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January 9, 2019
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January 9, 2019
The non-district season is over for local prep basketball teams.
Now, it’s time for the grind — the always-tough district slate.
Some local teams embarked in the start of district play last week and others will begin this week — an all-out mad sprint to the finish line before the start of the playoffs.
Both our Class 5A and Class 4A basketball districts appear to be filled with parity on both the boys and girls sides. Coaches say the coming weeks are always tough because there are no easy games anymore — every, single opponent on the schedule comes with unique challenges.
“If you don’t play well, you’re going to get beat. I think it’s as simple as that,” H.L. Bourgeois boys’ basketball coach Andrew Caillouet said last year, of the district grind locally. “Every Tuesday and Friday night, you’re going to be challenged and you’re going to learn something about your basketball team.”
DISTRICT 7-5A FILLED WITH CONTENDERS
It looks like a favorite has emerged in the District 7-5A boys’ basketball race.
The Thibodaux Tigers are as good a team as there is in the state of Louisiana right now. The Tigers are 16-2 at press-time on Monday and are the No. 1 team in Class 5A’s power rankings.
The Tigers are battle-tested. They own 12 victories over teams with winning records.
They also are explosive, having scored 80 or more points in six games. Thibodaux’s attack is multi-faceted and features a full arsenal of weapons.
In a Friday night 84-71 win against Destrehan, the Tigers showcased that firepower. Senior Marvin Robertson scored 26 points, while Rashad Robinson added 15. Kobi Johnson, Jmari Carter and Rashad Winslow all had double-figures, as well. Kyren Lacy is also a big-time threat for Thibodaux, as well.
But the Tigers are not without competition.
In District 7-5A, 5 of the 7 teams have winning records at press-time, which will make for a fun ride coming home.
Destrehan sits at 15-6, Hahnville is 13-8, H.L. Bourgeois is 12-8 and Terrebonne is 12-9.
The wildcards may be the two teams near the bottom — East St. John and Central Lafourche.
The Wildcats are 6-17, but have won 4 of their past 6 games.
The Trojans, too, are playing their best ball, having won two of their past three games.
On the girls’ side, parity is the story of the day for local Class 5A teams.
At press-time, H.L. Bourgeois is the lead dog, owning a 17-2 overall record and a 4-0 mark in league play.
The Lady Braves are coached by Michael Melancon and have size, athleticism, speed and depth.
Earlier this season, he called the team a fun group to coach.
“They’re great kids,” he said. “They’ve worked hard and have kept a positive mindset and they’re having a lot of fun playing together.”
But there have been challenges. Two of the Lady Braves’ four district wins have come in overtime.
Other teams in the league — namely Hahnville, East St. John, Destrehan and Thibodaux — are more than ready to pounce should the Lady Braves have a hiccup along the way.
CLASS 4A — ALL BETS ARE OFF
In Class 4A, there is only one round of district play, which means that all bets are off in deciding an eventual champion when league play begins this week and next.
On the boys’ side, Ellender, Morgan City, Assumption and E.D. White would appear to be the favorites on paper when looking at non-district play, though recent results would indicate that there’s no telling how the coming weeks may go.
The Patriots are young, but athletic. They hold a 15-5 record at press-time and continue to get better as the season goes on.
Coach Cornell Scott said he likes his team, adding that he believes they’ll play their best ball late in the season.
But Morgan City, Assumption and E.D. White are all above .500 and will prove worthwhile foes.
The Tigers already beat the Patriots head-to-head this season, while Assumption owns victories over Barbe, Terrebonne and H.L. Bourgeois.
E.D. White isn’t as battle tested as the rest of the bunch. Of their 15 games, they have only played five opponents with winnings records, losing 4 of the six games (they faced on opponent twice). But the Cardinals have guard play and size and will be capable of challenging any of the league’s powers.
And that brings us to the others in the league — opponents who are turning heads with their recent play. South Terrebonne sits just 7-13 on the season, but they’ve proven capable several times of playing up to quality competition, including an overtime loss against Destrehan, a victory over East Iberville and close games with Terrebonne and Central Catholic.
South Lafourche is also a sleeper in Class 4A.
The youthful Tarpons were forgotten after starting the season 1-7. But they’ve since gotten hot and have won 7 of their past 9 games, including victories over Terrebonne, Central Lafourche and Jeanerette. One of the losses in that stretch was a hard-fought, 3-point defeat against H.L. Bourgeois.
“We’re going to keep getting better,” Tarpons coach Brian Callais said during a radio appearance. “We’re working on protecting the basketball and running our offense. But we’re going to keep working and getting better.”
On the girls’ side, it’s a four-team toss-up for the title with others likely falling into place around the quartet.
South Terrebonne, Assumption, Ellender and South Lafourche will likely be the front-runners. The Lady Tarpons, Lady Mustangs and Lady Gators are all in the Top 10 in the state at press-time and the Lady Patriots are No. 16, but have played a murderous schedule.
E.D. White, Morgan City and Vandebilt are all capable, as well, but the title will likely fall within that top 4, though on any given night, any of the above-listed teams can scare or beat a top-tiered team.
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