Over the last several weeks, the Lacassine Cardinals boys basketball team has been looking at the banners and boards hanging from the rafters in their gym of past teams and their accomplishments.

Today, they will get a chance to add to that when the Cardinals play for a state championship for the first time in 49 years.

“I guess it was a couple of weeks ago, we began our warm-up by just kind of taking a glance at some of those banners that are hanging in the gym just so we could understand what we’re able to achieve and remind us of what it’s going to take to get there and the opportunities that are in front of us,” head coach Micah Rasberry said.

The No. 1 Cardinals will face No. 2 Avoyelles Public Charter at 8 p.m. in the Class B final.

Lacassine won its lone state championship in 1964, a 49-48 win over Athens when they were a Class C team. In 1976, the Cardinals lost a close game to Pineview 69-67 in the final. Since that game in 1976, the Cardinals have lost in the semifinals six times — 1985, ’98, ’99, ’06, ’07 and ’22 — until their 71-64 win over No. 4 Simsboro on Tuesday. The Tigers knocked out the Cardinals in the semifinals in 2022.

“I’m really excited for this group of guys to be a part of history for Lacassine and to bring a little bit of respect back to our community,” Rasberry said. “I think that we have a great basketball history.

“We just haven’t been able to make that jump. We’ve had some great teams over the years. But it just means a lot for this group because they’re born and bred Fenton and Lacassine guys who are our guys.

“We’re pre-K to 12, so we see these guys from the time that they’re little, and they’re working in the gym, and they’re living in the gym, and they’re getting after it. We ask a lot from them. We’re in the gym probably nine months out of the year doing something, so it’s just nice to see it pay off for them and the opportunities in front of them.”

Avoyelles Charter won backto- back Select Division V state championships in 2023 and ’24 and has the reigning Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class B state MVP Jalen Brown. The senior had 17 points and nine rebounds in the Vikings’ 44-39 win over No. 3 Zwolle on Tuesday.

“I think we’re going to have to find a way to contain those two guards (Brown and Benjamin),” Rasberry said. “We will definitely have our hands full.

“They are physical and athletic, and both are dynamic scorers. It is going to take some sound team basketball.”