Midseason basketball evalutations
Rodrick Anderson
Warren Arceneaux
In this edition of the Three Point Shot, staff writers Rodrick Anderson and Warren Arceneaux review the first half of the Southwest Louisiana high school girls basketball season.
Which big schools team had the best start?
RA: St. Louis Catholic reached the Division II final each of the last two seasons and looks to be on its way to a third trip. The Saints have played a who’s who line of Louisiana’s top teams and have lost just one game, to Division I power Mount Carmel. The Saints own wins over Sulphur, Hicks, Lake Arthur, Natchitoches Central, Fairview, Lacassine and Lafayette Christian, all of which reached the quarterfinals or better last season.
WA: LaGrange. The reigning Class 4A champion has shown no sign of slowing down with a 12-1 start that includes quality wins over Northwest, Fairview, Liberty, Doyle and Lafayette. The Gators are atop the most recent state power ratings and are well equipped to make another run for the title with returning all-state seniors Aasia Sam and Jeriah Warren.
Which small schools team has excelled?
RA: With so many weapons in Deonna Brister, Vivian Sketoe, Kali Hornsby, Katherine Leonards and Brooke Daboval, Lake Arthur has cruised to a 19-3 record and nearing another 20-win season. The Tigers’ losses are nine points to defending Class B state champ Fairview, one point to Division II No. 1 St. Louis and seven to Class 5A No. 5 Lafayette.
WA: Fairview. The Panthers are 20-3 with wins over a pair of defending state champions in Doyle and Hicks. Fairview also has quality wins over Lake Arthur and South Beauregard. The three losses all came in the Sam Houston tournament to state powers St. Louis, LaGrange and Mount Carmel. The Panthers and Hathaway, which is ahead of Fairview in the state power ratings, could be on course for a rematch in the Class B state championship game. Returning state MVP Rylee Jinks is adept at scoring and dishing to the Panthers’ stable of shooters.
Name a big and small schools player who made an impact.
RA: Merryville’s Maddie Mahfouz and St. Louis Catholic’s Paris Guillory. Mahfouz is going all out in her final season and has led the Panthers to a 16-2 and the No. 1 power rating in Class 1A. Mahfouz can dominate on offense and on the boards with several double-doubles. She recently recorded a triple-double in a 69-46 win over Basile. Guillory, a sophomore point guard, leads an offense that is averaging 61.1 points a game. She plays with a rarely matched intensity, whether it is find an open teammate, taking it to the basket, fighting for a rebound or diving to make a steal on defense.
WA:m LaGrange’s Jeriah Warren and Hathaway’s Chloey Guidry. Warren is the area’s most dominant defensive player with her ability to block shots, rebound and make steals. She is the primary ballhandler for LaGrange and has shown more aggressiveness in scoring this season. Guidry has helped Hathaway to a 16-3 start that includes impressive wins over Anacoco, Bell City, Reeves and Zachary. The junior guard leads a prolific Hathaway offense that has scored 75 or more points nine times.