No need for a big man manning the post. The Lacassine Cardinals are going with an all-guard lineup this high school basketball season and have turned it into the best record in the state to date.

The Cardinals enter today’s championship game at the Bell City Bruin Classic with an unblemished 14-0 record. They will play the winner of the Bell City (2-5)-Fairview (5-6) game at 4 p.m.

With the unique lineup, the Cardinals thrive on the defensive end where they cause more than 20 turnovers a game and limit opponents to 41.9 points a game.

“I think that we have been playing well defensively,” sixth-year Lacassine head coach Micah Rasberry said. “I kind of saw that over the summer.

“It is the most active group that I have had. We are looking at deflections as a sign of defensive activity. The deflections and steals column has been looking really good for us. I think, maybe, we are a little more athletic than last year’s group, so I think that helps us be a little more disruptive even though we are smaller.”

The closest boys team to the Cardinals’ 14-0 record is fellow Class B school, Doyline (8-0). Nonselect Division V No. 1 Zwolle was 11-0 before a 58-56 overtime loss to Anacoco on Nov. 28.

The Cardinals don’t slow down on the offensive end, either. Four of five in the starting lineup average more than 10 points a game in (Kane) Broussard (22 ppg, 9 rpg, 2 apg), junior point guard Alex Thomas (14 ppg, 5 rpg, 4 apg), senior Jordan Duhe (11 ppg, 5 rpg, 3 apg) and junior Jordan Garcia (12 ppg, 7 rpg, 3 apg). Junior Lucas Corbello rounds at the Cardinals’ starting five, and freshman Maliki Broussard comes off the bench frequently.

“It helps that we have some guys that can shoot the 3,” Rasberry said. “It is hard to say who.

“We used to rely a lot on Kane on the perimeter, but, lately, it seems like somebody new every night gets hot and helps us out. We try to play fast. We are quick. Kane is a bigger guard. He is 6-4. All the others are 6-0 or shorter.

“That has kind of been our thing, if we can get the game played quick. We like to get a ton of shots. Eighty shots a game is what we are after. It is a lot and to kind of makeup for our vertical challenges. If we can win the turnovers, that helps us to get the extra possessions. We have a niche there.

“I know (Thursday) night, against what I consider to be a pretty good Reeves team, we created 28 (turnovers). If I had to guess, we are making 20-25 most nights. Our goal is 20, and we try to keep ours below 11. We had 16 steals last night.”

Broussard, who started as a freshman for the Cardinals’ state semifinal team in 2022, has become more versatile on the court.

“He has been great,” Rasberry said. “People know about him, so he is getting face-guarded every night, but he is finding a way to get his.

“I think he has really been attacking the boards lately and finding some success there. He is putting it on the floor a little bit more this year. He was kind of a straight shooter the last couple of years. He has been starting for me since he was a freshman. I think his game has got a little more dynamic, maybe out of necessity.”

Lacassine doesn’t just squeak by. Other than a 71-65 win over nonselect Division V No. 7 Midland, the Cardinals have won by an average of 28.5 points. Other quality wins include a 10-point win over last year’s nonselect Division I finalist Anacoco and a 21-point win over Select Division V semifinalist Rapides.

“We are kind of just taking it one game at a time,” Rasberry said. “I told this group that this is one of the best defensive teams that I have ever had, so that is exciting for me.

“I thought Midland was a pretty good test. I thought Anacoco was a good test for us. They have high expectations, and so do I. District is going to be rough. We have Midland, J.S. Clark and (Episcopal School of Acadiana). It is definitely going to be challenging. We were able to turn them (Comeaux) over, especially in the first half. That was a really good shooting night for us. They are pretty talented and athletic.”