Louisiana
Top 25 Louisiana Boys High School Basketball State Rankings (12/26/2024)
The last few days have been action packed with star-studded tourneys taking place across Louisiana, including the St. Thomas More Sunkist Shootout, which featured several ranked teams and was won by the host Cougars over Calvary Baptist.
Here is a look at this week’s top 25 boys basketball teams in Louisiana as sizzling holiday matchups unfold again this week ahead of the start of district play.
Previous rank: 1
Power rating: No. 1 (Division I nonselect)
The Broncos played three games against Texas schools, defeating Grand Prairie and Dallas Kimball and losing to Lancaster (games against out of state schools aren’t reflected on the Geaux Preps power ratings). Sophomore Ian Edmond scored 23 points with six assists, two steals (and no turnovers) in the win over Kimball. Xavier Ferguson scored 30 points.
Previous rank: 2
Power rating: No. 1 (Division I select)
The Patriots defeated Southern Lab and Broadmoor. Leading scorers are Malek Robinson (14.9 ppg), Chivas Lee (10.7) and Kingston Jarrell (10.6). Robinson is averaging 6.7 steals, 6.2 assists and six rebounds. Jarrell is grabbing 7.8 boards.
Previous rank: 3
Power rating: No. 2 (Division I select)
The Bears picked up wins over Texas schools Ridge Point and Wheatley. Catholic showed crisp ball movement against Ridge Point (15-5), which is considered a top 25 team in Texas, with a kickout to Tate McCurry for an early 3-pointer from the top of the key. Later in the quarter, McCurry added a 3 from the wing for an 18-9 lead.
The Bears are scheduled to face undefeated East Ascension at the University Lab Tournament on Jan. 2.
Previous rank: 4
Power rating: No. 1 (Division II select)
The Eagles defeated Mount Vernon Christian (Georgia) and Westlake (Georgia). Kobe Butler scored 30 points in the win over Mount Vernon. Triston Naquin added 19. Butler (6-7, Sr.) had 20 in the win over Westlake. Khalil Awogboro had 17, and Naquin (6-5, Soph.) chipped in 16 points.
Previous rank: 5
Power rating: No. 6 (Division II select)
The Warhorses were busy, winning games over Lafayette High, St. Martinville, Acadiana, Ouachita Parish and Bunkie. Peabody overcame a double-digit halftime deficit to beat St. Martinville, 57-53, at the Tigers’ Darrel Mitchell Sr, Holiday Classic. Rashad Mitchell was named tourney MVP. He had 21 points and five steals in the St. Martinville game. Telek Love recorded a double-double (12 pts, 13 rebs).
Previous rank: 6
Power rating: No. 3 (Division I nonselect)
The Yellow Jackets defeated Glen Oaks, East Iberville, Franklin Parish and Washington-Marion. DaSean Golmond finished with 19 points, six rebounds and four assists in the 63-56 win over Washington-Marion. Jermaine O’Conner totaled 20 points, seven assists and four rebounds in the 79-62 win over Franklin Parish.
Point guard Trae Dorsey is averaging 10 points, three assists, three rebounds and 2.8 steals per game and is shooting 40% from beyond the arc.
Previous rank: 7
Power rating: No. 4 (Division I select)
The Trojans defeated Montgomery and Red River. Trey Dorty made a breakaway lay-up for an early 7-1 lead in the 77-38 rout of Montgomery, then scored again on the next possession on a double-pump shot off the glass. Jordyn Johnson and Tyshawn Duncan made the Hudl highlights with smooth plays in transition.
Previous rank: 9
Power rating: No. 4 (Division II select)
The Trailblazers were idle. Five of the top six scorers are underclassmen, led by juniors Jaiven (12 ppg) and Juriah Matthews (9.5 ppg). LCCP will take on an always-tough Beau Chene team on Jan. 4 at Mal Mundy’s Lake Charles Classic.
Previous rank: 10
Power rating: No. 2 (Division II select)
The Chargers defeated Donaldsonville, East St. John and St. Charles. Elijah Garner scored 13 points with seven rebounds in the 48-40 win over St. Charles. William Nelson also scored 13 points (eight rebs). Madison Prep blew out East St. John, 76-28, and will face David Thibodaux (13-1) on Jan. 1.
Previous rank: 12
Power rating: No. 3 (Division I select)
The Cougars won their Sunkist Shootout, defeating Patterson, Westgate, Sulphur and Calvary Baptist. Elijah Guidry, who was named Mr. Basketball, scored 19 points in the 49-44 semifinal win over Sulphur. He and Matthew Cook each scored a team-high six points in the 33-31 championship win over Calvary Baptist. Grayson
Roy was named to the All-Tourney Team.
Previous rank: 13
Power rating: No. 1 (Division II nonselect)
The Wildcats defeated Carroll and Bastrop. 6-foot-1 senior guard Zion Weeks scored 28 points with seven assists, four rebounds and three steals in the 72-59 win over Bastrop, which had former Wossman guard Antron Mason on its team. The Wildcats host Liberty and Zachary on Jan. 3 and 4.
