Many of the top senior high school players in the state, including several from Southwest Louisiana, will get one more chance to represent their schools today at the Louisiana High School Basketball Coaches Association All-Star games at McNeese State.

The boys game will start at 1 p.m. followed by the girls game at 3 p.m.

“It is an exciting event to have in Lake Charles,” said LaGrange head coach Lakeem Holmes, coordinator for the girls West team. “I think we have the facilities for it and the type of size of city that deserves it. I am excited for it. I am glad they moved it here.”

The games were played at Louisiana Christian University in Pineville last year, and the West swept both games. Iowa’s Da’shawn Ceaser led the West to a 90-84 win with 13 points, while the West girls won 90-59 with Holmes as the helm.

Nine players from the area will play today, including three who recently led their respective schools to state championships — Lacassine’s Kane Broussard (Class B boys), Fairview’s Reesie Jinks (Class B girls) and Oakdale’s Emani Young (Non-select Division III girls), plus two others who took their schools to the state tournament in Westlake’s Gabby Guillory and Rosepine’s Hayden Brister.

“I believe our area is one of the best areas as far as talent,” Holmes said. “It is one last time to play with (players) that they are used to playing against.

“They know each other and sometimes have played against each other for five or six years.”

Other Southwest Louisiana players include Barbe’s Mia Colston and Leesville’s Shyann McCummings on the girls team, and Sulphur’s Ian Malone and Lake Charles College Prep’s Izayha Brown for the boys team.

Oakdale head coach Renotta Edwards, who three weeks ago led the Warriors to a second state championship in three seasons, is an assistant coach for the girls West team.

GRAMBLING STAR: Former Iowa Yellow Jackets standout Kamryn Broussard leads the Grambling State softball team in all major offensive categories.

The sophomore outfielder is batting .394 with six doubles, four triples, 19 RBIs and 22 runs. She hit her first collegiate home run on Feb. 8 at Jackson State.

On Wednesday, in a doubleheader sweep of Rust College, Broussard drove in four runs and scored four.
She has started 60 of 62 games in two seasons at Grambling.

Broussard was the 2022 Louisiana Sports Writers Association Class 3A MVP after leading the Yellow Jackets to the Class 3A final with 15 HR and 56 RBIs.

NOMINATIONS: Southwest Louisiana high school basketball coaches need to submit nominations for the Louisiana Sports Writers Association all-state teams by Monday.

Complete season statistics and notes should be included. Players must have earned first-team all-district honors to be eligible.

Nominations should be sent to sports@americanpress.com