Warren Arceneaux

After pretty much acing the nondistrict part of the schedule, the Jennings girls basketball team gets a big test in the first round of District 4-3A play when they host defending champion St. Louis.

The Bulldogs have started the season 14-3 but head coach Eric Guidry wants to see more consistency from his team.

“We are a pretty young team so we are getting better every day,” Guidry said. “We tend to take a few steps back then a few more forward, we just need to get it where we are continually getting better. We have made a big improvement rebounding.”

St. Louis (15-1) has been nearly perfect, losing only to Class 5A Mount Carmel. The Saints are led by the high-scoring duo of guard Paris Guillory and forward Myca Trail.

The Bulldogs are led by Jill Fontenot and Anna Claire Trahan, who combined to score 118 points in four Jennings games last week.

“They are a tough team to defend, they have a couple of players who can really shoot from the outside,” Guidry said. “I am worried about them, and we have to be able to contain the dribble. We have been buying into our defensive system, it is still a work in progress but the buy-in has been good and we are getting a few more stops than we did last year. We need to do better with offensive execution, get the ball moving to the second and third options.”

Elsewhere, District 6-B boys play begins with Hathaway hosting J.S. Clark, which beat the Hornets in the quarterfinal round of the playoffs last season. Hathaway has started the season by winning 15 of 18 games behind a balanced scoring attack led by Noah Guidry, Ian Augustine and Koyden Lopez.

J.S. Clark (7-9) has three starters back from last season’s team. The Hornets and Bulldogs split the district title last season, with each finishing with a 9-1 record. Hathaway won the regular season game at home.St. Louis guard Myca Trail attempts a jump shot in the lane while surrounded by several Hicks defenders on Dec. 4, 2020.

Rodrick Anderson/American Press