LADY TARPONS – Overcoming Youth – WITH SUCCESS

Irby Bergeron Sr.
December 27, 2018
TIME TO BRAG
December 27, 2018
Irby Bergeron Sr.
December 27, 2018
TIME TO BRAG
December 27, 2018

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.

“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.


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

A few are leftovers from the old wave.

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.

LADY TARPONS – Overcoming Youth – WITH SUCCESS