Louisiana
Top 25 Louisiana Boys High School Basketball State Rankings (1/20/2025)
District races have begun in earnest across the state. Some leagues will greatly impact the rankings, such as District 5-5A (Catholic-BR, Liberty, Zachary, Central-BR, Scotlandville and Woodlawn). That league, which only plays one round, hasn’t kicked off yet. The robust Catholic League will showcase a terrific matchup this week in St. Augustine vs. Jesuit on Jan. 24.
There is a small slate of games scheduled for Monday, Jan. 20 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day). Things will grind to a halt on Tuesday and Wednesday with a historic winter storm on the way that will cancel some games and postpone others.
Keep reading to find out our top 25 boys basketball teams in Louisiana.
Previous rank: 1
Power rating: No. 1 (Division I select)
The Bears defeated Dunham, 63-49, in a Baton Rouge city rivalry game. Matthew Hotstream scored 22 points as Catholic built a 15-point halftime lead on the road, according to Charles Salzer of The Baton Rouge Advocate. Senior Tate McCurry added 20 points.
Previous rank: 2
Power rating: No. 2 (Division I select)
The Patriots defeated St. Helena and Glen Oaks. Liberty has a game on Monday, Jan. 20, against Greenforest High (Georgia) at the MLK Classic in Atlanta. Seniors Malek Robinson (14.9 ppg), Chivas Lee (10.3) and Kareem Washington (10.2) are the leading scorers. Washington is shooting 52% from the field. Junior Devin Houston is averaging 9.7 points, 2.4 assists and 2.4 steals per game.
Previous rank: 4
Power rating: No. 1 (Division II select)
The Eagles defeated Woodlawn-BR and McDonogh #35. Shaw erupted for 61 points in the second-half of the 97-61 rout of McDonogh #35, according to Grant Chachere of Crescent City Sports. Freshman Christian Clair posted 20 points. Shaw made 14 3-pointers. Senior Khalil Awogboro also totaled 20 points with five 3s. Kobe Butler and Allen Shaw, who came off the bench, chipped in 15 and 14 points. Triston Naquin was also in double figures (12).
— Archbishop Shaw Basketball (@BasketballShaw) January 18, 2025
Previous rank: 5
Power rating: No. 1 (Division III select)
The Cavaliers defeated Homer, Union Parish and Wossman. Bubba Strong’s triple at the buzzer clipped Wossman, 57-55, in a game played Saturday night at Lincoln Prep in Grambling. Robert Wright (2027) led with 14 points, seven rebounds and two assists, according to Jimmy Watson of The Shreveport Times. Strong had 12 points. Jaiden Hall added 10 points, six rebounds and three assists. G’Marrion Scott tallied seven points and 11 rebounds.
Previous rank: 6
Power rating: No. 3 (Division II select)
The Warhorses defeated Northside, 62-47, and won the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame Classic with a 50-48 victory vs. Springfield (Mass.) Central. Telek Love scored 12 points and grabbed nine rebounds to nab game MVP honors vs. Springfield. Isaiah Jones had 13 points and nine boards. Braydon Durant finished with six points and 14 rebounds. Hall of Fame coach Charles Smith signed the “iconic Hall of Fame shoe” during the trip.
Previous rank: 7
Power rating: No. 3 (Division I select)
The Cougars defeated Westgate, 62-40, in the District 4-4A opener, and routed Holy Savior Menard in Alexandria, 75-35. STM made a dozen 3-pointers in the win vs. Menard. Eli Deats, one of the primary perimeter shooters, had 15 points. Trenton Potier contributed 12. An important district game at Northside will take place on Jan. 31.
Previous rank: 3
Power rating: No. 1 (Division I nonselect)
The Broncos gained wins over Madison Prep and David Thibodaux sandwiched around an 85-82 double overtime loss to Archbishop Hannan. Sophomore Ian Edmond, who led with 29 points vs. Hannan, scored at least20 points in all three games. Xavier Ferguson added 25 vs. Hannan. For the week, Edmond totaled 10 rebounds, seven assists and five steals, and he took two charges in the game vs. David Thibodaux, which was at Madison Prep on Saturday.
