November Theatre
November 5, 2007
Daniel Rodrigue, Sr.
November 7, 2007The weather is cooling down, but the action on the high school hardwood is just beginning to heat up as area boys’ basketball teams embark on their 2007-08 seasons.
The following is an in-depth preview of what fans can expect to see this winter.
Central Lafourche Trojans
Coach: Paul Paille
2006-07 finish: 8-6 (13-15 overall)
District: 7-5A
Returning starters: Ramond Henry (Sr., point guard); Devon Anderson (Soph., forward)
Top newcomers: Krandal Hampton (Sr., forward); Jordan Chiasson (Sr., guard); Jonathan Cretini (Sr., guard); Percy Calloway (Sr., forward); Byron Thomas (Soph., guard); Koby Savoie (Soph., guard)
Strengths: The Trojans will have a lot of speed and depth this year.
“Guys coming off the bench will be almost as strong as the starters,” Paille said.
Henry averaged 12 points per game in 2006-07. Hampton is strong on defense and Anderson has unlimited potential when it comes to pumping in points.
Weaknesses: Central Lafourche will have to cope with the graduation losses of Sam Wilke, Lucas Leblanc and Mike Nowlin (a foreign exchange transfer from Australia). All three were all-district players.
The Trojans are also short on experience.
2007-08 outlook: Since Ellender moved out of District 8-5A, Paille thinks the division crown is up for grabs.
“We won’t be picked to win, but we have a shot at competing for the title,” he said. “It’s wide open.”
South Lafourche Tarpons
Coach: Brian Callais
2006-07 finish: 6-8, (8-15 overall)
District: 7-5A
Returning starters: Kyle Fonseca (Sr., forward); Robert Vegas (Sr., guard)
Top newcomers: Wesley Rhodes (Jr., guard); Ryan Leday (Jr., forward)
Strengths: Callais is happy with the leadership he sees from his returnees.
Fonseca averaged more than 8 points a game for the Tarpons last year and earned second team all-district honors.
Weakness: South Lafourche struggled defensively in 2006-07 and lost a slew of tightly-contested games.
2007-08 outlook: The Tarpons are coming off a strong summer that saw the team finish 17-2 through scrimmages played in the E.D. White Summer League and at basketball camps at Tulane and Southern Mississippi.
“We’ve been improving each year,” Callais said. “The program is headed in the right direction and hopefully we can make some noise in our district.”
Thibodaux Tigers
Coach: Anthony Clark
2006-07 finish: 8-6 (18-17 overall)
District: 7-5A
Returning starters: Carlos Coler (Jr., center); Trovon Reed (Soph., guard); Shavon Coleman (Soph., forward)
Top newcomers: Demon Bolt (Jr., guard); Brandon Thompson (Jr., guard); Bradley Ward (Jr., forward/center); Jermaine Ross (Jr., forward)
Strengths/weaknesses: Team speed is excellent, and Clark returns a lineup rich in varsity experience.
Coler averaged 10 rebounds a game and was all-district honorable mention last year. Reed was a top defender on a team that makes defense a high priority.
Weaknesses: After Coleman (6-foot-3) and Coler (6-foot-2), the Tigers lack height.
Thibodaux will also have to fill the gaping hole left by Tristan Cheatham, a standout who averaged more than 18 points a game last winter.
2007-08 outlook: According to Clark, consistency will be key.
“We’ll have better shooters this year,” he said. “We have four to five guys who can score. But with our size, you never know what can happen.”
Terrebonne Tigers
Coach: Byron McPherson
2006-07 finish: 7-7 (19-13 overall)
District: 7-5A
Returning starters: Kiwan Hester (Sr., small forward); Michael Jones (Sr., center); Stanford Coleman (Soph., point guard)
Top newcomers: Anthony Sylvester (Jr., guard); Cornell Norman (Sr., power forward)
Strengths: McPherson is at the helm of a very versatile squad.
“You can play most of my players at any position,” he said.
Coleman was first-team all-district. Jones and Hester also received all-district accolades.
Weaknesses: Size. Jones is Terrebonne’s tallest player at 6-foot-3.
2007-08 outlook: As the Tigers new coach, McPherson doesn’t know what to expect this year and is hesitant to make any predictions.
But he certainly knows what he wants.
“Our ultimate goal is a district and state championship – that’s how it goes,” he said. “You can’t really predict wins and losses, but you can expect us to play hard and be in every game. These players are more motivated than they were before.”
H.L. Bourgeois Braves
Coach: Andrew Caillouet
2006-07 finish: 6-8 (12-20 overall)
District: 7-5A
Returning starters: Khiry Williams (Sr., forward); Jordan Steid (Sr., forward); Steven Howard (Jr., guard)
Top newcomers: Josh Lee (Sr., post player); Tramel White (Jr., guard)
Strengths: All three of Caillouet’s returning starters averaged close to 10 points a game last year and were all-district honorable mention selections.
