'Jacks comeback bid falls short against Wossman

The Patterson Lumberjacks postseason run came to an end Friday in Monroe as the No. 5 seed Lumberjacks fell to No. 4 Wossman in the quarterfinal round of the Class 3A playoffs.
While Patterson, which trailed 43-31 after three quarters, outscored Wossman 27-22 in the fourth, it wasn’t enough to pull off the victory.
Patterson cut its deficit to as little as three points at 51-48 in the fourth via Jordan Butler’s three-pointer, but the Lumberjacks couldn’t get any closer.
“Our guys competed all game,” Patterson coach Ryan Taylor said. “Even when we were down double digits in the second half, they did not quit. We were able to cut it to (three) at one point but could never get over that hump.”
Wossman took advantage of a Patterson technical foul and made nine out of 10 free throws in the game’s last 38 seconds to secure the victory.
“You have to give Wossman some credit,” Taylor said. “They played well and finished the game off like you are (supposed) to. They went 12-14 from the free throw line in the fourth quarter. That made it very difficult for us to complete a comeback.”
Taylan Grogan led Patterson with 24 points, while Nehemiah Augustus also reached double figures with 19. Other Patterson scorers included Tyric Garrett, five; Kenneth Washington, four; and D.J. Jones and Jordan Butler, three apiece.
The loss snapped a 15-game winning streak for the Lumberjacks (23-5), who hadn’t been defeated since falling to Ellender Jan. 4.
Anthony Caesar and C.J. Jones each had 16 points for Wossman.
In Friday’s game, Patterson led 15-10 after a quarter, including a 9-2 advantage to start the game.
Wossman outscored the Lumberjacks 17-8 in the second quarter for a 27-22 halftime lead.
“I thought we started the game off just like we wanted to,” Taylor said. “We were in control of the tempo and were executing on offense. The second quarter, we missed a few shots and broke down defensively. We allowed too much penetration. That was the story of the game. Their ability to get by the on-ball defender hurt us all night.”
In the second half, Wossman held as big as a 15-point lead.
Wossman (24-8) advances to the Class 3A semifinals where it will meet No. 1 Peabody, a 70-59 winner against No. 9 Port Allen.
Friday’s game was the final one for Patterson’s four seniors, Augustus, Washington, Grogan and Jones, a group that experienced a ton of success during their time with the Lumberjacks. They were a part of four district championships and finished their four-year careers with an 80-24 mark.
“I am extremely proud of this senior class,” Taylor said. “They did a great job of being the leaders of this team. They worked hard from the moment they stepped foot on this campus. … I know they are frustrated and hurting right now, but they have a lot to be proud of.
“We always talk about the responsibility each player has to the tradition of this program,” Taylor added. “They took on the responsibility and continued the excellence of this program. I could not be more proud to have coached these guys. I wish them the best of luck in their future plans, but I know they will be successful.”