Southern Lab head coach Harold Boudreaux shouts instructions to his players in the first half of Scotlandville High’s game vs in the semifinals of the East Baton Rouge Boys Basketball Tournament at Scotlandville High Wednesday night.
Southern Lab head coach Harold Boudreaux shouts instructions to his players in the first half of Scotlandville High’s game vs in the semifinals of the East Baton Rouge Boys Basketball Tournament at Scotlandville High Wednesday night.
Southern Lab coach Harold Boudreaux said his team is reaping the benefits of some difficult early-season challenges. The Kittens won five of eight games against teams from Classes 4A-5A in that span and consequently developed a team built for the long haul.
No. 3 Southern Lab (20-7) returns to the Division IV select state semifinals for the first time in three years with a matchup against No. 2 Lincoln Prep (25-6) at 1 p.m. Monday at the LHSAA boys state tournament at Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles.
“We were battled tested since the beginning of the season,” said Boudreaux, whose team has won eight of its last nine games. “We always played outside of our division to make sure we could get ready for this type of environment, which is good hard-nosed basketball.”
Southern Lab, a 16-time state champion, was a state quarterfinalist last year ago. The Kittens return several players who are now seniors from that team, led by point guard Braylon Brown (14.9 points, 3.5 assists), forward/center Charles LeBlanc (11.5 points, 7.0 rebounds) and forward/center Braydon Laws (5.7 points, 4.5 rebounds).
Eighth-grade guard-forward Channing Briggs (13.8) and forward Warren Gougisha (11.3 points, 6.0 rebounds) also average double figures.
“We saw something early, made some adjustments and we’re playing well right now, and that’s what counts,” Boudreaux said.
East Iberville ends a 29-year state tournament drought when the No. 6 Tigers (19-14) meet and No. 2 Franklin, which is the reigning state champion. The Division IV nonselect semifinal is scheduled for 6:45 p.m. Monday.
“It’s going to be a tough task,” East Iberville’s second-year coach Donivan Maryland. “They’re the state champions so it’s a program that’s had a lot of success as of late, and they know what it takes to win.”
The heroics of junior forward Collin Banks helped East Iberville reach this juncture. Banks took a pass from Marcus Holmes and hit a shot from the lane with eight-tenths of a second to go for a 47-46 upset win at No. 3 Lakeview.
The Tigers have a pair of double-figure scorers in senior guard Tyler Green (10.2 points) and Holmes (10.1 points, 5.2 rebounds). Sophomore guard Chase Joseph (7.8 points, 3.5 assists), Banks (6.7 points, 5.9 rebounds) and junior point guard A.J, Wilson (5.0 points, 2.5 assists) are part of a well-balanced team.
“With the exception of East Ascension, we’ve been close in every game since January,” Maryland said. “With our last two playoff games, the experience of losing those close games has helped us to win the last two close games.”
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