Previous rank: 14
Power rating: No. 5 (Division I select)
The Blue Jays defeated H.L. Bourgeois and The Willow School. Seniors Ben Cimini and Ethan Lapeze scored 15 and 13 points in the 66-47 win over H.L. Bourgeois. Juniors Zachary LaGraize and Tanner Hughes added 10 and nine points, respectively.
Previous rank: 15
Power rating: No. 1 (Division III select)
The Cavaliers defeated Lafayette Christian, Vandebilt Catholic and Isidore Newman and lost to host St. Thomas More at the Sunkist Shootout. Tyrone Jamison and Jaiden Hall were named to the All-Tourney team after the Cavs finished as runner-up. Hall scored 17 points in the 33-31 loss to STM. Calvary Baptist beat Vandebilt, 61-60, and routed Newman, 49-28.
Previous rank: 18
Power rating: No. 6 (Division I select)
The Purple Knights defeated Lutcher, Ponchatoula and Hammond. Aaron Miles scored 19 points in the 61-50 win over Lutcher, according to Ken Trahan of Crescent City Sports. Ja’Vardes Brazile (6-6, 200) added 16 and Khalil Jones contributed 11 points.
Previous rank: 19
Power rating: No. 3 (Division II select)
The Hawks defeated Chalmette, Mandeville and Sophie B. Wright, winning the last game by a 75-44 margin. Brenton Gordon and Zachary Lauro hit 3-pointers early in the 79-22 win over Chalmette. Cornelius Woodard converted a reverse lay-up off a turnover in full-court pressure. Gabe Timmons had a two-handed monster jam.
Previous rank: 22
Power rating: No. 11 (Division I nonselect)
The Bearcats defeated Minden, Bossier, Huntington and Benton. It was Minden’s first loss. 6-foot-7 sophomore Ahmad Hudson was named MVP of the Doc Edwards Tournament at Airline. He scored 30 points with 20 rebounds in the championship win over Huntington, according to Brian Trahan of The Ruston Daily Leader.
Previous rank: Not ranked
Power rating: No. 2 (Division I nonselect)
The Lions bounced back from losing three of four games by defeating Central-BR and Booker T. Washington-Shreveport. Freshman guard Darren Ford has been playing at a high level.
Previous rank: 11
Power rating: No. 6 (Division I nonselect)
The Wildcats lost to Ouachita Parish and defeated West Monroe. Markell Sampson threw down a vicious slam, and Jace Conrad knocked down a corner 3 in the early going against West Monroe. Kedrick Franklin (6-5, 205) showed off his range from the wing, and Conrad had another 3 from way beyond the arc.
Previous rank: 16
Power rating: No. 8 (Division I select)
The Green Wave lost to St. Augustine (51-48) and defeated Destrehan. Ponchatoula has upcoming games of interest in early January vs. Dunham (5-0), which should be a force with its football players, and Catholic-BR. Jarvis Labee had a left-handed slam dunk in the first quarter of the 51-48 win over Destrehan. Cory Jackson picked the opposing point guard’s pocket near midcourt and outmaneuvered him for a finger roll.
Previous rank: 8
Power rating: No. 7 (Division I nonselect)
The Chiefs lost to Red River and Northside. Ja’Dell Demery had 16 points and 11 rebounds in the 55-49 loss to Red River. Jaden Braden added 11 points and five boards. Harold Remo chipped in eight points and five assists.
Previous rank: Not ranked
Power rating: No. 1 (Class B & C)
The Cardinals’ only loss was by three points in the season opener to Negreet. Lacassine has wins over Sulphur, Pleasant Hill, Westlake, Crowley and Eunice.
Previous rank: Not ranked
Power rating: No. 4 (Division I nonselect)
The Tors have wins over Newman, Marksville, Westgate and David Thibodaux with losses to Washington-Marion, St. Thomas More and Lacassine. Ian Malone was named to the Sunkist Shootout All-Tournament team. The Tors defeated Newman, 46-38, for third place.
Previous rank: Not ranked
Power rating: No. 3 (Division III select)
The Tigers will be a force with Elijah Haven and Jarvis Washington transitioning from the football field to the hardwood. Upcoming games include Ponchatoula, East Ascension (12-0) and St. Thomas More.
Previous rank: 23
Power rating: No. 9 (Division II select)
The Vikings rebounded from a one-point loss to Carencro with a win over Natchitoches-Central. Tashawn Coleman made an early 3-pointer in the 58-52 win over Natchitoches-Central at the Alexandria Tournament.
Previous rank: Not ranked
Power rating: No. 2 (Division III select)
The Cajuns’ last two wins are over Sophie B. Wright and Archbishop Hannan.
Dropped out: No. 17 Isidore Newman (8-3), No. 20 Vandebilt Catholic (8-4), No. 21 Carroll (9-7), No. 24 Lafayette High (9-2), No. 25 Iowa (2-3)
Louisiana
Federal appeals court upholds Texas’ Ten Commandments law. What does it mean for Louisiana?
A federal appeals court on Tuesday upheld a Texas law requiring public schools to post the Ten Commandments, just weeks after the same court allowed a similar Louisiana law to take effect.
