Defending champion Metairie Park Country Day returned to the Division-III Select title game with a fluky highlight breaking a tie late in Thursday’s semifinal.
On Saturday, the No. 3 Cajuns (25-6) left little up to chance with a dominant third quarter fueled by defense, rebounding and a sharp-shooting senior to eventually blow open a double-digit lead and hold off No. 1 Calvary Baptist, 58-49.
“Just the resilience,” coach Mike McGuire told the LHSAA Network postgame broadcast. “We love these guys because they fight every day. Every day they get better. We didn’t start real fast, but I said, ‘Guys, it’s how you finish, not how you start.’ They believed in each other. Brennan (White)‘s a senior. Herm (Dyson)‘s a senior. We had six seniors and of course (junior) Kellen Brewer here was outstanding as well. But Brennan deserved the MVP. He came in the second half and was on fire.
“I thought it was a total team effort. We had four guys in double-figures. I think we out-rebounded them. The rebounding was awesome, and then we hit free-throws down the stretch. So I’m really proud of these guys, because they are fighters.”
That fight was necessary to hold off the same talented opponent for the second straight year, earning the program’s ninth championship all-time, sixth in the past 13 years and first repeat since 2014.
Top-seeded Calvary Baptist (31-5) rode an 18-game winning streak into the game and then an 11-4 run into halftime capped by junior guard Tyrone “T.J.” Jamison‘s deadeye buzzer-beating 3-pointer for a 22-17 lead.
But, as the Cavaliers struggled to re-find the same shooting mark after the break, Country Day countered emphatically by forcing turnovers, cleaning up the glass and rattling off a 16-4 run including a pair of White 3-pointers.
The senior point guard, with his right wrist still wrapped from a previous injury, finished with a team-high 16 points, two rebounds, two steals, an assist and a blocked shot to earn the game’s MVP honors.
He shot 4-for-6 from beyond the arc overall, including second-half makes that helped carry the Cajuns’ run into the fourth quarter.
White drained his final 3-pointer two minutes into the period, then two possessions later — after Jamison and Country Day freshman Rhys Diley traded treys of their own — added a physical finish inside to balloon the lead to 46-33.
“During warmups today, I kind of had the idea it was the last game of my high school career, so I knew I had to go out with something,” White smiled. “So I was shooting pretty well in warmups, started off first play with a made 3 and going into halftime I knew I was gonna have to hit some big shots in the second half.”
Jamison and his Cavaliers continued to battle, even chipping back to as close as 49-45.
But Calvary Baptist couldn’t get quite enough shots to fall late, and Country Day finally slammed the door with timely stops and clutch free-throw shooting.
Diley, Dyson, Brewer and sophomore guard Curtis McAllister combined to convert all nine shots from the foul line during the final two minutes, including a Brewer providing a particular dagger with a steal, basket through contact and then additional point at the line.
“It means a lot being back here and winning it again,” Brewer said. “Back-to-back state championships is just the best feeling ever… After we lost to Edna Karr, we went on an (11)-game win streak to end the season, and that just really helped us, gave us momentum and gave us team chemistry and everything like that.”
Brewer, the son of former NBA player and current New Orleans Pelicans coach Corey Brewer, filled the stat sheet with 14 points, six rebounds, five assists, four steals, three blocked shots and several strong finishes through contact.
Country Day guard Kellen Brewer surveys the floor Saturday, March 14, 2026, in the Division-III Select championship game against Calvary Baptist. (Photo: Bret H. McCormick, One T Photography)
McAllister, the son of former New Orleans Saints running back Deuce McAllister, added 11 points, three rebounds, two steals and two assists.
Diley added 11 points, five rebounds, two blocked shots and a steal, and Dyson — credited with Thursday’s semifinal game-winner — wrapped his high school career with six points, a team-high nine rebounds, three assists and two steals.
“Going out as a champion, it was the best thing I could’ve asked for,” Dyson said. “Coming to Country Day, it was a good learning experience. I couldn’t do it without my coaches, without my team. And being a two-peat championship-winning team, it’s just crazy.”
Jamison led the Cavaliers’ charge with 20 points, three rebounds, three steals, two assists, a blocked shot and several timely baskets to keep his team battling.
Robert Wright added eight points, a game-high 11 rebounds, a steal and an assist. And Jaiden Hall, a third junior guard, chipped in six points, four rebounds, four assists, three steals, two blocked shots and some key hustle plays in Calvary’s late rally.
Calvary Baptist guard Tyrone “T.J.” Jamison led all players with 20 points Saturday, March 14, 2026, in the Division-III Select title game. (Bret H. McCormick, One T Photography)
