It’s a term heard often during this time of year, especially during the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament — survive and advance.

Friday night, that’s exactly what New Iberia Senior High did during the first round of the LHSAA Class 5A Basketball State Tournament.

The sixth-seeded Yellow Jackets survived a threat from No. 27 seed Parkway and advanced to the second round with a 66-58 win.

“That’s exactly what we did — survive and advance,” NISH boys coach Todd Russ said. “That was a good team we played and it took everything we had to come away with the win.”

Jaterrius Fusilier had 22 points and Jordan Skinner added 18 points, including five 3-pointers, as NISH moved on to the second round and will face No. 11 seed Northshore, a 75-66 winner over Benton, Tuesday with a spot in the quarterfinals on the line.

Russ wasn’t immediately sure after the game what time the second round contest would take place, but he was going to try to play at 6 p.m.

“They are who I thought they were,” Russ said. “A good, solid, well-coached, hard playing team … and they didn’t quit.

“We did our best to do it, but they didn’t want to be put away.”

It started out poorly for NISH. From the opening tip, Parkway came out hot and built a 10-2 lead over the Jackets about midway through the first quarter.

But that was something that Russ expected.

“We had a lot of film on them and they start out hot,” the NISH coach said. “It was a total team effort from the players and my coaching staff to be able to come back on them. My guys played defense tonight.”

Starting with defense, NISH was able to cut into the Parkway lead and the Jackets trailed 16-13 at the end of the quarter.

“I’ve always liked my guys this year. I think they’re a tough bunch of kids,” Parkway coach Mike Guess said. “We’re a 27 coming in to play a 6. We didn’t have any other expectation than to come in and win.

“We’re known as a 3-point shooting team and we didn’t have some good shit selections tonight. New Iberia’s defense had a lot to do with that.”

Spurred by its defensive play, NISH started pulling away from the Panthers in the second half and led by 12 and 13 points at different times.

But Parkway never backed down.

“My kids battled back to within 3 points,” Guess said. “They have plenty of chances to fold up their tents, but they didn’t.”

“They refused to be put away,” Russ said. “That’s a good basketball team.”

And even though the Panthers closed to within 3 points late in the game, NISH was able to hold off the charge and move on.

“It was different guys playing different roles in a game that we knew was going to be possession by possession,” Russ said. “We did what we needed to do. Now it’s time to get refocused and get ready for the next opponent.”