Top 25 Louisiana Boys High School Basketball State Rankings (1/6/2025)

Catholic-BR moves up to No. 1 as the Bears improved to 18-1; Country Day climbs nine spots to No. 16; Carroll, Vanderbilt Catholic and Kennedy join the Top 25

The Catholic Bears improved to 18-1 with a pair of wins at the Wayde Sims Invitational. / Catholic High School

We have a new number one this week. The Catholic-Baton Rouge Bears flexed their muscles in a three-game set at University Lab, while the previous top two - Zachary and Liberty Magnet - split doubleheaders with Northeast Louisiana powers Carroll and Wossman. 

Keep reading to find out our top 25 teams of the week, as well as our bubble teams, and take a closer look at a program with a .500 record that isn't far removed from an undefeated record due to a large number of close losses.

1. Catholic-BR (18-1)

Previous rank: 3

The Bears defeated East Ascension, Walker and Ponchatoula at the Wayde Sims Foundation Invitational hosted by University Lab, winning by at least 15 points in each game. 6-foot-3, 200-pound senior Matthew Trahan blocked an early shot in the 76-42 rout of Walker. Sophomore Tyler Brazier banked in a buzzer-beating 3-pointer. Tate McCurry scored 20 points. 

East Ascension, which lost 65-50 to the Bears, came into the game with a 12-1 record. Catholic, which defeated Ponchatoula by 22 points (70-48), hosts University Lab in a local rivalry game this week with a rematch against East Ascension also on tap.

2. Liberty Magnet (10-1) 

Previous rank: 2

The Patriots defeated McKinley and Wossman and lost to Carroll. The latter two games were held at the Wildcat Showcase in Monroe. The 50-46 win over Wossman ended the Wildcats' lengthy home winning streak. Kingston Jarrell scored 14 points and had a timely slam on an alley oop to put a fizz in a fourth quarter Wossman run, according to Jake Martin of The Ouachita Citizen.

Chivas Lee and Carson Franklin hit 3-pointers, and Malek Robinson and Kareem Washington converted three-point plays during a second quarter flurry of points for the Patriots, who defeated McKinley in the finals of the East Baton Rouge Parish Tournament.

3. Zachary (14-1)

Previous rank: 1

The Broncos defeated Carroll and lost to Wossman at the Wildcat Showcase. Zachary defeated Carroll, 48-42. Xavier Ferguson scored 15 points. Ian Edmond and Aidan Owens connected from the outside on 3-balls, according to Jake Martin of The Ouachita Citizen. Carroll had 17 turnovers. 

6-foot-4 junior Kristion Brooks was Donald Tatum of Prep Hoops Louisiana's surprise of the game vs. Wossman. ZHS has upcoming home games this month vs. Madison Prep and Archbishop Hannan.

4. Peabody (16-1)

Previous rank: 5

The Warhorses beat Alexandria in a rivalry home game, 65-55. Rashad Mitchell (28 points) and Isaiah Jones (26) were named players of the game by analyst Clifton Dixon. Fourteen of Jones' points were in the fourth quarter, according to Bret McCormick of Louisiana vs. All Y'all. Peabody hosts Liberty this week. 

5. Archbishop Shaw (9-2)

Previous rank: 4

The Eagles defeated South Cobb (Georgia) and lost to Jackson Academy (Miss.). 6-foot-7 forward Kobe Butler had 16 points, 14 rebounds and five blocks in the 75-72 overtime loss to Jackson Academy, which is 11-3 and considered a top 10 team in Mississippi. Freshman Christian Clair totaled 12 points and eight assists.

6. Lake Charles College Prep (12-2)

Previous rank: 8

The Blazers defeated Beau Chene, 63-57, at the Lake Charles Classic presented by Mal Mundy. LCCP has several players that take it to the hoops with authority, such as 6-foot-2 juniors Juriah and Jaiven Matthews, Jordan Dugas (6-4, Jr.) and Evan Burns (6-5, Jr.). Izayha Brown (6-4), Karson Graham (6-4) and Brayden Sinegal (6-7) are seniors with good size.

