North American Battles Hard, But LSU Alexandria's Bench Depth and Key Stats Prove Too Much

Written by Rev. Justin C. Jackson

LSU Alexandria, La. — The North American Stallions (4-9, 1-7) came up short against LSU Alexandria (11-1, 7-1) on December 14, falling 77-67 in a hard-fought road contest that saw the Stallions battle neck-and-neck in the first half but falter in the final 20 minutes. Despite some standout performances, the Stallions couldn't overcome the depth and execution of the LSU Alexandria squad, as they were outscored 45-33 in the second half, leading to the final margin.

First Half:
It was an intense start for both teams, with North American showing strong composure early on. The Stallions led by two at halftime (34-32), thanks to solid scoring performances from Damione Thomas, who posted 20 points in the game, and Joseph Cormier, who finished with a double-double (13 points, 15 rebounds). However, North American struggled with shooting consistency in the first half, finishing at just 33.3% from the field (20-60), including a cold 25% (6-24) from beyond the arc.

Second Half:
The second half was a different story as LSU Alexandria's depth began to wear down the Stallions. LSU's bench exploded for 36 points, with Jordan Decuir leading the way with a perfect 4-4 shooting performance, including 3-3 from three-point range, finishing with 14 points. On the other hand, North American's reserves contributed just 12 points, and shooting struggles continued as they finished the game at 33.3% overall.

The Stallions were also hurt by their inability to capitalize on second-chance opportunities, with LSU Alexandria outscoring them 19-17 in that category, despite North American pulling down 50 rebounds to LSU's 49. Turnovers were another factor, as North American committed 23 turnovers compared to LSU's 13, which contributed to the 12-point difference in points off turnovers (LSU 18, North American 12).

TheDJWolfman's Take: "Rev. J, here's what I'm seeing: it's clear that our Stallions came out with heart, but we just couldn't keep pace in the second half. We didn't have the bench firepower like LSU Alexandria did. They put up 36 from their bench, while we only had 12. That's a huge difference in a game like this. They also took advantage of our turnovers, scoring 18 points off them. We need to tighten up there and in the paint, where they outscored us 34-24." 
TheDJWolfman's Analysis: "If I'm being honest, our Stallions fought hard, but the second-half surge from LSU Alexandria was just too much. If we can take the best two teams in the RRAC, we can beat them all and this has been proven in  the last three games. We can't let that happen again. We've got to lock in defensively, cut down on turnovers, get more production off the bench and quit playing up to the competition if we want to hang with these teams."

Key Players:

• Damione Thomas (20 points, 9 rebounds) led the way for North American, while Joseph Cormier (13 points, 15 rebounds) had a double-double in the loss.
• LSU Alexandria's Kashie Natt was a key factor, with 16 points and 18 rebounds, including 5 offensive boards.
• Jordan Decuir off the bench had an outstanding performance, scoring 14 points in just 16 minutes, leading his team with a perfect shooting night from the field.

Stat Breakdown:

• Points off Turnovers: North American 12, LSU Alexandria 18
• Second Chance Points: North American 17, LSU Alexandria 19
• Bench Points: North American 12, LSU Alexandria 36
• Points in the Paint: North American 24, LSU Alexandria 34
• Fast Break Points: North American 7, LSU Alexandria 4

Despite the loss, Coach B. Doze will have plenty to build on, especially with key individual performances and the resilience his team showed through the first half. However, the team will need to clean up their ball-handling and shooting moving forward if they hope to compete with top-tier teams in the conference.

Coach's Thoughts:
"We've got to learn from this one. We were right there at halftime, and we just let things slip away in the second half," Coach Doze said post-game. "We've got to take care of the basketball, improve our shooting, and get better at finishing strong when we have the lead."

Next Up:
The Stallions will look to bounce back on December 16 when they face Northen New Mexico. Tip-off is set for 7:30 PM. Stay tuned for more updates and game coverage as the Stallions continue to battle through their tough schedule.