Iowa’s senior group has moved the program forward each season from a regional loss in 2021, quarterfinals in 2022 and the program’s first semifinal game last season.

The next logical step is to play in a state championship game, but first the Yellow Jackets have to get past No. 8 Franklin Parish and head coach Lonnie Cooper in the quarterfinals today at 6:30 p.m. As head coach of Carroll in 2021, Cooper handed the Yellow Jackets a 64-53 loss in the regional round of the playoffs.

“Looking at the history of Iowa basketball, I don’t think that there has been another senior group that has done this,” Iowa head coach Rob Melancon said. “Their freshman year they lost in the second round.

“… That is what I was telling the (Desa’Monte) Gradney kid; it needs to be a little bit of revenge for you because he started that game as a freshman. He has some freshman moments as a point guard in that game. Now Gradney has to go show him that he has grown up.”

Iowa (27-4) has won 19 of its last 20 games with solid defense. It didn’t give up more than 50 points in six district games to win a third consecutive district title. Guard Cohen Charles has been the defensive spark of late, but Iowa will also need solid play from forwards Luke Guillory and Andrew Duhon to stop the Patriots’ big inside players.

“Cohen Charles has been playing really well for us,” Melancon said. “He is a couple of buckets here and there, but it is the defense, rebounding and the energy he has been bringing for us on the floor. Hopefully he can do that again (tonight).

“They have a couple of big kids, and when I say big kids, it is football. They have a couple of 6-3, 6-4, 240 kids and they will try to go inside out. They do have a 6-8, the coach’s son, but he wants to stay out on the perimeter. He will probably shoot more 3s than we may shoot as a team. They are going to try to pound it inside to their bigs, if not they are looking for the coach’s son to shoot the ball.”

Franklin Parish (24-11) beat Plaquemine (21-10) 66-59 in overtime in the regional round while Iowa beat District 3-3A rival South Beauregard (16-16) 84-59 after a two-week layoff, including a first-round bye.

“We started off well, then kind of relaxed once we got a big lead,” Melancon said. “I was pleased because I didn’t think that we were rusty. That also had something to do with the practices that we have been having, and our second group was pushing the first group. From the bigs, to the guards, to our defense, I thought we had a solid ball game.”

Elsewhere

Five other Southwest Louisiana teams reached the quarterfinals.

In nonselect Division V, No. 3 Lacassine will get a chance at revenge when it hosts No. 6 Gibsland-Coleman (15-9) at 6 p.m.

The Cardinals (35-3) lost on the road to the Bulldogs 75-71 in the quarterfinals last year, and look to reach the semifinals for the second time in three seasons.

Lacassine started the season 23-0 and opened the playoffs Tuesday with an 82-59 thumping of No. 14 Choudrant led by Kane Broussard’s 26 points.

In Division IV, No. 4 Pickering (23-9) hosts No. 12 East Iberville (16-15) in its first quarterfinal game in 13 years, and No. 8 Welsh (18-12) travels to No. 1 Lakeview (25-6). The Red Devils lost to Episcopal 54-51 in 2011.

Two area teams played on Thursday evening. No. 6 Hamilton Christian (16-9) traveled to Baton Rouge and upset No. 3 Southern Lab (24-11) 57-49 in the select Division IV quarterfinals. It was a rematch of the 2022 semifinals that Lab won 61-60 at the Cajundome in Lafayette.

Javon Vital led the Warriors with 16 points, and Seth Ned had 14. Sophomore DeRay Vital nearly had a double-double with nine points, 12 rebounds and seven blocks.

Also Thursday, No. 3 Oakdale (16-7) lost to No. 6 Franklin (22-7) 56-50 in the nonselect Division IV.