers without their two big scoring threats.

That allowed Westgate to go on a big run and the Lady Tigers tied the score twice, the last time at 45-45, before CHS hit a couple of free throws for the lead, then won possession on a jump ball and ran out the clock for the win.

“It wasn’t pretty after those two fouled out,” Theriot said. “It’s hard to break a press and they have a lot more speed than we do. We had some bad passes and they were able to steal the ball and they came after us.

“They just about accomplished what they wanted to do.”

Bienvenu led CHS with 25 points. Viator had an off night and finished with 7 points. Lauren Bonin added 8 points and Guilbeau finished with 5 points.

Ah’Mariyan Turner led Westgate, playing its first game of the season, with 16 points, 10 of which came in the fourth quarter. Breanna Moreaux added 12 points and Diamond Davis chipped in 9 points.

The Lady Tigers play host to Jeanerette Thursday and Loreauville Friday.

For Theriot, who starts his second year at the helm of the Lady Panthers, everything is going to start with Bienvenu and Viator.

“We’re probably going to run everything around Madison,” he said. “Everything is going to start in to out with Madison and Christina and then we try to kick it out to Lauren a little bit.”

Theriot said that having point guard Anna Gonsoulin out due to knee surgery affects what his team can do on offense and defense. He said Gonsoulin should be back on the court later this year or early next year before district play begins.

“We just have to hold down the fort until Anna returns,” the CHS coach said. “But there’s no doubt that everything we do offensively or defensively is going to start with Madison.

“We’re just happy to get this win tonight.”

Boys Basketball

Catholic High 61, Sacred Heart (VP) 35

VILLE PLATTE — Kolbe Chretien scored 21 points and Kaiden Burgess added 11 as Catholic High opened the regular season with a win over Sacred Heart Tuesday.

Javian Willis added 10 for the Panthers, who scored 16 points in the first quarter and 19 points in the second quarter to take control of the game against the Trojans (0-1).

Individual statistics for Sacred Heart were not available.

Catholic High returns to action Thursday at Hanson, then goes to the Ascension Episcopal Tournament next week.