A majority of judges on the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Texas’ law, which is nearly identical to Louisiana’s, is constitutional and does not violate students’ religious freedom. In February, the court lifted an injunction on Louisiana’s law, which cleared schools to put up the posters, but the judges said it was too early to rule on that law’s constitutionality.
Tuesday’s ruling could bode well for Louisiana’s law if it eventually returns to the 5th Circuit, considered the country’s most conservative federal court of appeals.
In their majority opinion, the judges rejected the argument that posting the Ten Commandments in classrooms would pressure students to honor the biblical mandates or adopt particular beliefs.
“To plaintiffs, merely exposing children to religious language is enough to make the displays engines of coercive indoctrination. We disagree,” the majority wrote about the Texas law, known as S.B. 10. A minority of the court’s active judges dissented.
Even though Tuesday’s ruling only addressed the Texas case, defenders of Louisiana’s legislation celebrated it as a victory. Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said the 5th Circuit’s argument in upholding Texas’ law was identical to the one Louisiana made in defense of its law.
“Our law clearly was always constitutional,” she posted on X, “and I am grateful that the Fifth Circuit has now definitively agreed with us.”
Louisiana’s Republican-controlled Legislature passed the law in 2024, which requires all public K-12 schools and colleges to display the Ten Commandments in every classroom. A group of parents quickly challenged the law in court, and a federal judge issued a preliminary injunction that stopped the state from enforcing the law.
In February, the 5th Circuit reversed the lower court’s decision, saying it had been premature to block the law before it took effect. The judges said they could not rule on the law’s constitutionality before seeing how it played out in schools.
But in the case of Texas’ law, which that state’s Republican-led Legislature passed in 2025, the court did rule on the merits.
Rejecting arguments made by attorneys for the Texas families who challenged the law, the 5th Circuit majority said that requiring public schools to post the Ten Commandments does not amount to the government endorsing a particular religion, which the U.S. Constitution forbids. The law also does not impose religious beliefs on students, the judges wrote.
“As noted, S.B. 10 authorizes no religious instruction and gives teachers no license to contradict children’s religious beliefs (or their parents’),” the majority opinion says. “No child is made to recite the Commandments, believe them, or affirm their divine origin.”
The Texas families were represented by the American Civil Liberties Union, ACLU of Texas, Americans United for Separation of Church and State, and the Freedom From Religion Foundation, with the law firm Simpson Thacher & Bartlett LLP serving as pro bono counsel. The same groups, including Louisiana’s ACLU chapter, represented the Louisiana families.
In a statement Tuesday, the organizations said they are “extremely disappointed” by the 5th Circuit’s ruling, adding that they expect to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court.
“The First Amendment safeguards the separation of church and state, and the freedom of families to choose how, when and if to provide their children with religious instruction,” the groups said. “This decision tramples those rights.”
Nearly all major industries in Louisiana added jobs over the past year, signaling momentum for a stronger future, according to a recent report from Leaders for a Better Louisiana.
The organizat…
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SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) — Police say a man shot and killed eight children, including seven of his own, following a domestic dispute in Shreveport.
The incident took place early Sunday morning, April 19, on West 79th Street in the Cedar Grove neighborhood. According to the Caddo Parish Coroner’s Office, the victims included three boys and five girls, aged between three and 11-years-old. Seven of the children were siblings, while one was a cousin. Two adult females were also injured, including one who was shot at a home located in the 500 block of Harrison Street.
One of the adults was inside the home on West 79th Street when the children were killed. She managed to escape through a window with two of the children and reached the roof. The woman jumped down with one of the children. Unfortunately, the other child did not manage to escape. Police later found his body on the roof with a gunshot wound. The surviving child was taken to the hospital with a broken leg.
The children were identified by their mothers as Jayla (age 3), Shayla (age 5), Kayla (age 6), Layla (age 7), Markaydon (age 10), Sariahh (age 11), Khedarrion (age 6), and Braylon (age 5).
Authorities say the suspect and father of the victims, Shamar Elkins, was the only person who fired shots that led to the juveniles’ deaths.
Authorities noted that Elkins stole a vehicle near West 79th Street after he shot the victims. He was pursued by patrol officers into Bossier Parish, where they discharged their weapons and fatally shot him on Brompton Lane. Louisiana State Police will take over the investigation involving the officers.
Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux expressed his thoughts on the matter, saying, “We have a hurting community. We have hurting families. We have hurting police officers, coroner’s personnel, fire department, sheriff people, and this affects the entire community. We all mourn with these families. I ask, it’s a Sunday morning. I ask all of you who are, who are listening, who might be able to. Pray at your services this morning for not just this family, for all the victims, for the victims who are at the hospital, and for the Cedar Grove community and for the community at large.”
Attorney General Liz Murrill also commented on the tragic shooting, stating, “Multiple law enforcement agencies are investigating this tragic situation. We do not yet know all the details, but I am deeply saddened by the senseless loss of life. I’m praying for the victims and their family members in the wake of this devastating violence.”
According to the Director of Strategy and Communications, Mary Nash-Wood, two of the children attended Summer Grove, and at least four attended Linwood Charter School.
The police have not determined a motive. More updates will be provided as the information becomes available.
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