Lady Tarpons still rolling, despite youth

Last year, the South Lafourche girls’ basketball team graduated a historically good senior class — a core group of ladies that had won more than 100 total games, 32 district games and 7 playoff games over a four-year stretch from 2014-2018.

Three of those 6 players are playing college basketball. Several of the others who didn’t make the next level still earned All-District, All-Region or multiple letters in their respective careers.

Together, the group re-wrote the school record book. They ignited a spark into the small, tight-knit community with huge home crowds turning out in droves to lend their support.

So flash forward to the present and the faces are different for the Lady Tarpons in 2018-19 — a young squad with five new starters and several freshmen playing key spots in the lineup.

But what’s not different is the team’s record at press-time, nor its goals going forward for the rest of the season.

These new Lady Tarpons are doing a lot of the same things that the old squad did, owning a 9-4 record that includes victories over top programs like Thibodaux (8-6), H.L. Bourgeois (14-2) and Glen Oaks (11-8). At press-time, the Lady Tarpons are also in the Top 8 of the Class 4A state power ranking projections.

Lady Tarpons coach Rainie Terrebonne said this year’s group is different than teams of the past, but that’s not necessarily been a bad thing. She joked that on the first day of practices, it was a reality check to not see standouts like Traya Bruce, Victorianna Nelson, Kyzha Jackson, Elizabeth Curole, Caroline Curole or Ramey Messer on the floor warming up, but added quickly that the new faces have come in hungry, motivated and eager to make their own mark and lay their own stamp on the program.

“Our team is young, but we don’t talk about that. They play hard. They aren’t afraid of big moments or situations,” Terrebonne said at a recent appearance at the Tarpons’ weekly radio show. “We knew coming into the year that we’d have some new faces this year, but they’ve come in and everyone on this team has been ready and has had opportunities. When we’ve called on them, they’ve all stepped up and it’s allowed us to be where we are right now.”

So, let’s talk a little about this new generation of Lady Tarpons.

A few are leftovers from the old wave, but several of the others are just breaking the ice now on their prep careers.

Coming into 2018-19, the Lady Tarpons knew they she had experience in both the post and at the point guard position.

The Lady Tarpons returned three players with significant varsity experience in junior guard Makayla Bynum and senior center Abigail Bouzigard and forward Sierra Lerille — three key contributors on this team.

Lerille is a hybrid — a shotmaker who has the ability to score both inside and out, but also ability to guard players of multiple positions. Bouzigard is a rim protector — one of the leaders in blocks in the Houma-Thibodaux area for the past few seasons.

Of the three, Bynum has had the most experience. She’s played big minutes since her freshman season — mostly as a reserve. With Bruce, Messer and the Curole twins gone, she’s stepped into a prominent role this season in stride.

Bynum is slight in stature, standing just north of 5-feet tall, but she’s a vicious competitor with quality fundamentals and skills on both ends of the floor.

Bynum owns several 20-plus-point games this season and a few 30-plus point games. Her shotmaking is elite and Bynum is a great free-throw shooter, as well.

A lot of the junior guard’s offense comes through defense. She also leads the team in steals.

Bynum said her goal going into the season was to step up into a leadership position and so far, her actions are speaking louder than words ever could.

“What more could you say?” Terrebonne asked rhetorically when asked about Bynum’s play. “She gives you everything she’s got every game.”

But Bynum, Lerille and Bouzigard are known commodities. They’ve played in the program for years, as has senior Lainie Kiger.

What’s taking local basketball fans by surprise are the young faces who are stepping into prominent roles and shining within the Lady Tarpons’ program.

Sophomore Evan Duet has emerged as a Jill of all Trades — a bit of a Swiss Army knife the Lady Tarpons have inserted into the starting lineup because of her defensive energy, quickness and shotmaking ability in the mid-range.

“She has that ability to just find where the ball is going to be and be there,” Terrebonne said.

Also playing prominent roles are a trio of freshmen — guards Ava Pitre and Madison Ryan and post Madelyn Bourgeois.

Pitre has been a day-one starter for the Lady Tarpons — one of the best perimeter shooters in the entire area. She also owns the ability to slash — especially off the dribble with her dominant left hand. Ryan is more a pure point guard, while Pitre is a combo guard. Ryan can score in the mid-range and allows Terrebonne to move Bynum off the ball at times for rest.

Bourgeois is a post who uses her body well in the paint. She’s a plus-level rebounder and has a soft touch at the rim.

Terrebonne said all three players, as well as freshman Abbi Collins (who also plays varsity minutes) are part of a bright future for the team.

The youth is great, but the Lady Tarpons also have experienced depth, as well with Bre’ylynn Jackson, Na’Laysia Mack, Tristen Boudreaux and Madison Plaisance all getting key minutes at times so far this season.

Terrebonne admits that the Lady Tarpons perhaps lack some of the star power that they had last season and years before. But this year’s team has a strength in numbers. The coach believes the Lady Tarpons have as many as 8-10 players who can start on a given day and contribute against quality opponents.

“Our players are different and we knew that coming in,” Terrebonne said. “But our goals never changed. This has been a fun group to coach. And it’s getting even better every day as they continue to grow and come to their own.”

Lady Tarpons

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