Ruston’s return to Marsh Madness falls short on the road
Written by Bob Morgan on March 7, 2025
Photo by Josh McDaniel Ruston sophomore Ahmad Hudson scored 22 points and grabbed 17 rebounds Friday against Denham Springs but battled foul trouble in the fourth quarter of a 53-50 loss.
A third straight trip to Marsh Madness and the state tournament in Lake Charles just wasn’t in the cards for the Ruston Bearcats.
With a chance to tie and send the game into overtime, a Keshun Malcolm three-pointer rimmed in and out, allowing Ruston Denham Springs to advance to the Division I Non-select semifinals with a 53-50 squeaker at Walker High School.
If there was one albatross for Ruston toward the end of the season, it was closing out contested games in the fourth quarter. The Bearcats led 47-44 with just over two minutes remaining, but Denham Springs went on an 8-0 run to lead 52-47. After Ahmad Hudson, of all unlikely perimeter weapons, hit a three to draw the Cats to 52-50, they forced a turnover with 14 seconds left. Malcolm’s three-point attempt again rimmed out and the Cats were forced to foul.
The Yellow Jackets hit 1-of-2 free throws to set up the remaining 8 seconds in the game.
The second half was not beneficial for Ruston from a whistle standpoint. Hudson was called for his fourth foul early in the fourth quarter on a jumper in the lane. He was called for an offensive foul, sending him to the bench for 3 minutes.
When he came back in, Ruston was down by 6 but he scored 9 fourth quarter points while avoiding his fifth foul to lead the Cats back.
It was a game of strategy from the opening tip. Denham Springs (29-3) employed a five-guard lineup against Ruston’s big man and four perimeter players. Neither team could get an insurmountable advantage. Ruston won the first quarter, Denham Springs won the second. Ruston captured the third period, but the fourth is what sends teams to the next round and the Jackets persevered.
Hudson came out hot in the opening quarter and Denham Springs had no answer. He scored 8 points and ripped down 6 rebounds in the first 8 minutes. When he went out of the game with 30 seconds left, Denham Springs cut the lead down to one at the end of the first, at 15-14.
Jean Goldmond heated up for the Jackets in the second period. He hit three three-pointers and scored 12 points by intermission while Hudson was held scoreless in the second quarter thanks to a collapsing defensive effort. Ruston trailed 28-23 at the break.
The third quarter featured a vintage Ruston defensive effort, clamping down on Denham Springs and holding them to 7 points to seize a 36-35 lead heading into the fourth. Joran Parker and Aidan Anding keyed the third quarter run with pressure defense and fast break opportunities.
No amount of strategy from Ruston coach Corey Deans could overcome Hudson’s foul trouble. He picked up his third foul just a minute into the second half, which hampered his aggressiveness. Denham Springs took advantage of their good fortune and became more aggressive with dribble penetration. That helped them stick around until the late surge that game them the advantage.
Ruston (18-6) ends its season having advanced to the at least the quarterfinals four straight years. Hudson led the way with 22 points, 17 rebounds and 4 blocked shots while Parker added 12 points. Anding scored 8 points to go with 6 assists in his final game in a Ruston uniform. Goldmond led the Jackets with 20 points on 4-of-7 shooting from downtown.
