The Work Begins: Rebowe officially takes over job at Nicholls
January 13, 2015
Player of the Week: Justin Williams
January 13, 2015
The Ellender girls’ basketball team is an annual playoff contender – one of the most successful prep programs in the Houma-Thibodaux area.
This year doesn’t figure to be any different, as the Lady Patriots are off to an 11-8 start, thanks to Friday night’s district-opening win against South Terrebonne.
Looking down into the junior high ranks shows that the future figures to be pretty bright, as well.
Ellender feeder school Oaklawn Junior High School is in the middle of a dominant season, owning an unblemished through their early slate of games.
Led by a depth of talent on its roster and coached by Anthony Poindexter and Derrian Williams, the Lady Tarpons have won a couple tournament titles this year, including the annual New Year’s Classic in Baton Rouge two weekends ago – an event that put Oaklawn against some of the premier middle school teams in Louisiana.
“This is a special group of young ladies,” Poindexter said. “We’ve won our parish tournament three years in a row and in a couple of weeks, we’ll be playing to have the opportunity to win it four years in a row. That’s an honor. When these girls get a little older and head to Ellender, I think you’ll be looking at a group that will do good things for Coach Adrian Blake and have a chance to continue to be successful.”
For the Lady Tarpons, it’s a rich, deep talent pool that enables the success.
Poindexter said he has a 12-man roster, and that he trusts all of his players to succeed in almost any game situation.
In the New Year’s Classic, Marghan Frierson was named the Tournament’s MVP, helping to lead the team in several statistical categories along the way.
But during that weekend, the team also received big-time points contributions from names like Carly Anderson, Tanisha Hester, Terris McKay and Maya Steward.
Others like Jordan Washington, Reionte Ward, Tyrion Folse, Trastasia Hester, Mariah Ross, Tranace Alexandria and Kaila Harris are capable of pitching in on any given game, as well.
“We have great guards, wonderful forwards and good centers – it’s the total package, man,” Poindexter said. “Top-to-bottom, we just play a good style of ball. We just play good, hard-nosed and solid basketball. We’re coached well, our kids hustle and compete well, and it’s exciting to see. Our kids are phenomenal. They deserve all of the credit and all of the accolades for the things that we’re doing.”
In the December tournament in Baton Rouge, Oaklawn won three games to take home the title.
In the opener, they topped McKinley Middle Magnet School 27-9. In the Semifinals against Southeastern, things got much closer, but the Lady Tarpons prevailed 21-18 in a back and forth slugfest.
In the finals, Oaklawn again played Southeastern again, but things weren’t as tight – the Lady Tarpons securing a 32-25 victory.
“That was a good test,” Poindexter said. “They had some good teams out there. For us to be able to win the championship, it’s an honor. It’s something that we told the kids that they should definitely be proud of.”
But for now, Oaklawn’s focuses are shifted a little bit closer to home. Poindexter said repeatedly throughout his interview that his team’s biggest focus is to win the Terrebonne Parish Championships, which will take place in the coming weeks.
With a glistened, unbeaten record, one would be able to easily predict that Oaklawn will enter the tournament as one of the favorites to take home the title for their fourth-straight season.
But the coach also touted the other schools in the area – namely Houma Christian as big-time challengers, adding that his team will need to earn the title.
“We won’t take anything for granted, for sure,” Poindexter said. “There are a lot of other really good teams from around this area, and they are all capable of beating us on any given day if we don’t come ready.”
But if that tournament goes the way Oaklawn’s others have gone, the team just might walk away with another trophy before it’s all said and done.
If the girls on the floor continue to mature, grow and get stronger, they may become Lady Patriots and win the biggest trophy of ‘em all – the Class 4A State Championship.
“These kids are winners. When they get to Ellender, it’s going to be very, very exciting,” Poindexter said. “We’re sending eight to them next year, and a couple more in the year after that. They’re always a good program, and it looks like they’re going to stay that way for a while.
“The future is bright out there at the high school. There’s no doubt about that – the future is bright.”
The Oaklawn Junior High School girls’ basketball team is undefeated and is playing some of the best basketball of anyone in the area. Several of the Lady Tarpons pose with one of their recent tournament titles.
