By: Chris Singleton
Written for the LSWA
A familiar champion reclaimed its glory again at the LHSAA’s girls’ basketball state championship tournament, while another school celebrated its first boys’ basketball state title in 42 years.
Wossman High of Monroe won its fifth straight girls’ basketball state championship, while Brusly High captured its first state championship since 1984.
For their success, both schools headlined the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 4A All-State basketball teams.
Wossman sophomore Heaven Weeks was the girls’ Most Outstanding player honor, and her coach, Otis Robinson, was Coach of the Year.
Wossman defeated LaGrange 50-39 in the Division II girls nonselect final in Hammond this season. Weeks, who was the championship game’s MVP, led the way with 26 points, 16 rebounds, four steals with a block and assists in the championship game. She averaged 16.5 points per game this season.
Brusly senior Ben Radford was the Most Outstanding, while Northside High’s Troy Jones received Coach of the Year.
The 6-foot-5 Radford averaged 15.6 points, 14 rebounds and 6.3 blocks. He saved his best for last during Brusly’s 45-38 win over Wossman in the Division II nonselect state championship with 17 points, 17 rebounds and seven blocks to earn the game’s Most Outstanding Player award.
Despite entering the LHSAA Division II select state playoffs as a No. 12 seed, Northside pushed its way to the state finals in impressive fashion, upsetting No. 5 Lake Charles Prep 66-65 in the regionals and defeated No. 13 St. Michael-Baton Rouge 66-55 in the quarterfinals. The Vikings upset No. 1 Madison Prep 65-61 in the semifinals to advance to the state finals.
Jones, who won a state championship as a player at Peabody, helped Northside to its first appearance in the state championship since 2014. Northside’s run ended in the finals with a loss to 11-time state champion Peabody.
Boys
First Team
Player, School, Ht., Cl., Pts.
Ben Bradford, Brusly, 6-5, Sr., 15.6
Jayden Coleman, Vandebilt Catholic, 5-11, Sr., 23.8
Monte Farmer, Washington-Marion, 6-8, Sr., 15.0
Jakyris Jenkins, Plaquemine, 6-1, Sr., 21.3
Jontae Turpin, Jr., Wossman, 5-10, Sr., 19.2
Second Team
Player, School, Ht., Cl., Pts.
Malachi Anderson, Peabody, 6-5, Sr., 13.0
Corey Blake, Peabody, 6-2, Fr., 15.0
Chrisitan Clair, Archbishop Shaw, 6-1, So., 20.1
Jaydon Francis, Northside, 6-2, Jr., 18.1
Ryan Robertson, St. Thomas More, 6-5, Jr., 16.0
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: Ben Radford, Brusly
COACH OF THE YEAR: Troy Jones, Northside
Honorable mention:
Chris Addison, Franklin Parish; Trevonta Allridge, Ellender; Jason Astorga, McDonogh #35; Jackson Bates, Booker T. Washington-Shreveport; Micah Bryant, Brusly; CJ Charlot, Beau Chene; Jemaine Davis, Cecilia; Ja’Nathan Dalcour, David Thibodeaux; Jay Dantzler, Archbishop Hannan; Ron Dillard, Bossier; Semin Green, Assumption; Kervin Johnson, Tioga; Ryland Johnson, Brusly; Cayden Lancelin, Westgate; Carlos Levingston, St. Michael; Triston Naquin, Shaw; Terrance Pitre, South Lafourche; Jordan Senegal, Teurlings; Devontre Sword, Peabody; Bryson Walker, DeRidder; Ziky White, Ellender Brayden Hutchison, Pearl River, Cameron Parker, Minden and Jaden White of Woodlawn-Shreveport.
Girls
First Team
Player, School, Ht., Cl., Pts.
Justyse George, Teurlings Catholic, 5-5, Sr., 23.5
Imerii Ingram, E.D. White, 5-8, Fr., 20.7
Tyanna Stewart, Vandebilt, 5-9, Sr., 17.5
Heaven Weeks, Wossman, 6-0, So.,16.5
Aubrey Young, Iowa, 5-10, So., 15.0
Second Team
Player, School, Ht., Cl., Pts.
Eryn Brown, Istrouma, 5-7, Sr., 30.7
Journee Johnson, Vandebilt, 5-10, Sr., 15.5
Amiya Montgomery, Carver, 5-3, Jr., 16.0
Makayla Rogers, Northwood, 5-8, Sr., 24.0
Ashanti Smith, Wossman, 5-7, Sr., 9.7
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: Heaven Weeks, Wossman
COACH OF THE YEAR: Otis Robinson, Wossman
Honorable mention:
Stevie Brasseaux, North Vermilion; Victoria Darrah, St. Scholastica; Comora Davis, Plaquemine; Naomi Dishmon, Tioga; Kayla Harding, LaGrange; Zoey Jackson, Archbishop Hannan; Brooklyn Jefferson, Minden; Kiley Johnson, E.D. White; McKayla Jones, Peabody; Di’Amon Levings, Iowa; Gabby Lighfoot, Lakeshore; Nyla Lyons, South Lafourche; Sa’Niya Morris, Opelousas; Makayla Rogers, Northwood; Sa’niah Stokes, South Terrebonne; Ja’Nia Senegal, Teurlings; Jamaria Senegal, Northside, Sa’Niyah White, Willow.