Caillouet also expects his defense to produce a lot of deflections.
Weaknesses: With the exception of Josh Lee (6-foot-6), the Braves are lacking in the height department.
2007-08 outlook: Caillouet has faith in his team’s ability to make the playoffs, but believes his team will be put to the test in some taut district games.
“This district is so strong that you can’t really make any predictions,” he said. “Everyone is so equal. A lot of teams with speed and quickness are returning. I can’t really say where we think we’ll finish.”
South Terrebonne Tigers
Coach: Greg Cook
2006-07 finish: (5-24 overall)
District: 7-5A
Returning starters: Que Austin (Sr., guard), Rondale Livas (Jr., point guard)
Top newcomers: Brandon Williams (Sr. forward), Jake Johnson (Jr., guard), Joseph Thompson (Soph., forward) and Jamil Washington (Soph., forward)
Strengths: The Tigers’ roster contains some hot shooters and a few speedsters (Rondale Livas is the little brother of Formula One-fast Phillip Livas, freshman running back for Louisiana Tech).
Rondale Livas was an all-district honorable mention selection last season.
Weaknesses: South Terrebonne is small (it’s tallest player, Williams, stands 6-foot-3).
Cook said his team is also trying to develop continuity, a task that’s made difficult since key members of the lineup are still playing football.
2007-08 outlook: “I’m optimistic,” Cook said. “Making the playoffs will depend on whether we can remain competitive. If we can, then we’ll have a chance.”
Vandebilt Terriers
Coach: Rafe Blades
2006-07 finish: 5-3 (23-10 overall)
District: 8-4A
Returning starters: DeShawn Patterson (Sr., guard); Gary Williams (Sr., guard); Evan Mistich (Sr., guard); Joel Ross (Sr., center); Dexter Smith (Jr., forward)
Top newcomers: Hunter Haydel (Jr., guard); Phillip Blanchard (Soph., forward); Brnadon Demas (Sr, guard)
Strengths: Patterson, Williams, Mistich and Ross have been varsity starters since the eighth grade.
Patterson has been named first team all-district for three years. Last season, the 6-foot-4 guard averaged 24 points and 10 rebounds
Weaknesses: Complacency.
“We don’t want that,” Blades said. “These guys have been really succesful at Vandebilt.”
2007-08 outlook: The Terriers finished its 2006-07 season with more wins than any Vandebilt team had amassed in the past 15 years.
“It’s exciting,” Blades admitted. “You can’t take that away from us and I’m very proud of that.”
Nonetheless, Blades doesn’t dwell on numbers.
“Our main goal is to simply go out and compete every night,” he added.
Morgan City Tigers
Coach: Jeremy Whittington
2006-07 finish: 10-4, (29-9 overall) second in dist, lost in first round of playoffs
District: 8-4A
Returning starters: John Francois (Sr., point guard); Nick Ingraham (Sr., forward); Ben Jackson (Sr., center)
Top newcomers: Charles White (Sr., guard); Erik Carter (Sr., guard)
Strengths: Jackson (6-foot-4) is a solid post player that averaged 12 points and 8 rebounds last season. Francois produced 10 points, seven assists and more than four steals and was named the district’s defensive MVP.
Weaknesses: The Tigers will miss Craigory Christopher’s 23 points per game (Christopher now plays basketball at Brookhaven Community College in Texas).
Thibodaux also lacks size in its lineup, something that will hurt them against a much taller Helen Cox squad.
2007-08 outlook: “I expect a lot from my seniors,” Whittington said. “My three seniors have built up a nice record over the past two years – 29 and 27 wins.”
But the victories don’t come easy. The Tigers placed second in district before losing in the first round of the playoffs last season.
They’ll strive to eclipse that finish this winter.
“We have the toughest district in any class,” Whittington said. “It’s nothing we’re not used to. I run plenty of tough practices. If I didn’t, we’d be a pretty mediocre team. The kids understand the effort I want from them.”
Ellender Memorial Patriots
Coach: Scott Gauthreaux
2006-07 finish: 14-0 (39-3 overall)
District: 8-4A
Returning starters: Sterling Jones (Sr., forward); Jamal Nixon (Sr., forward); Chris Duthu (Sr., forward)
Top newcomers: Jesse Turner (Sr., guard); David Stewart (Sr., guard)
Strengths: The Patriots have strong leadership from a group of seniors who know how to win. Jones (6-foot-1) was named first team all-state, all-region and all-district MVP on the strength of 21 points and 8 rebounds per game.
Nixon averaged 14 points and 7 rebounds en route to all-district and all-regional honors.
Weaknesses: Like many teams in 8-4A (with the exception of Helen Cox), Ellender is devoid of tall players.
