SBLive Louisiana Top 25 girls basketball rankings: Lafayette Christian Academy comes in at No. 1

Behind play of LSU signee, red-hot Parkway girls stand at No. 2

By Mike Coppage

Photo of Lafayette Christian Academy's Jada Richard by Robin May

The girls basketball regular season comes to a close at the end of this week with both district showdowns and playoff tune-ups on deck across the state. 

Playoff fever should reach an all-time high when the brackets are released Feb. 13, now that select and non-select schools are spread almost evenly across the 10 LHSAA divisions. Now, let's take a look at the SBLive Louisiana Top 25 list, which was compiled with the assistance of coaches and sportswriters.

1. Lafayette Christian Academy (23-1) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division II select No. 1

Coach Errol Rogers' Knights are looking to win their sixth state title in the last seven years. Jada Richard, ranked as the No. 1 junior in the state by LGRBasketball, headlines a roster that includes 6-foot bookends Eve Alexander and Dacia Jones.

The Knights lost by one point to Fairview in the second game of the season, then turned around and defeated the Panthers twice. In November, the Knights beat reigning Class 5A champion Ponchatoula, 59-38.

2. Parkway (20-1) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division I non-select No. 2

The Panthers, Class 5A runner-up to Ponchatoula last year, boast ESPN's No. 1 player in the country in 6-foot LSU signee Mikaylah Williams, who was recently selected to play in the McDonald's All-American Game in March.

Parkway has won 15 straight games since a one-point loss to Fairview in December with games against Benton (19-10) and Haughton (22-9) up next. 

3. Walker (24-1) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division I non-select No. 1

Loyola-New Orleans signee Caitlyn Travis scored 22 points to lead the Wildcats to a 56-35 win against Huntington last month. The Wildcats, Class 5A semifinalists last year, have District 5-5A games on tap this week versus St. Amant (22-6) and Denham Springs (23-2). 

4. Albany (26-2) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division II non-select No. 1

The Hornets are the only in-state team to beat Walker, having topped the Wildcats, 47-41, for the Livingston Parish championship in December.

Albany avenged a District 7-3A loss to Amite by defeating the Warriors, 62-59, in the Jan. 31 rematch. Aubrey Hoyt, a 5-foot-10 junior forward, scored 19 points in a 65-43 win against Denham Springs last month.

5. Wossman (23-2) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division II non-select No. 2

The Wildcats have won 15 straight games since a 64-57 loss to Lafayette Christian in December. The highlight of that streak was a 49-48 win against reigning Class 5A champion Ponchatoula.

Wossman is also the only program to defeat John Curtis. Anira Wilson and Ramiah Augerson combined for 31 points in a Class 3A semifinal win against Albany last year.

6. Ponchatoula (20-8) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division I non-select No. 6

The Green Wave has gotten past six straight foes since a one-point loss to Southern Lab. Taylor Jackson and Loyola-NO signee Libby Thompson combined for 35 points in last year's Class 5A state title win against Parkway.

7. Lafayette (19-5) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division I select No. 2

Coach Tarunye Kanonu said her team is peaking after the Lions steamrolled a 22-8 Acadiana team by 35 points in a District 3-5A game Friday. South Alabama signee Chrysta Narcisse had 17 points in the game, which saw the Lions lead 37-2 at the half.

8. Barbe (24-4) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division I non-select No. 3

The Buccaneers have won seven straight games, including a 55-54 win against Lafayette High, since being stunned, 41-35, at Acadiana in the District 3-5A opener. Mikalah Manley, a 5-9 senior guard, is a Louisiana-Monroe signee.

9. Amite (21-4) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division III non-select No. 2

The Warriors have dropped four games by a total of 17 points to Ponchatoula, Brusly, Albany and Warren Easton, and have won 10 of their last 11, highlighted by wins against St. Thomas More and Zachary. Hailey Brumfield, a 5-4 junior guard, went off for 22 points, 10 rebounds, nine assists and six steals in a rout of Pine on Jan. 27.'

10. John Curtis (17-1) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division I select No. 1

The only blemish on the Patriots' record is a 62-56 setback to Wossman in December. Curtis took down reigning Class 1A champion Southern Lab eight days later.

Sophomore Imani Daniel scored 29 points with eight rebounds in a 77-36 win against Dominican that clinched the District 9-5A title in January.

11. Fairview (33-6) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division IV non-select No. 1

The small-school power has slain some giants with wins over Lafayette Christian, Parkway and Lafayette. Reesie Jinks and Ella Reeves combined for 48 points in an 82-66 win against Oak Hill in last year's Class B title game.