7. Madison Prep (13-2)

Previous rank: 9

The Chargers defeated H.L. Bourgeois and David Thibodaux. The 56-23 win over David Thibodaux was at Mal Mundy's New Year's Classic at Central-BR. Cameron Avery and Elijah Garner had steals in the early going of the 50-38 win at H.L. Bourgeois. Garner added a 3 for a 7-4 lead. J'Kai Jordan's dunk increased it to 11-4.

8. Wossman (13-3) 

Previous rank: 11

The Wildcats lost to Liberty (50-46) and defeated Zachary, 73-59. Wossman's three losses have been by a total of nine points. The Wildcats dropped a one-point overtime decision to Lake Charles College Prep and lost by four points at Ouachita Parish ih the second game of the season. 

9. Calvary Baptist (16-2) 

Previous rank: 13

The Cavaliers showed off their endurance, playing eight games in 10 days and winning seven with its only loss by two points at St. Thomas More. Calvary Baptist defeated Parkway, Evangel Christian, Captain Shreve and Bossier at the Bossier Tournament.

The Cavaliers beat Shreve in the semifinals by a whopping 53-13 margin. A blowout of host Bossier followed in the finals, 68-29. The Cavaliers got 23 points in the semis from Jaiden Hall (7 of 9 from 3-point range), according to Preston Edwards of Prep Hoops Louisiana, and held the Gators to three points in the second half. 

10. Denham Springs (18-1)

Previous rank: 6

The Yellow Jackets defeated St James, lost to Vandebilt Catholic and defeated Bonnabel at the St. Charles Tournament. Denham Springs, which trailed Bonnabel at the half, scored the Bruins 27-4 in the third quarter of a 66-48 win. Five players scored in double figures: Trae Dorsey (13), Jermaine O'Conner (12), Jeremy Williams (12), JK O'Conner (11) and DaSean Golmond (10).

11. Alexandria (15-3)

Previous rank: 7

The Trojans defeated Negreet and Hicks and lost at Peabody, 65-55. 6-foot-6 Tyshawn Duncan scored 16 points and blocked nine shots vs. Peabody, according to Bret McCormick of Louisiana vs. All Y'all.

12. Jesuit (13-1)

Previous rank: 12 

The Blue Jays defeated The Willow School and split two games against out-of-state competition, beating Loyola Blakefield (Maryland) and losing to Rockhurst, a top three team in Missouri. After going into the half with a 33-21 lead over Loyola Blakefield, the Blue Jays outscored their opponent 22-9 in the fourth quarter to win, 68-54.

13. Ruston (7-3)

Previous rank: 16

The Bearcats defeated Richwood, 66-42. Sophomores Keshun Malcolm (6-3) and Ahmad Hudson (6-8, 230) combined for 45 points, according to Matt Belinson of The Ruston Daily Leader. Malcom scored 26 points. Hudson poured in 19 with 14 rebounds and six blocked shots. Ruston hosts Calvary Baptist, which features its own sophomore stars in Tyrone Jamsion, Jaiden Hall and Robert Wright.

14. Archbishop Hannan (12-5)

Previous rank: 15

The Hawks lost to John F. Kennedy (39-38) at the Hannan Tournament and defeated St. Thomas More, 58-47. 6-foot-6, 220-pound senior Drew Timmons scored 31 points in the home win over St. Thomas More. John F. Kennedy (12-4) handed Holy Cross its first loss in the semifinals of the Hannan Tournament. 

15. St. Augustine (14-2)

Previous rank: 14

The Purple Knights, who have won eight straight games, were idle and have upcoming games at Dunham on Jan. 7 and Madison Prep on Jan. 13 with a home game vs. L.B. Landry on the 10th. 

16. Country Day (11-3)

Previous rank: 25

The Cajuns split four recent games against out-of-state competition and defeated St. Thomas More, 64-57. Country Day lost to Culver City, a top 40 team in California, 65-59, and beat St. Mary's (CA), which came into the game with only one loss. Country Day's roster lists seven players 6-foot-3 or taller. 

