"I was just trying to control the game and make sure we're good," said Polk, who finished with 16 points. "I didn't want to take any dumb shots. Coach told me to just dribble the ball around."

LOREAUVILLE – Sophomore point guard Kylon Polk took charge in Loreauville’s District 8-2A game against Delcambre on Thursday night.

Delcambre, which trailed by 17 points at the end of the first quarter, scored the last four points of the third quarter to come within 50-44. The Panthers got possession to open the fourth, but Polk’s steal and lay-up gave the Tigers the momentum.

Polk followed with four straight free throws, along with an assist to Vaschon Blount, as the Tigers went on to prevail 63-52.

Delcambre was held scoreless for the first five minutes of the fourth quarter. Polk, an elusive ball-handler, kept the ball away from the Panthers and helped consume time off the clock.

“I was just trying to control the game and make sure we’re good,” said Polk, who finished with 16 points. “I didn’t want to take any dumb shots. Coach told me to just dribble the ball around.”

Polk scored 10 points in the first quarter on 5 of 6 shooting as the Tigers got out to a 15-2 lead. Dylan Singleton scored 8 points in the quarter, which ended with the hosts up 30-13.

“That was the best quarter we’ve had all year,” LHS coach Darrell Caesar said. “Dylan came out strong. Kylon is a hard-working kid. He plays with all his heart and a lot of energy. Good things happen for him.”

The Panthers (7-19, 1-7) fought back in the second quarter, outscoring the Tigers 17-7 to narrow the deficit to 37-30 at the half.

LHS (11-8, 3-6) suddenly went ice-cold, missing 8 of its first 9 field goals and missing four straight free throws in the second quarter. The Tigers played much of the first half without Ricardo Jeanlouis, who got in early foul trouble.

“We made some bad decisions,” Caesar said. “We missed a few easy shots that could’ve put the game away. With our foul-trouble, we had to back off the full-court pressure, which gave them problems in the first half. That allowed them to get back into the game.”

Tre Leleaux led the Panthers with 21 points. Kenyon Holt added 14, and Kyle Bourgeois contributed 12 points. Leleaux, who didn’t score in the first quarter, made five 3-pointers. Delcambre had an opportunity to cut the lead to three points, but Leleaux’s 3-point attempt rattled in and out with 25 seconds left in the third quarter.

“Delcambre played hard,” Caesar said. “They showed a lot of character and fight. I was impressed.”

Hayden Benoit had 14 points, followed by Singleton (12), Jeanlouis (7) and Tahj Spencer (6). Spencer and Blaise Romero each hit a 3-pointer in the first quarter.

“We came out with a lot of intensity in the first quarter, but we gave it up,” Polk said. “Everybody was tired, and we started fussing. We can fix that.”

The Tigers, No. 18 in the LHSAA Division III non-select power ratings, could host a first round playoff game with wins next week against West St. Mary (10-8, 5-4) and Catholic High (15-7, 8-1).

CHS defeated the Tigers 50-39 on Jan. 29 in Loreauville.

“We played well in the first quarter, but we let that one slip away,” said Polk, who will be matched up with Panthers’ sophomore point guard Jaiden Mitchell.