Previous rank: 9
Power rating: No. 2 (Division I nonselect)
The Yellow Jackets secured non-district wins over Baton Rouge area foes Episcopal and Parkview Baptist. Jermaine O’Conner (9 of 14 FG) poured in 23 points in the 68-60 win over Parkview Baptist (14-4), which led at halftime, 36-29. Trae Dorsey’s reverse lay-up put Denham Springs ahead 61-54, according to Will Weathers of The Baton Rouge Advocate.
Previous rank: 10
Power rating: No. 3 (Division I nonselect)
The Wildcats went 3-0 on the week with wins over Donaldsonville, White Castle and Archbishop Rummel. Central pounded Donaldsonville (63-33), which is No. 5 in the Division III nonselect power ratings, with a 10-5 record. Max Tingle and Karter White knocked down 3-pointers in the first quarter of the 73-38 win over White Castle.
Previous rank: 16
Power rating: No. 2 (Division II select)
The Hawks blew out John F. Kennedy, 51-31, which avenged a recent loss to the Cougars. Hannan also won at Zachary, 85-82. AJ Thompson gave the Hawks an 83-82 lead and tacked on two free throws, according to Robin Fambrough of The Baton Rouge Advocate. Drew Timmons had 34 points and 11 rebounds.
Previous rank: 11
Power rating: No. 6 (Division I select)
The Blue Jays defeated Brother Martin and East Jefferson. After trailing by six points entering the fourth quarter, Jesuit outscored Brother Martin, 18-5, to claim a victory at home by a 52-45 margin, according to Ken Trahan of Crescent City Sports. Brewer Nitcher’s 21 points paced the Blue Jays in the non-district win over its Catholic League rival. Ethan Lapeze and Brennan Pitts had eight points apiece.
Previous rank: 12
Power rating: No. 4 (Division I select)
The Trojans defeated Northwest, 66-63, and earned a 52-50 win over Neville in the District 2-5A opener. Jordyn Johnson’s long-range 3 from the top of the key provided ASH with a 21-8 lead vs. Neville, which rallied at home. Marcus Bolden made it 27-22 with another 3. Trey Dorty put the game on ice with a steal.
Previous rank: 13
Power rating: No. 6 (Division II select)
The Blazers won on the road in overtime, 62-59, against Cecilia, and handled LaGrange, 85-42. LCCP beat is previous season high of 70 points. Jaiven Matthews had 23 points. Izayha Brown added 21.
Previous rank: 14
Power rating: No. 5 (Division I select)
The Purple Knights defeated Frederick A. Douglass , Chalmette and Young Audiences Charter. St. Aug won at home (50-48) against Douglass (16-5). Shooting guard Tye Williams recently returned from injury, according to Spencer Urquhart of The New Orleans Advocate.
Previous rank: 8
Power rating: No. 1 (Division II nonselect)
The Wildcats won the District 2-4A opener vs. Tioga, 68-56, with losses to Carroll (61-55) and Calvary Baptist. Wossman is scheduled to travel to Peabody on Jan. 21.
Previous rank: 15
Power rating: No. 10 (Division I nonselect)
The Bearcats defeated West Monroe and Pineville. Sophomore Ahmad Hudson accounted for 28 points and 26 rebounds with six blocked shots in the 73-63 win over West Monroe, according to Matt Belinson of The Ruston Daily Leader. Hudson (6-8) scored 19 points in the fourth quarter as the Bearcats rallied from a five-point third-quarter deficit.
Previous rank: 17
Power rating: No. 2 (Division III select)
The Class 2A Cajuns downed Class 5A Hahnville (57-43) and Edna Karr (59-51). Upcoming opponents include De La Salle (12-5), Vandebilt Catholic (16-5), Madison Prep (14-6), McDonogh #35 (16-6) and H.L. Bourgeois (11-10).
Previous rank: 19
Power rating: No. 4 (Division I nonselect)
The Chiefs defeated Haughton in the District 1-5A opener, 71-27, and are scheduled to travel to small school power Negreet (17-5) this week. Ja’Dell Demery had 15 points and 10 rebounds in the win over Haughton.
Previous rank: 20
Power rating: No. 7 (Division II select)
The Vikings lost at Peabody and defeated Jennings. Northside plays its District 4-4A opener at home vs. St. Thomas More on Jan. 31.
Previous rank: 22
Power rating: No. 6 (Division I nonselect)
The Lions defeated Sterlington and West Monroe. Freshman Darren Ford scored 22 points and made two clutch free throws in the 66-64 Districtr 1-5A win over West Monroe, according to Megan Murray of KNOE-TV.
