LAFAYETTE – St. Martinville Senior High held a seven-point lead midway through the fourth quarter, but St. Thomas More rallied to send the game into overtime at the Teurlings Catholic Tournament on Thursday.

From there, it took two overtimes for the Cougars to outlast the Tigers 57-56.

SMSH (8-11) grabbed a 45-38 lead in the fourth quarter when Harvey Broussard dropped in a close-range bucket over 6-foot-8 Chad Jones and drew the foul for a 3-point play.

The Tigers maintained a 47-41 lead with 3:31 remaining on two free throws from Broussard, who finished with 16 points.

STM’s Michael Mouton (19 points) tied the score at 50-50 and sent the game into overtime on a basket with 59.1 seconds remaining.

The first overtime period ended with the score 54-54. In the second OT, Jevion Sam (21 points) sank a free throw to put the Tigers up 56-55 with 10.5 seconds , but the Cougars made a game-winning lay-up with three seconds remaining.

“We played hard,” SMSH coach Ihmaru Jones said. “That’s it. Shots that are supposed to be made have to be made. The same thing has been plaguing us all year.

“This is our third overtime game. We can’t miss shots like that in a tight ballgame. Against a dangerous team that can make three-pointers at any time? We can’t miss those shots.”

It was the sixth loss by eight-or-fewer points for the Tigers, who converted 11-of-16 free throws. Sam, who shot 75% from the floor, rarely missed his trademark jump shots, most of which came from the baseline or just inside the top of the key.

“We are capable,” Jones said. “But we have to blow the opposition out because we’re going to make mental mistakes in a close game.

“We have to get in better shape. This was a game where you have to be in shape. When you’re tired, you make mental mistakes. They played with 10 people, which wore us down.”

STM got 19 points from 6-foot-4 guard Mason Guillory. Jones added seven points.

Cougars coach Danny Broussard said his team has won 80% of its overtime games during his 40-year career.

“I think our kids know that in overtime, we have some depth and we don’t get worn out as much,” he said. “When we trailed by seven, we didn’t have anything going for us. We couldn’t hit a three-point shot. A lot of things were going against us.

“We made some big plays down the stretch. I really like the resolve of our team, overcoming all of that.”

Broussard, whose team improved to 17-4, was impressed with St. Martinville.

“Their record is very deceptive,” he said. “They’ve played some good competition.”