It has been two weeks since Lake Charles College Prep and Vinton played their last regular-season game.

After a first-round bye, the teams will play their first postseason game today in the high school basketball state playoffs.

Select Division II No. 4 LCCP head coach Sean Andrus said his dilemma was keeping the team focused during the 14-day layoff while not overworking them and risking injury before their playoff opener.

“I think anytime you have a long layoff like this, the main thing that you worry about as a coach is, how much should you do and when it’s too much?” Andrus said. “You don’t want to be as physical and practice as you normally would throughout the regular season because you don’t want to have a freak accident happen and have a guy get injured.

“But you also don’t want to be too easy on them. Then they lose the conditioning that they’ve built up.”

The Trailblazers (25-4) played an exhibition game against Class B No. 1 Lacassine last week to keep themselves fresh for today’s regional playoff game against No. 13 University Lab at 6 p.m.

“It gave both of us a chance to play against a playoff-type opponent and get some good quality work in and see what we need to work on heading into (today),” Andrus said.

The Cubs (18-10) lost to Isidore Newman in the Select Division III finals last season.

“They have a couple of guys that can put the ball in the hole,”’ Andrus said. “Well-coached team; they have a championship pedigree.

“They won’t be your typical second-round opponent. My guys know it’s going to be a solid game. They have to come in and play focused basketball.”

Vinton The Lions (20-5) will open the playoffs for a second consecutive year coming off a first-round bye. Head coach Keith Kelley said the bye wasn’t the main factor in their loss to Red River last year. The Lions got back to work not long after their last game two weeks ago.

“I am not a big fan,” Kelley said of the layoff. “We gave them a few days off and we hitit hard all five days last week. We tried to get back into a normal routine.”’

Vinton will host No. 16 Jeanerette (12-12) at 6 p.m. today in the Non-select Division IV regional round.

Kelley said the Lions must continue their focus on defensive rebounding. Senior Jaheim Levias averages 12 rebounds per game and has had a few games with 20-plus.

“We have made it a goal this year to just control our defense glass,” Kelley said. “If we can outrebound the team we are playing, we feel like our chances are pretty good.

“We are making sure to emphasize rounding to our guys on the defensive boards.”

Also home today is Non-select Division I No. 8 Sulphur (28-5). The Tors have won 13 of their last 14 games and will host No. 8 Ouachita.

Regional
Non-select
Division I
No. 9 Ouachita Parish
at No. 8 Sulphur, 6:30
p.m. Tuesday.
Division III
No. 27 Kinder at No.
11 Avoyelles, 6:30 p.m.
Tuesday.
No. 10 Westlake at No.
7 Loreauville, late
Division IV
No. 16 Jeanerette
at No. 1 Vinton, 6 p.m.
Tuesday.
No. 13 Lake Arthur at
No. 4 Ferriday, 6 p.m.
Tuesday.
No. 14 Elton at No. 3
Lakeview, 7 p.m. Tuesday.
Select
Division II
No. 13 University Lab
at No. 4 Lake Charles
College Prep, 6 p.m.
Tuesday.
No. 14 Washington-
Marion at No. 3
Peabody, late
Division III
No. 9 St. Louis Catholic
at No. 8 Lafayette Renaissance
Charter, 7 p.m.
Tuesday.
No. 12 Lafayette Christian
at No. 5 Rosepine, 6
p.m. Wednesday.
Division IV
No. 13 Block at No. 4
Hamilton Christian, late
Class B
No. 16 Fairview at No. 1
Lacassine, late
Class C
No. 16 Singer at No.
1 Pleasant Hill, 6 p.m.
Tuesday.