Bears fall to Cavs in Conclusion of Decari Markray Classic

Tuesday, November 26, 2024: Men's Basketball
Bossier City, LA

The Baton Rouge Bears concluded their participation in the Decari Markray Classic with a matchup against the host Bossier Parish Cavs. This was the twelfth meeting between the Bears and the Cavs on the hardwood. The Cavs defeated the Bears 71-53 this afternoon at the Billy W. Montgomery Gymnasium on the campus of Bossier Parish.

The Bears struggled in the first half to contain the Cavs' high-powered inside-out game. The initial five minutes were competitive, with the Cavs holding a slight 4-point advantage at 13-9 with 15 minutes left in the half. With ten minutes to play, the Bears trailed by just 5 points, 23-18. However, during the final ten minutes of the half, the Cavs outscored the Bears 19-12, taking a 42-30 lead into halftime.

During the break, Bears Head Coach Byron Starks encouraged his players to stick to the game plan and make adjustments to counter the Cavs' inside-out strategy. Unfortunately, the Bears continued to struggle in the first five minutes of the second half as the Cavs outscored them 8-0, expanding their lead to 50-30 with 15 minutes remaining. The Bears fought back, receiving key contributions off the bench from J'Kylon Ceaser and Christian Myers, but it wasn't enough; the Cavs outscored the Bears 29-23 in the second half, securing the 71-53 victory.

Braylon McNeal led the Cavs in scoring with 20 points, while the Bears were led by freshman guard J'Kylon Ceaser, who came off the bench to score 14 points. The Bears had two players score in double figures.

With this loss, the Bears fall to 4-4 for the season, while the Cavs improve to 9-0. The Cavs now lead the all-time series against the Bears with 8 wins to 4 losses.

Bears Highlights:
J'Kylon Ceaser scored a team-high 14 points for the Bears.
Chad Jones added 10 points and 6 rebounds.
Christian Myers contributed 8 points and 3 rebounds off the bench.

The Bears will return home after a five-game road trip to face the Copiah Lincoln Wolves on Monday, December 2, at 6 PM in the Bonne Sante Wellness Center.

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