New Iberia Senior High School boys’ basketball head coach Todd Russ had some strong words for his team following a 42-32 loss to District 3-5A leader Comeaux High School Friday night.

“First of all, we deserved to lose,” he said. “You only prepare for two things, and this is what I’ve told those young men — you’re preparing to win, or you’re preparing to lose. And that’s the worst week of preparation (we’ve had). Guys did not come in focused, guys were not attentive to details, and that’s what happens.

“When you’re playing a team that’s that good and that talented, when you don’t show up ready to compete, that’s what happens.”

Russ said the Yellow Jackets (18-11 overall, 4-2 district) had a bad week of practice with the district leaders coming to the Hive. A share of the district lead was on the line but the loss knocked NISH two games behind the Spartans, who improved to 18-8 overall and 5-0 in district. Comeaux went into the game as the No. 10 team in the unofficial Class 5A power rankings and NISH was eighth.

“We got great looks, we had them scouted, but when you don’t show up ready to work, when you get kicked out of practice on the first day of preparation (Wednesday), we send you home because you’re not focused and ready to work,” Russ said. “Shootaround the day of review, kick you out of practice again because you’re not focused and you’re not locked in. That’s the end result of that.”

Russ said Comeaux deserves all the credit for beating NISH, but he also said he knows when his team prepares they’re a lot tougher to beat.

“Those kids, my guys, were not as focused as they needed to be this week. My guys were not as locked in as they needed to be, and that’s the end result,” he said. “You can’t just show up and roll the ball out against the most talented team in our district (and expect to win).

“Now when we’re prepared and locked in and focused, against Acadiana we were focused and ready to go. Then against Sulphur we dominated a bad Sulphur team but we were focused and locked in. Then you come back and you’re playing for a share of the district title and you’re not locked in, you get kicked out of practice the week before a game that’s can determine who’s going to win the district. you get kicked out of practice the week where you need to be preparing to move up in the polls, you get what you deserve. You’ve got to deserve to win . We didn’t deserve to win.”

That showed throughout the game with both missed shots — NISH unofficially went 10-for-20 from inside the arc but only 2-for-18 from beyond — and errant passes that resulted in at least a half dozen turnovers.

Comeaux, while it didn’t exactly light up the scoreboard either, got balanced scoring with Ferontay Banks, Tre Harris and Claude Hills each scoring 11 points. Devaughn Thomas finished with 7 points.

Banks, the point guard, has been averaging better than 20 points in district, but did a great job distributing the ball, especially in the fourth quarter, Comeaux coach Jeremy Whittington said.

Whittington said the Spartans were prepared for a defensive battle with New Iberia. 

Whittington said he, like Russ, stresses defense, and the difference was the fourth quarter, where Comeaux outscored New Iberia 11-6 to turn a close game into a double-digit win.

“The difference was in that fourth quarter,” he said. 

“When we started the fourth quarter our kids were in their face. I think they got two shots off from the perimeter. At times they kind of live and die by that 3, and we knew that, so we (wanted to) get out and constantly cover that shot, cover that shot, cover that shot.”

He also said he felt his bigs did a good job rotating inside against New Iberia’s ball movement.

“Todd runs some really good stuff, he’s a great coach,” Whittington said. “I knew if we had our bigs moving inside and our guards flying at everybody outside, we’d be good.”

The Spartans have held some of the best teams in the state, like Natchitoches Central, to games scoring in the 40s. Comeaux stuck largely with its 1-3-1 zone against New Iberia, he said, and with NISH struggling to hit from the outside that worked in his team’s favor.

“This is a team that loves defending, and they know what it turns into, that’s good offense on the other end in transition,” he said.

The game was low-scoring and close from the outset with Comeaux leading 4-0 early before taking an 8-7 lead into the second quarter. 

The Spartans went on an 8-0 run to ead 14-7 with five minutes remaining but New Iberia rallied to go up 16-15 at halftime on the strength of Jake Lovette’s 3-pointer with 10 seconds to go. Comeaux couldn’t get a shot off before the buzzer.

Comeaux started the second half on a 6-0 run to start the second half but New Iberia clawed back to tie it at 24-all before CHS closed the third quarter out with a 7-2 run for a 31-26 lead to open the fourth.

The Spartans pushed the lead to 10 points by the 6:22 mark on a pair of free throws by Hills, and NISH got no closer than 8 from that point.

“Todd’s got some of the hardest-working kids in the district,” Whittington said.

“Those kids get down in a stance and they flat out guard you. I thought when it came to the fourth quarter there was a difference to me. 

“Our kids had a little pep in their step. I know it’s harder when the game’s on the line to guard man-to-man than playing man-to-man when you’re guarding the first three quarters. I thought once we got to the fourth quarter those guys were worried about fouls. We put the pressure on them by driving and getting them in a little foul trouble, so I knew if we continued to put pressure on them they’d have to back off a little bit. But I don’t ever expect to score a ton on Todd. 

‘He’s one of the best, to me, defensive-minded coaches. Me and him, we love, love defense.”

While NISH drew a few charges against Comeaux early, Whittington said he was proud of the way his team avoided getting a bunch more against a team that’s so good at sliding and taking charges.

“Our kids did a great job of not running over them, just going around them and we made extra passes,” he said.

Alex Mandeville had 10 points to lead the Yellow Jackets, who also finished only 6-for-10 from the free throw line. Lovette had 7 points and Xavier Smith had 6 but no other player scored more than 3 for New Iberia.

“When you have a senior night and your seniors combine for 14 points, and it’s not for lack of opportunity, it’s lack of focus — you only get one senior night, and that’s how you show up for your senior night,” Russ said. “Again, you’re either preparing to lose or you’re preparing to win. We don’t get the tie. Somebody’s going to win in a high school game of basketball. 

“It’s not soccer. Soccer you can get a tie. Hockey you can get a tie. 

‘You’re either preparing to win or preparing to lose. This week our preparation is the reason we’re in the situation we’re in.”

New Iberia travels to Sam Houston on Tuesday.