It had been eight years since Brusly boys basketball beat Port Allen twice in the regular season, and it happened again Friday night.

Brusly controlled the game from the opening tip and led by as many as 40 on the way to a 67-31 win over its cross-parish rival.

Brandon Hymes led all scorers with 14 points for Brusly (20-1). Edrick Snearl and Tyran Young had 10 points each.

Gentry James led Port Allen (5-14) with 11 points. Ji’Siah Fernandez and Charleson Clark had seven points each.

“I’ve been trying for a couple of years, so much emphasis is put on Port Allen, and we need to get the emphasis on Brusly,” said Brusly coach Kirby Loupe.  “We’re not in the same district. It’s really just another game. I know it’s big for the community and everybody else, but for us as a team, it’s just another game. These kids grew up in this rivalry, so I know it’s important to them, but we need to understand it’s not a season-ending or changing game.”

Snearl drained a three early in the first quarter that helped Brrusly get out to a 14-5 lead.

At the end of the first, the Panthers led 23-8.

Brusly kept the tempo going in the second quarter, outscoring the Pelicans 17-4 in the second quarter to claim a 40-12 halftime advantage.

At halftime. the 1984 state basketball championship team was honored for its 40th anniversary.

The Pelicans struggled to defend rebound and defend at the rim. Port Allen was without key big men Aries Lewis, Mason Boston, and Warren Bessie Friday,

“Obviously, they were missing their three bigs tonight,” Loupe said. was super long when we played them at their house. but we’ve been playing really well. We stubbed our toe a little bit against St. Michael. I’m proud of our guys. I tell them all the time you have three weeks left to get a little bit better at our weaknesses. If we can pick those (weaknesses)up a little bit. You know, it could be the edge as we go forward.”

The Panthers continued to control the game after the half, taking a 34-point lead into the fourth quarter.

Loupe said the loss to St. Michael helped prepare them for a team they may see down the road if they make a deep playoff run.

“They did a really good job of controlling the tempo, but we talked about it after,” the coach said. “The sign of good teams is how do you respond when you hit a little adversity. The first loss of the year. It’s one loss. You’ve built up a really good cushion that you can learn from it. They responded, and the tempo went up. We’ll see.”