ST. MARTINVILLE – Expectations are high for the New Iberia Senior High boys basketball team, which has a solid nucleus returning for second-year coach Chad Pourciau.

Last season, the Yellow Jackets posted a 29-8 record and landed a No. 4 seed in the Class 5A playoffs. NISH advanced to the quarterfinals where No. 5 Ouachita Parish prevailed by one point.

In Saturday afternoon’s jamboree, NISH tuned up for Wednesday’s season opener by downing St. Martinville Senior High 34-17.

“I just got the football guys back this week, so I didn’t expect it to look great,” Pourciau said. “We played hard in spurts. We have to play hard more consistently.”

Eight Yellow Jackets got into the scoring column. Christian Walker led with nine points, Otis Anderson and Devin Frank scored six points each, and Wayne Randall-Bashay added five points.

NISH got out to a 7-0 lead on a drive by Walker, a lay-up by Randall-Bashay and a 3-pointer from Frank. Anderson’s bucket at the buzzer put the Yellow Jackets ahead 16-6 at the half.

Late in the first half, the 6-foot-6 Randall-Bashay dunked over a defender, drew a foul and converted the 3-point play.

The Yellow Jackets graduated four seniors from last season’s team. Five of the top eight players return, including Austin Delahoussaye, Kylin Dugas, Walker and Randall-Bashay.

Walker was a first-team all-district selection. Delahoussaye made the district’s all-defensive team. Dugas is described as “lightning quick” by Pourciau, and Randall-Bashay is a college prospect who can score from anywhere.

“We don’t have the size or the depth we had last season, but I like our personnel,” Pourciau said. “Our top six or seven guys give us a chance on any given night to walk away with a win.”

Jayden Westley rounded out the starting five on Saturday for Pourciau, who has three promising sophomores in Anderson, Frank and Dakota Alexander.

“The three sophomores are coming along,” Pourciau said. “They’re going to be able to help us. If they can give us a couple minutes here and there, that would go a long way.”

It’s a given that NISH will play great defense. Pourciau says this year’s group has the ability to score points in bunches.

“We’re going to guard,” he said. “That’s where it all starts. I think this is one of our better offensive teams. We have four or five guys who can put the ball in the hoop. If our offense ever matches our defense, I think we’ll be really tough.”

The Yellow Jackets will host Ellender Memorial in the season opener on Wednesday.

“I’d really like to put on a good game for our home crowd,” Pourciau said.

Raytyrion Narcisse scored seven points for St. Martinville, which was without starter Jayvyn Duncan. The Tigers will bolster the roster when the football playoffs conclude.