LHSAA Playoffs: Must See 2nd Round Matchups

<p>The Road to Marsh Madness got kicked off on Friday night for the many boys teams trying to win a state championship. Upsets and various pairings have made for some compelling matchups for round two of the playoffs. We will take a look at teams and players from some of the most interesting games and pick who should advance to the quarters.</p> <p><strong>#15 Southwood vs #2 Ouachita (Monday at 6:30) - 5A</strong></p> <p><strong>Southwood players to watch: PG <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/daniel-ortiz/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/daniel-ortiz/">Daniel Ortiz</a></a> (6'0", 2021); F <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/christian-caldwell/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/christian-caldwell/">Christian Caldwell</a></a> (6'6", 2020); F <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/cameron-steward/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/cameron-steward/">Cameron Steward</a></a> (6'5", 2020) </strong></p> <p><strong>Ouachita players to watch:  PG <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jamal-davis-2/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/jamal-davis-2/">Jamal Davis</a></a> (6'0", 2020); CG <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/charquez-owens/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/charquez-owens/">Charquez Owens</a></a> (6'3", 2020); F <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kyle-hayman/"><a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kyle-hayman/">Kyle Hayman</a></a> (6'4", 2020)</strong></p> <p><strong>Preview:</strong> The Cowboys and Lions have faced each other earlier this season at the Madhouse during the Don Redden tournament.  Ouachita left with a five point victory but Southwood had their chances.  Missed free throws and late game execution doomed the Cowboys.  This time around Southwood is riding a 5 game winning streak including a win over #1 Natchitoches Central.  The Pokes point differential has been 26.6 during those five wins while Ouachita has beat their last two opponents by an average of 50 points.  Needless to say both teams are coming in confident. </p> <p><strong>Ouachita wins...  </strong>if they shoot the ball well.  Southwood has given up plenty of three pointers this season to many teams.  The Lions have plenty of shooters on the roster.  If they are making shots from deep, this game might not be that close. </p> <p><strong>Southwood wins... </strong>if they rebound and stay out of foul trouble.  The Lions have not faced any team as long and as athletic as the Cowboys in awhile.  Southwood will need to use their athleticism to rebound and control the boards.  They control possessions in this one, they might leave with the win.  </p> <p><strong>#1 Bossier vs #17 Crowley (Tuesday at 7pm) - 3A</strong></p> <p><strong>Bossier players to watch: PG <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/cody-dean/">Cody Deen</a> (5'9", 2021); CG <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/tim-king/">Tim King</a> (5'11", 2020); F <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/joseph-manning/">Joseph Manning</a> (6'3", 2022) </strong></p> <p><strong>Crowley players to watch:  CG Kyris Savoy (6'0", 2021); F <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/braeden-board/">Braeden Board</a> (6'6", 2020); F Marquise Thomas (6'4", 2020)</strong></p> <p><strong>Preview: </strong>How can a team on a 19 game win streak possibly be an underdog?  When they have lost their best perimeter defender and low post threat, that is how.  However, the Bossier Bearkats will travel to Crowley and face a team that sweep their district and has won 9 of 10 themselves.  With both teams having momentum, it may come down to who is the healthiest.  Bossier is without UNO signee <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/dante-bell/">Dante Bell</a> (torn ACL) and <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/otis-smith/">Otis Smith</a> (personal reasons) for the remainder of the season.  Facing a good team, on the road, without two of your horses can spell trouble for a number #1 seed like Bossier.  </p> <p><strong>Crowley wins... </strong>if they can get everyone involved.  The Gents have had some games where they have barely scored 40 points.  They will need big contributions by players other than <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/braeden-board/">Braeden Board</a> to pull off the "upset" win.  Crowley does have the home court advantage.  Let's see what they do with it.  </p> <p><strong>Bossier wins... </strong>if they play defense.  I know this is odd but it is true.  In games where Bossier has needed to defend and prevent teams from scoring, they have won those games in big fashion.  When they have just tried to outscore their opponent, they have not been as successful.  When Deen and King lock down on the perimeter, they set the tone for the team's defense.  </p> <p><strong>#1 Peabody vs #17 Carencro (Tuesday at 6pm)</strong></p> <p><strong>Peabody players to watch: PG Melvion Flanagan (5'10", 2020); W <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/marcus-jones/">Marcus Jones</a> (6'3", 2020); CG Kaijalon Smith (6'0", 2020) </strong></p> <p><strong>Carencro players to watch:  CG <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/bailey-despanie/">Bailey Despanie</a> (6'0", 2021); CG Jatrell Marks (5'11", 2020); CG Rashad Onezime (6'0", 2020)</strong></p> <p><strong>Preview:</strong> Carencro has had a season of ups and downs due to injuries.  However, they went to Monroe and pulled off a win in the last minutes against Neville.  They at least get to host Peabody at home.  The Warhorses have won their last 16 games.  Even though they are traveling, they have all their firepower available.  Their guard duo is as good as anyone left playing.  Carencro will have to pull out all stops for this win.  </p> <p><strong>Carencro wins...</strong> if Peabody does not show up.  Not in the physical sense.  Carencro will have to play their usual hard-nosed defense with Peabody not making shots to be close in this one.  They will need to take care of the ball as well.  Peabody's defense can be hellacious.  </p> <p><strong>Peabody wins... </strong>if they play their usual way.  Flanagan and Jones have led the way in scoring most of the season.  They should be able to score and help others score as well.  Their pressure defense should be the difference in this one.  </p> <p><strong>#11 Captain Shreve vs #6 Alexandria (Tuesday at 6:30)</strong></p> <p><strong>Shreve players to watch: P <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kendall-coleman/">Kendall Coleman</a> (6'8", 2020); F <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/ac-bryant/">AC Bryant</a> (6'3", 2021); F <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/john-mitchell/">John Mitchell</a> (6'3", 2020) </strong></p> <p><strong>Alexandria players to watch:  CG <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/desmond-mcquain/">Desmond McQuain</a> (6'0", 2020); CG Latrell Holly (6'2", 2020); W <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/kyle-hayman/">Theron Johnson</a> (6'2", 2022)</strong></p> <p><strong>Preview: </strong>The coaches in this game will be entertaining enough.  Coach Deans and Coach Brasher get the most out of their kids but in different ways.  They both know their X's and O's however.  Shreve has won 12 of their last 14 losing to Natchitoches Central twice while ASH has won their last 10.  Both teams have momentum going into this one.  ASH will hope that the home crowd will give them the extra push needed for the win.  </p> <p><strong>Shreve wins... </strong>if <a href="https://prephoops.com/player/john-mitchell/">John Mitchell</a> has a great night.  Coleman and to a certain degree Bryant are a given.  Mitchell can do so many things on the floor that they can not be accounted for.  If he is dominating the game inside and out, Shreve may walk away with a hard fought playoff win.</p> <p><strong>Alexandria wins... </strong>Holly and McQuain carry them.  Shreve can defend and will try to take one of them away.  If the other gets off early and often, it will loosen up the defense for the other.  These two combo guards may have enough firepower to dim any Gator hopes of winning.  They need to be aggressive.  Letting the game come to them might not be their best bet.  </p> <p>These playoff matchups will be battles for the most part where the victor is hard to see. Other games like the ones below fit this bill as well.  We will see what happens over the next 48 hours during all of the second round games around the state.   </p> <p><strong>Other must see matchups would be: </strong> EA vs Bonnabel; Zachary vs Lafayette; Opelousas vs Woodlawn-Shreveport; Northwood-Lena vs Lincoln Prep  </p>