CYO Tournament tips off on Nov. 27

By Ron Brocato, Clarion Herald

St. Paul’s will have its task of repeating as champion of the Allstate Sugar Bowl CYO Basketball Tournament cut out when it joins a lineup of 12 teams for opening night on Nov. 27.

The Wolves, winners of two of the last three CYO championships, will begin pursuit  of the classic’s 65th title when they meet Newman at Holy Cross in a 7:30 p.m. Pool D game on Nov. 28, the second day of the classic.   Beginning at 6 p.m. Nov. 27-29, pool play will take place at Archbishop Shaw, De La Salle, Jesuit and Holy Cross.

Play then moves to Jesuit for the semifinal round on Nov. 30 and the championship game on Dec. 1.

Jesuit will also host four consolation games between 12:45 and 5:15 p.m., prior to the 7 p.m. championship game.

Four games tip off the tourna­ment’s opening round. Jesuit will meet St. Stanislaus of Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, at 6 p.m., to be followed by Shaw hosting John Curtis at 7:30.

On that night, De La Salle will be at home to face Archbishop Rummel at 6 p.m. The 7:30 game pairs Holy Cross with Newman. 

The Nov. 28 schedule at Jesuit matches Slidell against Curtis at 6 p.m. The host Blue Jays will then take on Fontainebleau at 7:30 p.m.

Holy Cross will open its doors to fans of Archbishop Rummel and St. Thomas Aquinas, which square off at 6 p.m. prior to the  St. Paul’s vs. Newman game.

The final round of pool play on Nov. 29 matches Slidell against Shaw on the Jesuit court at 6 p.m., with Fontainebleau facing St. Stanislaus at 7:30.

Holy Cross will host a pair of games on Nov. 29, starting at 6 p.m., when De La Salle jumps ball against  St. Thomas Aquinas. The 7:30 finale will pit St. Paul’s against the host Holy Cross Tigers.

St. Paul’s defeated 2016 tournament and state champion De La Salle, 46-44, in the 2017 championship game, behind MVP Devonte Allen’s clutch baskets.