LAKE CHARLES — For the second straight game, St. Thomas More found some buzzer-beater magic—this time, courtesy of John Luke Bourque.
Bourque’s clutch jumper with two seconds left lifted the Cougars to a thrilling 46-44 win over John Curtis, securing their spot in the Division I Select state championship game. The senior delivered a flawless performance, scoring 15 points without missing a shot.
“I’m just grateful for the opportunity,” Bourque said. “You have to have a lot of trust in a player to give them the ball at the end, and I’m happy I could make my coaches and teammates proud.”
Head coach Danny Broussard praised Bourque’s perseverance.
“He just sat back, watched, waited, and worked his tail off for three years,” Broussard said. “And when the opportunity came, he was ready for it.”
STM’s defensive intensity played a crucial role in the win, as the Cougars’ full-court press forced multiple turnovers late in the fourth quarter, helping erase a deficit.
“Effort and energy, for sure,” said Grayson Roy. “We take defense as seriously as offense, and tonight, we showed that.”
With little time to celebrate, STM now turns its attention to Saturday’s championship showdown against St. Augustine out of New Orleans. Tip off is slated for noon.
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