Senior Bella Smith is committed to LSU-Alexandria. The Panthers have won 14 state titles and three in a row.

12. Hathaway (27-5) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division V non-select No. 2

The Hornets, winners of 12 straight games, hold convincing wins against St. Thomas More, Zachary and Northside over that stretch. Sienna Guidry and Lamiyah Sanchez are deadly with the 3-pointer.

13. Southern Lab (23-7) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division IV select No. 1

The Kittens won the Division IV state championship last season - the first year the program fielded a team since 2007 - with two sophomores, two freshmen and an eighth-grader rounding out the starting five.

Shaila Forman - then a freshman - was named Most Outstanding Player of last year's state championship win against Cedar Creek.

14. Vandebilt Catholic (17-2) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division II select No. 2

The Terriers have captured eight straight wins after back-to-back losses to Walker and Warren Easton. Makayla Charles recorded a triple-double with 20 points, 10 rebounds and 10 steals in her team's rout of Lutcher on Jan. 27.

15. Zachary (23-4) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division I non-select No. 4

After beginning the season 17-1, the Broncos dropped three of their next seven with losses to Hathaway, Liberty Magnet and Amite. Alissa O'Dell, a 6-1 senior, scored 18 points in a 58-49 win against St. Joseph's Academy last week.

16. St. Thomas More (20-5) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division I select No. 3

The Cougars have bounced back to win three straight games after dropping three in a five-game set to Amite, Lafayette High and Lafayette Christian. AC Froehlich, a 6-1 forward, and sophomore guard Brynnan Boyd are a dangerous inside/outside tandem.

Froehlich, an LSU volleyball signee, helped the STM volleyball program to a state title last fall and is now seeking to help the Cougar basketball program to a championship.

17. Denham Springs (23-2) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division I non-select No. 5

The Yellow Jackets can make a big splash going into the playoffs if they can pull off an upset of Walker on Friday.

Olivia Slack and Pray Nelson combined for 18 points in a win against Carencro at the Brusly Tournament in December.

18. Scotlandville (18-8) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division I select No. 4

The Hornets have rugged tests to close out the regular season against Zachary and Liberty Magnet. Kamiera McDonald, a 5-6 guard, scored 22 points in a semifinal loss to John Curtis last season.

19. Liberty Magnet (16-8) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division I select No. 9

The Patriots got off to a 1-5 start but are playing well right now, as evidenced by a 64-49 win against Zachary on Jan. 27. Whitney Hart, a 6-2 junior post, had a double-double in the win against the Broncos.

20. St. Amant (22-6) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division I non-select No. 8

Gators have won seven of their last eight with a huge matchup at Walker on Tuesday. Deniya Thornton, a 5-10 forward, scored 12 of her 16 points in the second half of a 51-48 win against Dutchtown last week.

21. LaGrange (20-8) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division II non-select No. 5

Katelynn Wilson scored 22 points to help LaGrange win its 30th consecutive district game last week against Rayne. After getting upset by Leesville last week, the Gators will strive to finish the regular season strong at Barbe.

22. Northwood-Lena (17-6) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division IV select No. 2

Northwood, yet another version of the Gators, has won its last four games by an average margin of 42.5 points. Last season, 6-footer Na'Kiyah Allen - then a junior - was named Most Outstanding Player of the Division IV state championship victory against North Central.

23. St. Louis (22-6) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division II select No. 3

Saints have won 10 of their last 11 with a 54-51 win against South Beauregard serving as payback for a 37-point loss to the Knights earlier in the season. Senior guard Paris Guillory scored 40 points in a 77-40 win against Lake Charles College Prep last week.

24. South Beauregard (21-7) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division II non-select No. 3

Knights have won 10 of their last 11 after losing three of four to Hathaway, Peabody and Oak Hill. Jalyn Williams scored 17 points in a 59-41 win against Midland in December.

25. (tie) Huntington (21-6) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division I select No. 6

After losing four of six in the middle of the season, the Raiders have won 10 of their last 11 games. Asia Jones is a 5-foot-10 senior standout.

25. (tie) Brusly (25-6) - LHSAA Power Rating: Division II non-select No. 4

The Panthers strung 11 wins together before losing two of their last five, including a 41-37 loss to Plaquemine last week. They'll go for a rebound win against 20-4 West Feliciana on Tuesday.

Senior guard Tia Anderson scored her 2,000th career point in a recent loss to Southern Lab.

On the Bubble: East St. John (18-8), Rosepine (24-6), Warren Easton (19-8), Ben Franklin (25-5), Peabody (20-7), Northside (14-9), Highland Baptist (17-8), Mandeville (20-6), Chalmette (19-4), West Feliciana (20-4).