By Malcolm Butler
Ryan Bond didn’t mince words Friday night when questioning the toughness of his Bearcats performance in a pivotal district loss at Ouachita.
He left little room for doubt on how he felt his team didn’t perform up to expectations.
If it was a challenge, it worked.
Bond’s Bearcats (23-3, 6-2) dominated Pineville (17-8, 4-4) from the opening tip and never looked back as Ruston rolled to a 76-48 win Tuesday night.
After trailing 5-4 in the first two minutes of play, Ruston used a 20-0 run over the next seven-plus minutes to build 24-5 lead. Pineville never got closer than 13 points the rest of the way.
“I am really, really proud of our guys,” said Bond. “They did a great job. They competed. That was the word for the last two days. Compete. Compete. Compete. It doesn’t matter if something good happens. Something bad happens. Something in between. If it’s your fault. If it’s their fault. If it’s the other team’s fault. Just continue to compete. That’s all we have been talking about, and the guys did that.
“We wouldn’t be in the position we are in without really good players and really good kids. They know we still have something to play for. They know we are shooting for a top four seed. They know the district race is not over. We still need to handle our business … and put ourselves in position for the playoffs.”
Braylan McNeal, who was quiet in the loss to the Lions on Friday, made plenty of noise against the Rebels, netting a game-high 24 points, while adding nine rebounds and four blocked shots. McNeal scored 15 points in the opening two quarters to help pace the Bearcats to a 38-19 halftime lead.
Ruston moved the basketball effectively throughout the game, resulting in easy bucket after easy bucket — whether in transition or in the halfcourt set.
“That is something we really hit on the last 48 hours,” said Bond. “On the 5A level, it doesn’t matter who you are playing … everybody can guard the ball initially. Everybody can guard zero passes or one pass. You have to soften the defense up by ball movement and by player movement. By cutting. By screening. That is something the guys did a great job with tonight.
“It’s not an individual sport. It’s a team sport. There is not one guy on any team that can do it by themselves.”
As a team Ruston hit eight three-pointers — two each by McNeal, Aiden Anding, Zheric Hill and Zhy Scott — and saw four players score in double figures. In addition to McNeal’s big offensive night, Joran Parker added 11 points, while Anding and Scott scored 10 points each.
As good as Ruston was on the offensive end, the Bearcats were equally as efficient on the defensive side of the floor. The Bearcats blocked shot after shot, recorded steal after steal, and made everything difficult on the Rebels.
It was almost as if the Bearcats were responding to their coaches challenge from Friday night’s loss.
“It’s just in my DNA,” said Bond. “I am not going to get it out of my DNA and I am not going to settle for less than maximum effort. I am going to demand that from the guys. I would be doing the guys a disservice if I didn’t demand their maximum effort. I think they appreciate that.
“I want them to be successful. It’s not about Ryan Bond. It’s about this team. I have been there and done that. I want these guys to do something special. In order to do something special they have to be pushed a little bit. They have to be challenged a little bit. And sometimes it’s not going to be pleasant.”
On Tuesday night, it was unpleasant for the opponent.
Ruston hosts Alexandria Senior High Friday night for Senior Night. And Bond said it’s another opportunity for his team to take one more step in the right direction when it comes to preparing themselves for the postseason.
“We are a good basketball team; a great basketball team,” said Bond. “Just like last year we have a chance to do something special.”
