Juinor Marleigh Alexis leads LaGrange with 15 point a game. The Gators will host Iota today in the Nonselect Division II bi-district playoffs. (Rodrick Anderson / American Press)

The LaGrange girls basketball team has had a rich playoff tradition over the last decade.

The Gators won back-to-back Class 4A state championships in 2020 and ’21, were seeded in the top 10 six times and reached the quarterfinals three times. They have produced several all-state players during that time, including 2021 Miss Basketball Jeriah Warren, who plays for the University of Florida.

They will host a first-round playoff game tonight for a ninth consecutive season. The 15th-ranked Gators are looking to open the postseason with a win for the eighth consecutive season. They will play No. 18 Iota (12-12) at 6 p.m. in the bi-district round of the Non-select Division II playoffs.

“It’s just a legacy,” Gators head coach Lakeem Holmes said. “We have a certain type of kid at LaGrange.

“We want to keep that same energy no matter who is in the jersey. That is what our motto has been since day one. We don’t care about the score. We don’t care about what you come in ranked as. We really talk about playing fearless, regardless of what happens.”

The Gators (13-10) had to do some rebuilding this season after losing 93 percent of their scoring and a trio of all-district players in Cierra Amos, Katelyn Wilson and Kylei Leblanc, who earned Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 4A first-team all-state honors. Leading the way this season has been a pair of returning starters, juniors Marleigh Alexis (15 ppg) and Ramiyah Thomas (7 ppg, 10 rpg, 4 apg).

“(Alexis) has been playing with more confidence,” Holmes said. “(Thomas) been one of our most defensive players. She’s held the other team’s (best) scorer under their average every day. She takes the toughest matchup.”

Defense continues to play a key role in the Gators’ game plan.

“We always lead on the defensive side of the ball,” Holmes said. “That’s been our strength the whole year. That’s been our strength the whole time I’ve been at LaGrange. We really focus a lot of our time on trying to prevent teams from scoring and causing turnovers.”

Another run
Like the Gators, the South Beauregard Lady K’s’ recent playoff history has been filled with lots of success.

South Beauregard (20-11) will start the playoffs at the No. 6 seed in Non-select Division II and will host No. 27 Plaquemine at 6 p.m. today.

The Lady K’s lost to Wossman in last year’ final and have played in the state tournament three of the last four seasons.

Big 5A
Sulphur (24-3) and Barbe (29-3) had stellar regular seasons and look to keep it going in the postseason. No. 5 Barbe hosts No. 28 Ruston, while the No. 10 Tors host No. 23 East St. John.

The last time the district rivals opened the playoffs with a win in the same season was in 2020.

The teams shared the District 3-5A title with Lafayette.

District rematch

In Non-select Division IV, No. 11 Grand Lake (14-12) hosts No. 22 Basile (16-11) in a District 4-1A rematch. The Hornets rolled to a 52-20 win in the regular season.

Basile is in the playoffs for the first time since 2021.