In almost three decades, Tony Johnson built the St. Louis Catholic girls basketball team into a state powerhouse, but he decided he needed a change and a new challenge.

Tuesday marked the start of that challenge as head coach at Lake Charles College Prep with a home game against South Cameron.

“It was time for a change,” Johnson said. “Dr. (Freddie) Harrison over here gave me this opportunity, and I am really enjoying it over here so far.

“I knew it would be a challenge. We started practice back in June, and every day since June 5 these kids got 10 times better than what they were. One of our mottos is ‘Be better than I was yesterday’ and change the culture for girls basketball at Lake Charles College Prep. They are buying into some of the things that we are doing. They understand how to work hard.”

In his final five seasons at St. Louis, Johnson took the Saints to five consecutive state championship games and won back-to-back state titles in 2021 and ’22. The Saints won 148 games in five years.

“That program (St. Louis) had been through a little downfall when I took that program from winning like four games in two years, and I think the first year I was there we went like 16-13,” Johnson said. “Then it only moved up from there.”

Since the Trailblazers started playing in the 2015-2016 season, they have won 38 games and made one playoff appearance (2016-2017) as a Class 1A team. Last year they won a program-high 10 games but went winless in District 3-3A.

Johnson said he’s hoping to change all of that.

“The program had a little success last year with Coach Freddie Harrison coaching them, and we just have to get on that right path and the right attitude,” Johnson said. “I think we are moving toward that direction.”

Like his time at St. Louis, Johnson is running a guard-heavy starting lineup with Kiara Bland (Sr.), Aniya Godette (Jr.), Leniya Banks (Sr.) and C.C. Lerose (So.), plus post Aleigha Sanders (Jr.).

“They are working hard and once we get past that working hard part, it is going to be very easy for them because I have some players that can play basketball,” Johnson said. “I have a few that can play and shoot the ball.

“We are going to be in good shape. It is just going to take a little time to get them acclimated. That is the five players that are going to get us over the top. They are the ones who have consistently been leaders on the floor and able to do the things I am coaching them to do and able to be successful at it. We are not going to show a whole lot, and we are not going to do a whole lot.”

As a guard-centric team, the Trailblazers will play fast and press on defense.

“We want to push the ball up and down the floor,” Johnson said. “I got in the mind-set over the last 15 years that the biggest thing about being a coach and the philosophy that I have is that you play hard on defense, and good things are going to happen on offense for you.

“That is what I am trying to instill in these kids. We are going to do the things that are going to make us successful. We are going to play fast, and we are going to play hard. We going to press just like I used to do on the defensive end in order to be successful.”

Lake Charles College Prep controlled the tempo of the first half with its full-court press and strong defense to beat the South Cameron Tarpons 51-9 Tuesday night in a girls basketball game.

The Traiblazers built a 16-0 first-quarter lead while forcing 11 turnovers.

Aniya Godette scored the first points of the season for LCCP with a 3-pointer 37 seconds into the game and finished with 15 points. Leila Sanders scored eight of her 11 points in the first half.

LCCP held the Tarpons with out a field goal until Annie Trahan’s bucket with 3:50 left in the first half.