LAFAYETTE – With his team compiling a lengthy winning streak from the beginning of basketball season, New Iberia Senior High coach Chad Pourciau had been wondering how the Yellow Jackets would respond when they lost for the first time.

He found out on Saturday.

One day after the Yellow Jackets dropped a 56-47 decision to host Teurlings Catholic in the semifinals of the Courtesy Rebel Roundball Classic, they downed Northwood-Lena 47-41 in the third-place game.

“I’m proud of the guys,” Pourciau said. “The assistant coaches did a great job of grinding us through, and the players did a great job of responding in the second half. We played tough. We weren’t great, but we played tough and found a way to win.

“I told the team yesterday that it was tough to lose that game. Especially when it’s your first loss. So for us to come back and beat a good team like that – for us to come back and get a win – we did a good job. Anytime you win, you have to like it.”

Christian Walker led the 16-1 Yellow Jackets with 15 points. Devin Frank added 14. Walker opened the game shooting 5-of-6 from the field with three 3-pointers. Frank also finished with three 3-pointers.

“Christian was hot,” Pourciau said. “When he’s locked in, he’s a problem. Devin was in a little slump yesterday, but he shot OK today. He made some big shots in big moments. That’s what we need him to do. He’s done that all year.”

NISH owned the first quarter. The Yellow Jackets raced to a 19-6 lead on a 3-pointer from Walker with just over a minute remaining. A 3-pointer from Omarion Layssard cut the deficit to 19-9 to end the quarter.

Layssard, a 6-foot-2, 198-pound senior, led all scorers with 18 points. He scored 30 in an earlier game at the tournament for the 17-3 Gators, who are No. 1 in the LHSAA Division IV power ratings.

“He’s so athletic and good,” Pourciau said of Layssard. “He’s a tough guard who can go both directions, shoot the 3 and play really physical basketball.”

Walker did an excellent job covering Layssard, who made 7-of-23 shots from the floor. In the fourth quarter, Layssard gave the Gators a 41-40 lead with a bucket at the 5:30 mark, but he missed his final four shots.

“I think they wore down a little bit,” Pourciau said. “Northwood was playing five guys, and you’re talking about day 4 of a tournament. I’m sure they had tired legs. We were playing eight guys.”

Kylan Dugas scored nine points for NISH. Jayden Westley mixed it up inside against Northwood power forward Randy Morris.

“Their big (Morris) is another good, strong, athletic kid,” Pourciau said. “He kills you on the offensive glass and blocks a lot of shots. I thought Jayden did a good job and gave us good energy.”

The Yellow Jackets will look to start another winning streak at home Tuesday against Opelousas (11-7).

“If you’d have told me before the season that we’d be 16-1 after 17 games, I’d have said, ‘sign me up,'” Pourciau said.

“He’s so athletic and good. A tough guard who can go both directions, shoot the 3, and playing really physical basketball.

Somewhere around 17th. “I think they wore down a little bit. They were playing five guys, and you’re talking day 4 of a tournament. I’m sure they had tired legs. We were playing eight guys. I think we kind of wore them down in the second half. He couldn’t buy one yesterday. Today, he made some big shots in some big moments. That’s what we need him to do. He can shoot the ball. He’s done that all year. He was in a little slump yesterday, but he shot OK today.

“Our energy, effort and response was great. They made a run to cut into the lead. He was hot. When he’s locking in, he’s a problem. Their big is another good, strong, athletic kid. He kills you on the offensive glass and blocks a lot of shots. I thought Jayden did a good job and gave us good energy. Opelousas Westgate on Friday. I can’t complain. If you’d have told me before the season that we’d be 16-1 after 17 games, I’d have said, ‘sign me up.'”