Zachary’s Ian Edmond shoots over Central Baton Rouge’s Collin Verrett during the LHSAA Division I Non-Select State Basketball Championship game at The Burton Complex in Lake Charles, La. on Saturday March 15, 2025. (Rick Hickman)
Central Baton Rouge’s Kedrick Franklin Jr. drives to the lane against Zachary’s Demarius Collins during the LHSAA Division I Non-Select State Basketball Championship game at The Burton Complex in Lake Charles, La. on Saturday March 15, 2025. (Rick Hickman)
Zachary’s Aiden Givens drives to the basket during the LHSAA Division I Non-Select State Basketball Championship game at The Burton Complex in Lake Charles, La. on Saturday March 15, 2025. (Rick Hickman)
Central Baton Rouge’s Jace Conrad drives to the basket during the LHSAA Division I Non-Select State Basketball Championship game at The Burton Complex in Lake Charles, La. on Saturday March 15, 2025. (Rick Hickman)
Zachary’s Ian Edmond shoots over Central Baton Rouge’s Collin Verrett during the LHSAA Division I Non-Select State Basketball Championship game at The Burton Complex in Lake Charles, La. on Saturday March 15, 2025. (Rick Hickman)
Central Baton Rouge’s Kedrick Franklin Jr. drives to the lane against Zachary’s Demarius Collins during the LHSAA Division I Non-Select State Basketball Championship game at The Burton Complex in Lake Charles, La. on Saturday March 15, 2025. (Rick Hickman)
Zachary’s Aiden Givens drives to the basket during the LHSAA Division I Non-Select State Basketball Championship game at The Burton Complex in Lake Charles, La. on Saturday March 15, 2025. (Rick Hickman)
Central Baton Rouge’s Jace Conrad drives to the basket during the LHSAA Division I Non-Select State Basketball Championship game at The Burton Complex in Lake Charles, La. on Saturday March 15, 2025. (Rick Hickman)
LAKE CHARLES — In many ways, it was just another District 4-5A game for two rivals.
But this time, top-seeded Zachary turned the tables. The Broncos held off No. 2 Central 44-37 to win the Division I nonselect title to conclude the LHSAA boys basketball tournament Saturday night at Burton Coliseum.
“These guys have an ‘it’ factor about them that I haven’t coached in a while,” ZHS coach Jon McClinton said. “I think they love close games.
“I hate them, but these guys always make them interesting. I’m trying not to be emotional, but this means a lot to this team and the community.”
Title-game MVP Ian Edmond finished with 14 points as ZHS (28-6) claimed its third title in five years. Jace Conrad scored a game-high 23 points for Central (26-5), which made its first finals appearance since 1994.
With the win, Zachary became the first school to sweep Division I nonselect girls and boys titles on back-to-back weekend. The ZHS girls won their title last week in Hammond.
The 2025 tourney berth also marked Zachary’s return to the tourney for the first time since both the Broncos and Liberty saw their 2023 seasons ended by LHSAA sanctions after an altercation during their 4-5A game that year.
It also was a playoff rematch for McClinton, a former Central player taught CHS’ coach Scott Osborne, who was an assistant coach at the time.
The low-scoring first half illustrated what happens when two teams that know each other well meet in a championship game. They combined for 6-of-27 shooting from the field in the first quarter.
Jalen Thomas’ 3-pointer from the baseline gave Central a 3-0 lead. Xavier Ferguson countered with a 3-pointer from the wing to tie it 10 seconds later.
A turnaround jumper by Ferguson with 42.9 seconds to go gave the Broncos an 8-7 going into the second quarter.
“The first time we played them (a 78-71 Central win), they took a lot of 3s,” Central’s Osborne said. “This time they didn’t settle for those shots. That was a good adjustment.”
Zachary continued to keep the Wildcats at arm’s length in the second quarter. Edmond’s 3-pointer gave ZHS a 15-9 lead at the 3:50 mark.
The Broncos did not score again in the half. Neither team scored in the final 2:30 after Conrad’s free throw got Central within 15-13.
Things changed when Conrad, who scored a combined 45 points in the last two games, heated up. The junior buried back-to-back 3-pointers from the wing to give Central its first lead at 19-18 with 5:24 left in the third quarter.
Zachary built a seven-point lead that the Wildcats cut into quickly thanks to Conrad, who made two technical foul free throws and scored on a baseline drive to make it 28-25 with 20 seconds remaining.
Enter Edmond, who made a deep 3-pointer from the wing just before the buzzer. The Broncos led 31-25 going into the final quarter.
“I love taking shots like that,” Edmond said. “I practice them all the time.”
Zachary led by 12 points at 37-25 in the fourth quarter. Conrad scored six straight points to get Central within three, at 38-35, with 2:40 to go. The Wildcats got no closer.
Email Robin Fambrough at rfambrough@theadvocate.com
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