Previous rank: 23
Power rating: No. 1 (Class B)
The Cardinals defeated Loreauville and St. Louis Catholic. Lacassine exploded for a 49-19 halftime lead vs. Loreauville (11-4) and went on to win, 77-64, according to poster CJR3888 on the Louisiana Sportsline message board. 6-foot-4 Kane Broussard is a top scorer.
Previous rank: Not ranked
Power rating: No. 7 (Division I select)
Ponchatoula is 2-0 in league play with a 63-40 win over Hammond (15-5) and a 96-85 overtime win over Covington (15-5). The Green Wave’s losses have been to teams with a combined record of 75-12. U-High (11-6), which defeated the Wave by three points earlier this month, has half of that group’s setbacks.
Previous rank: Not ranked
Power rating: No. 9 (Division I select)
The Raiders have won five straight games since a loss to Captain Shreve, which it avenged. Against a box-and-one defense, sophomore Peyton Parker helped his team to a win over Carroll with 11 assists, 10 rebounds and four steals, according to The Basketball Tribune X page. 6-foot-6 junior Antonio Dixon is scoring 10.1 ppg and shooting 55%.
Previous rank: 21
Power rating: No. 3 (Division II nonselect)
The Bulldogs lost to Huntington and Wossman and defeated Wossman, showing again that they’re capable of taking down any opponent on a given night.
Previous rank: 18
Power rating: No. 6 (Division II select)
The Chargers snapped a four-game losing streak with a win over Hahnville on Saturday. The last two setbacks – to St. Aug and Zachary – were by one and six points.
Dropped Out: No. 24 John F. Kennedy (17-5), No. 25 Holy Cross (16-3)
Watch List: Sulphur (18-4), Northshore (12-5), East Ascension (15-4), Minden (13-1), Opelousas (12-4) Franklin Parish (14-5), Brusly (15-2), Red River (15-3), Marksville (18-6), Ferriday (18-4), Franklin (11-3), Lakeview (15-4), John Curtis (15-5), Holy Cross (16-3), LB Landry (15-7), Bonnabel (13-6), Scotlandville (14-5), David Thibodaux (17-4), Sophie B Wright (13-5), Vandebilt Catholic (16-5), McKinley (10-7), University Lab (11-6), Frederick Douglass (16-5), St. Michael (16-7), Dunham (12-4), Newman (11-5), Rosepine (18-3), John F. Kennedy (17-5), De La Salle (12-5), Catholic New Iberia (9-7), Lincoln Prep (13-6), Crescent City (10-6), Avoyelles Public Charter (14-5), Zwolle (15-7), Pleasant Hill (19-5), Hicks (24-6), Quitman (19-2), Negreet (17-5), Loreauville (11-4), Mamou (17-4), Madison Parish (17-3)
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – South Louisiana’s coast has long served as a natural buffer between communities and rising water.
But since the 1930s, Louisiana has lost nearly 2,000 square miles of coastal land.
Dr. Torbjorn Tornqvist, a professor at Tulane University, said Louisiana is one of the most vulnerable coastal areas in the world because of climate change, sea level rise and subsidence.
“Louisiana is arguably one of the most vulnerable… perhaps the most vulnerable coastal zones in the world when it comes to climate change and sea level rise… and there are several reasons for that but one important reason is that we have high subsidence rates, and that means sea level rise here is a lot faster than the average around the world,” Tornqvist said.
Tornqvist is the lead author of a recently published study examining the long-term impacts of sea level rise across south Louisiana.
He said the issue is no longer limited to communities closest to the Gulf Coast.
“People are leaving the coast of Louisiana, but it’s going to accelerate over the course of the century. And those people are going to have to go somewhere, and it’s likely that a significant number are going to look at a place like Baton Rouge to move to,” Tornqvist said.
Since Hurricane Katrina, Louisiana has invested billions of dollars in large-scale restoration projects designed to reduce flood risk and strengthen the coast.
Some researchers believe those projects are important but not permanent fixes.
“We have…right now we have a pretty high-quality flood protection system that’s obviously way better than it was during Katrina and we should certainly keep investing in upkeep, but we also have to recognize that’s only going to take us so far,” Tornqvist said.
State officials say those investments remain critical as Louisiana adapts to future flood risks.