“Last year , we made it to the state title game with our biggest guy being 6-foot-3,” Gauthreaux said. “We’ll have to concentrate hard on rebounding.”
The Patriots will also miss the services of Bruce Harding and Walter Jones, who were both lost to graduation.
2007-08 outlook: Ellender moved down to District 8-4A, but their level of competition might have moved up.
“Vandebilt has five seniors that have been starting since the eighth grade, and Helen Cox has the No. 1 recruit in the nation with Greg Monroe. It’s going to be competitive.”
E.D. White Cardinals
Coach: Jonathan Keife
2006-07 finish: 7-1 (28-8 overall)
District: 7-3A
Returning starters: Bryson Triggs (Jr., guard)
Top newcomers: Charlie Bourgeois (Soph., center); Trey Gaidry (Soph., center)
Strengths: The Cardinals bring quickness and depth to the hardwood. Triggs was an all-district honorable mention selection in 2006-07.
Weaknesses: E.D. White graduated eight players who all contributed to last year’s district championship and second-place finish at state.
The Cardinals most notable loss was Ben Martin. The Nicholls State University freshman averaged more than 16 points a game and was named state MVP.
2007-08 outlook: Even though E.D. White is amidst a rebuilding campaign, Keife is confident this year’s edition of the Cardinals will surprise a lot of teams.
“I don’t think inexperience is going to play as big a part as what people think,” he explained. “We’ll go through growing pains, especially with as tough a schedule as we’re playing. But we’ll be a good hoops team by the time January rolls around.”
Berwick Panthers
Coach: Mark Spradling
2006-07 finish: 0-10 (2-25)
District: 7-3A
Returning starters: Melvin Butler (Jr., shooting guard)
Top newcomers: Jimmy Fry (Soph., forward); Miles Liner (Soph., guard)
Strengths: Spradling is impressed with his players’ determination to turn the corner.
This is a team that’s fed up with losing.
“When I told them my goal for the season was 10 wins, they said they wanted at least 20,” he said. “They have a drive about them. This is a good group.”
Weaknesses: Experience is a glaring deficiency. Berwick graduated four seniors from a 2006-07 lineup that failed to win a game.
Spradling said the team needs to develop speed and better ways to respond to defensive pressure.
The program would also benefit from a better feeder system .
Spradling is the program’s 12th head coach in 17 years.
2007-08 outlook: Through three seasons at the helm, Spradling has seen his roster jump from 11, to 16 (last year) and finally 25 (this fall).
Better numbers can lead to better chances at winning.
“Most of the teams we play are twice our size and have been playing a lot longer,” Spradling said, “but we’re going to get there.”
Patterson Lumberjacks
Coach: Ryan Taylor
2006-07 finish: 4-4 (16-14 overall)
District: 7-3A
Returning starters: Calvin Wesley (Sr., guard); Josh Jones (Sr., guard); Terrance Johnson (Jr., guard)
Top newcomers: Troy Watson (Jr., guard); Kentrell Butler (Sr., forward); Willis Virdine (Jr., forward)
Strengths/weaknesses: Taylor boasts a relatively experienced lineup that includes Wesley, a first-team all-district guard that averaged 15 points a game last year.
Weaknesses: The Lumberjacks are green at the post position.
2007-08 outlook: Patterson looks to improve upon last season’s third-place district finish and first-round double-overtime playoff loss to Karr.
“It will all depend on how we start,” Taylor said. “All but one of our players is still playing football. Once they get their basketball legs under them, we’ll be fine.”
Central Catholic Eagles
Coach: Ree Case
2006-07 finish: 5-5, (7-14 overall)
District: 8-1A
Returning starters: Josh Bergeron (Sr., point guard); Barry Walker (Jr., guard); Andrew Template (Soph., forward); Joe Hensgens (Soph., guard); Guy Thomas (Soph., forward)
Top newcomers: Blaize Watson (Fresh., center); Lloyd Grogan (Eighth-grade, forward)
Strengths: Case is happy that everyone returns on the Eagles lineup that placed third in district.
“We’re young, but we were even more young last year,” he explained. “At times, we started four freshmen. They gained lots of game experience.”
Case is also encouraged about his team’s quickness and athleticism.
Bergeron averaged 17 points per game last season and earned first-team all-district accolades. Walker was also named first-team all-district on defense.
Grogan is young, but tall (already 6-foot-3) and brimming with potential.
Weaknesses: With the exception of Grogan, the Eagles are small.
The majority of Case’s players are still wearing shoulder pads and cleats.
“The football team is in the playoffs, so that will be another week minimum until they get to play (basketball),” he said.
2007-08 outlook: The Eagles are young, but surprisingly experienced.
“I’m really excited,” Case said. “If we progress like I think we can, we can be a playoff team. That’s our goal again.”
