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The Houma-Thibodaux area has become somewhat of a basketball hotbed, and several of the area’s top talents are enjoying huge seasons on the hardwood.
All across the country basketball landscape are Louisiana-born players who are making big impacts on both the men’s and women’s games across various conferences.
A lot of those players are local, and a few are enjoying the biggest seasons of their careers.
GIBBY TALBOT
Now a junior, Houma native Gibby Talbot is having a breakout season for LSU-Alexandria.
The massive 6-foot, 10-inch post player scored a career-high 27 points in an early-December game, posting a perfect 13-of-13 mark from the field.
For the season, Talbot has been an absolute mammoth for LSU-A, averaging 11.0 points and 6.5 rebounds per game – all while shooting an almost-unheard of 80.4 percent from the field.
LSU-Alexandria is 11-2 on the season and owns a pair of wins against Southland competition.
Talbot said before the season that he expected big things because of his conditioning. Talbot cut weight in the offseason and is more physically imposing than he’s ever been.
“I’m in the best shape of my life,” Talbot said. “That’s allowing me to play the best basketball of my life.”
LIONHEART LESLIE
Like Talbot, Houma native Lionheart Leslie is starting to reach his stride.
A junior guard at California State Fullerton, Leslie is a starting guard on a Titans team that is 7-6 on the season, and is considered to be among the favorites in an open Big West Conference.
Leslie had arguably the best all-around game of his career this past weekend against Cal State East Bay, playing 37 minutes and logging 13 points, four rebounds and three assists in a blowout win. Leslie was 4-of-8 from the field in the win and 2-of-4 from the 3-point line.
He led all players in minutes for the game, and said over the Christmas break that big things were soon to come.
“We’re getting better and I’m getting more comfortable,” he said. “I love the way our team plays, and we expect to make a move in conference play.”
Ja’DANTE’ FRYE
Nicholls State University’s only local player is arguably its best. He’s also arguably among the best in the entire Southland Conference.
Thibodaux native and E.D. White graduate Ja’Dante’ Frye is a Colonels standout – a virtual shoe-in to be named to the All-Southland Conference Team at season’s end.
Now a junior, Frye has been a model of consistency for the Colonels throughout the season, averaging 17.2 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game for a Nicholls team trying to find a rhythm in the early stages of conference play.
The former E.D. White standout has scored 20 or more points six times in the season, and is shooting 47.4 percent from the field.
He was named the Southland Conference Player of the Week earlier in the season.
JEWEL TRIGGS
In her freshman season with George Mason, Thibodaux High graduate Jewel Triggs is showing the world that she’s a college-level player.
Triggs has played all 14 games for Mason this season, which includes three starts.
So far in her early career, Triggs’ role has mostly been served as a spot-up shooter, but she’s done it pretty well.
A total of 33 of Triggs’ 51 shot attempts on the season have been from behind the 3-point line. She’s made 12-of-33 for a 36.4 percent clip – a number that is No. 1 on the team among players with 20 or more attempts on the season.
George Mason is now in conference play.
RANDI BROWN
Arguably the best women’s basketball player in the Southland Conference is a Houma native who just keeps on ticking.
Randi Brown has continued to build on the dominant beginning to her career, and has established herself as one of the favorites to win the Southland Conference’s Player of the Year.
Through nine games, Brown averages 17.6 points per game – easily the highest total on her team. Brown recently surpassed 500 career points – just midway through her sophomore season. She is one of the fastest women in the history of the Lady Privateers program to eclipse the 500-point mark in her career.
NATE FRYE
For a second-straight season, Houma native Nate Frye is a starter for UNO.
For a second-straight season, he is helping lead the Privateers in almost every statistical category.
Through 11 games, Frye has logged 10 starts.
He averages 10.4 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.1 assists per game, while shooting an improved 43.8 percent from behind the 3-point line. •
Thibodaux High School graduate and George Mason freshman guard Jewel Triggs gets on the court for a loose ball during a game this season. Triggs is one of several locals shining at the college level in the 2015-16 season.