17. St. Thomas More (8-3)

Previous rank: 10

The Cougars lost road games in the New Orleans area at Metairie Park Country Day and Archbishop Hannan. STM hosts Dunham on Monday, Jan. 6. 

Matthew Cook, Eli Deats and Xarian Babineaux provide deadly outside shooting off the bench for coach Danny Broussard, who referred to his five starters as defensive-oriented in a recent interview. Grayson Roy (6-4, Elijah Guidry (6-2) and Bo Couvillon (6-4) are hard-nosed seniors who join guards John Luke Bourque and Trenton Potier in the starting lineup.

18. Central (11-2) 

Previous rank: 18

The Wildcats defeated West Monroe and Southside. The 61-56 win over Southside was the final game of Mal Mundy's New Year Classic. The Tour Basketball featured junior guard Jace Conrad on its X page, noting that Conrad "is hard to guard from all three levels, is shifty with the ball and a sharpshooter from behind the arc."

19. Carroll (10-8)

Previous rank: Not ranked

The Bulldogs are back in the top 25 after dropping out for only one week. Carroll handed Liberty its first loss against in-state competition (only its second overall) and lost to Zachary. Senior Jaden Williams made the go-ahead 3-pointer in the 61-58 win over Liberty, according to Donald Tatum of Prep Hoops Louisiana. 

20. Natchitoches-Central (11-4)

Previous rank: 20

The Chiefs took wins over Avoyelles Public Charter and Sam Houston. Sophomore Khaelyb Creighton produced 18 points, nine rebounds, six assists and five steals in the 68-42 win over Avoyelles Public Charter at the Alexandria Tournament.

21. Vandebilt Catholic (11-4)

Previous rank: Not ranked

The Terriers, who dropped out of the rankings after losing three of four games, snapped back with double-digit wins over Denham Springs, East Jefferson and Northlake Christian. Jayden Coleman stole the ball and drove for a breakaway lay-up early in the 68-51 win over Northlake Christian at the St. Charles Tournament.

22. Ouachita Parish (12-4)

Previous rank: 17

The Lions defeated Loyola Prep and lost to Good Vision (TX). Freshman Darren Ford received a scholarship offer from Oklahoma State.

23. Lacassine (17-1)

Previous rank: 21 

The Cardinals were idle. Upcoming non-district opponents include Loreauville and St. Louis Catholic.

24. Northside (14-3)

Previous rank: 24

The Vikings defeated Holy Savior Menard and Lafayette High. Sophomore Jaydon Francis knocked down the game-winning shot in the 57-55 win over Lafayette High. Northside overcame a deficit and foul trouble to secure the W.

25. John F. Kennedy (12-4)

Previous rank: Not ranked

The Cougars have won seven straight games, capped by wins over Holy Cross and Archbishop Hannan. Malik Lonzo and Thomas Harrison scored 10 points apiece in the 39-38 win over Hannan.

NAILBITERS THE NORM FOR GATORS

Beau Chene has an inherently rugged schedule as a school located in St. Landry Parish, a talent-rich area where the parish schools play each other often.

The Gators have a 10-10 record with a bevy of close setbacks. All of its losses have been by 11-or-fewer points, including a 63-57 thriller at Lake Charles College Prep on Saturday, and three games decided in overtime.

Ja'Vontre Charles and CJ Charlot combined for 36 points vs. LCCP. Charles had five rebounds and Charlot dished out four assists. 

On the Bubble (large schools): Holy Cross, Covington, Sulphur, John Curtis Christian, Huntington, Captain Shreve, Ponchatoula, Minden, Bonnabel, David Thibodaux, Carencro

On the Bubble (small schools): Dunham, University Lab, Catholic New Iberia, Crescent City, Pleasant Hill, Red River, Madison Parish, Vinton, Ferriday, Franklin, Newman

Dropped Out: No. 19 Ponchatoula, No. 22 Sulphur, No. 23 Dunham