ST. MARTINVILLE – Coming off of three impressive wins over playoff teams in the Southside Tournament over the weekend, it would have been understandable it New Iberia Senior High’s boys basketball team was not at their best when the Jackets traveled to St. Martinville Tuesday for their annual meeting with the Tigers.

And in fact, NISH wasn’t at their best early on, especially after a technical foul against senior Wayne Randal-Bashay put the Xavier-New Orleans commit on the bench with two fouls in the first quarter. The home-standing Tigers took advantage of his absence to grab a one point lead at 19-18 later in the period.

But after the initial shock of the foul wore off and things settled down, the Jackets took of on a big run to retake the lead and eventually roll to a 66-31 win over the Tigers to improve to 9-1 overall and on a five game win streak headed into another potential trap game at Northwest before a three day break and the always rugged St. Martinville Holiday Tournament after Christmas.

“It was three good wins over Patterson, who was in the finals last year, a really good ASH (Alexandria Senior High) team that recently beat Peabody and then beating Zachary that if they hadn’t been kicked out of the playoffs last year was going for their fourth straight title,” NISH coach Cbad Pourciau said. “Three wins on back-to-back-to-back days.”

“We were probably due for a letdown and after the first quarter we were able to put things together and put St. Martinville away.”

After opening the season with four straight wins and a tough loss to Liberty, the Jackets have reeled off five straight wins to move to second in the Division I Non-Select power rankings behind Ponchatoula, the team NISH lost to in the championship game last year.

“We talked about not having a let down before the game and St. Martinville always plays us tough,” Pourciau said. “It doesn’t matter what their record is, we always have trouble with them. We played well in their tournament last year but against them it’s always been competitive.”

“But after the early struggles, the guys were locked in and we were able to get the win.”

NISH was able to fight off a trap game against SMSH, but the Jackets have another potential trap on Thursday when the Jackets go on the road again to Northwest High just outside of Opelousas in Prairie Ronde.

“I consider it another trap game just because of where it is in the schedule,” Pourciau said. “The kids are ready for a break and they are not an easy team to play or an easy place to play.”

“But we are going to stay on them and hopefully not have a let down before going to St. Martinville’s tournament.”

Otis Anderson led NISH with 20 points and Austin Delahoussaye added 16 for the Jackets.

Kristian Batiste led SMSH (4-6) with 13 points.

After Thursday’s game, NISH opens the SMSH tournament against against Breaux Bridge Tuesday at Noon, the start of four games in four days for the Jackets.

“If we wins the first game we play Peabody in the winner’s bracket and if we lose we get either Lafayette or Ville Platte,” Pourciau said. “Either way it’s not going to be easy.”

Still, at about the halfway point of the season, the NISH coach is pleased with how his team has performed.

“I’m loving where we are at,” Pourciau said. “If we don’t blow the game against Liberty, we’re 10-0 and probably No. 1 in the power rankings.

“Looking long-tern, I like how we have played and how we have responded. If we can stay in the top 4 of top 8 in Division I , the playoff games are at home and you give yourself a chance to make a run.”