Micheal Hare, executive director of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority, said the state’s coastal plan is designed to balance restoration work with protection projects, including levees.
“Our 2023 master plan certainly incorporates the best science available to us to then come up with a balanced approach between how do we effectively spend money on restoration as well as money on protection projects like levees,” Hare said.
Hare said those projects will continue to evolve as future risks change. CPRA and the Army Corps of Engineers are re-evaluating portions of the West Bank and Vicinity levee system in New Orleans to meet projected future flood risks within the next half-decade.
“Morganza to the Gulf is a great example, location communities came together, they started funding it…so that protection is critical…It will constantly be maintained and constantly elevated to meet the new levels of threats and risks that are out there,” Hare said.
Coastal officials and researchers agree that what happens along Louisiana’s coast will continue to affect communities far beyond the shoreline for generations.
“And so maybe you don’t live behind the levee, but I promise you want those coastal communities to stay there and to keep working, and to stay productive and engaged…so that we don’t have to have these flood fights further north or lose parts of our economy,” Hare said.
Tornqvist said the decisions made now could shape the future of Louisiana communities.
“What’s really important to recognize is that the next few decades are basically going to decide the long-term future of cities like Baton Rouge,” Tornqvist said.
Louisiana has always lived with water. As the coast changes and sea levels rise, the challenge is how communities across south Louisiana continue adapting for generations to come.
From the Gulf Coast to Baton Rouge, the future of Louisiana’s coastline is a conversation that impacts the entire state.
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Louisiana ranks among the top 10 most affordable states to retire, according to a new study from Retirement Living, a national journal of retirement research.
Researchers analyzed each state’s housing costs, living expenses and tax friendliness to compile the ranking. Louisiana, they say, is the eighth most affordable state for retirees.
In Louisiana, the median monthly rent for a one-bedroom apartment is $932, the median home sale price is $255,000, monthly grocery spend per capita is $272, the average price per gallon of regular gas is $4, the average Medicare Advantage monthly premium is $13.35 and the average effective property tax rate is 0.55%.
West Virginia is the most affordable state to retire, followed by Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Louisiana, Indiana and Kansas. Researchers describe the South as “the sweet spot for an affordable retirement.”
The most expensive state to retire, meanwhile, is California, followed by Hawaii, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Utah, New York and Minnesota.
Read Retirement Living’s full report here.
BATON ROUGE, La. (WAFB) – With hurricane season approaching, the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority is bringing the community together to prepare before a storm forms.
“We can’t stop disasters from happening. We can’t stop hurricanes from happening. But what we can do is equip our communities with the resources that they need to prepare for these storms ahead of time,” said Jayda Morris, CPRA outreach manager.
The agency hosted an event featuring interactive storm simulations and a full model of the Mississippi River.
“If you do it now, like on a sunny day like today, you’re ready to go for the rest of the season,” Jay Grymes said.
El Niño may reduce storms, but Louisiana still at risk
State Climatologist Jay Grymes said an El Niño pattern may reduce the number of storms in the Atlantic but warned against a false sense of security.
“In those 25 years, Louisiana, some part of the state has been impacted by 29 storms. That’s one a year, regardless of El Niño. So that should tell you something,” Grymes said.
He said the bigger concern is storms that can form in the Gulf with little warning.
“If we’re going to get a storm, it very possibly could be one that bubbles up in the Gulf and doesn’t give us five or seven days to track it coming our way. It gives us 40 hours to get ready for a landfall. So it’s imperative that you go ahead and do it now,” Grymes said.
Preparation goes beyond stocking water
Preparing now includes walking through yards, checking trees, and knowing whether everyone in the family can survive two weeks without power.
PhD students with the LSU College of the Coast and Environment gave the community a virtual reality experience that puts users inside a storm.
“If they wear the goggles or play with the Apple Vision Pro, they can understand how high will the flood be, and they can know how dangerous is the hurricane scenario,” said Yixuan Wang.
The VR simulation uses real historical data to show users what compound flooding looks like in New Orleans and surrounding areas. The goal is to make the science real for people who can’t picture what a flood map means.
“It’s just to let you understand the environment. We will add the audios, the different sound of the wind and the storm. And you can see how tense of the rainfall around you,” Wang said.
Organizers said the event is about making sure that when a storm threatens the area, families already know their plan.
Information from the event is available on CPRA’s website. Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.
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