5 first-round LHSAA playoff matchups to watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The LHSAA's now decade-old splitting of its playoff brackets between "select" and "non-select" schools lessened many of the upsets and much of the drama from the opening rounds of playoff tournaments.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Most of the top teams and prospects will enjoy opening-round byes and await games next Monday and Tuesday.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But with eight brackets in football and 10 in basketball, there are always a few matchups that still raise some intrigue with talented and familiar rosters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here were five games on the schedule that caught our attention.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 18 Brother Martin at No. 15 Edna Karr (Division-I Select)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Rematches of regular-season — and particularly district — games can often provide some of the bigger challenges for higher-ranked teams. And lower-seeded Brother Martin actually got the best of host Edna Karr in both Catholic League district meetings: 41-40 on the road Jan. 10 and 60-46 at home Feb. 3. But the home-standing Cougars have overcome a midseason skid around the holidays to win seven of their past 11 overall, while the Crusaders have dropped seven of their past 10. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The highest-ranked current PrepHoops prospect is Edna Karr junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1277352' first='Keith' last='Jones']</strong>, who headlines talented backcourts on both sides. He, senior guard <strong>E.J. Riley</strong> and junior wing <strong>Kevin Slaughter</strong> all earned all-district recognition. Big senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1213754' first='Rayfield' last='Lotten']</strong> was Brother Martin's highest-ranked prospect in the latest update, but junior guard <strong>Eli Pichon</strong> and senior wing <strong>D.J. Fowler</strong> have proven themselves as key players to watch with their strong all-district runs.<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 19 Warren Easton at No. 14 Archbishop Rummel (Division-I Select)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Another pair of New Orleans area teams, Warren Easton in the heart of Mid-City and Archbishop Rummel just a few miles out into Metairie, each ended its regular seasons on gritty, positive notes Thursday with wins against highly regarded Northshore and Edna Karr, respectively. Despite their proximity, the teams' matchup Friday will mark their first meeting since an 55-45 Eagles win in the opening games of the 2018-19 season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>A group of multi-sport standouts lead the home-standing Raiders: sophomore forward <strong>Ja'Mard Jones</strong>, who earned all-district first-team, and sophomore guard <strong>T.J. Duhe</strong> and <strong>Darrius Davis</strong> and junior guard <strong>Kendrick Joseph</strong>, all of whom earned all-district honorable mention. Senior point guard Kentrell Fulton, one of the city's more underrated guards, helped lead his Eagles back Thursday with a 15-point fourth quarter and game-tying buzzer beater and said afterward he felt the win showed his team can play with any opponent in the state. Fulton, fellow senior <strong>Dunstan Weaver</strong>, junior <strong>Greg Donaldson</strong> and sophomore <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1347459' first='Gerald' last='Hall'] </strong>are a good guard group to lead Easton into the playoffs, and junior big man <strong>Kentrell Freeman</strong> will lead the front-court efforts against Jones and company into.<br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 19 West Monroe at No. 14 Denham Springs (Division-I Non-Select)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Rebels and Yellow Jackets have more recent postseason football history, but both bring intensely battle-tested teams from proud basketball parishes and districts into the gym Friday. West Monroe has dropped seven of its past nine, but all of those losses came to, in their respective brackets, No. 1 Wossman, No. 2 Ruston, No. 5 Ouachita (twice), No. 7 Pineville (twice), No. 17 Alexandria. Denham Springs meanwhile feel in three of its final five in the regular season, but to No. 4 Walker, No. 11 St. Amant and No. 16 East Ascension all in the Division-I Non-Select bracket.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Yellow Jackets had won 17 of 18 prior to that up-and-down finish, though, with high-scoring guard <strong>Jermaine O'Conner</strong> and multi-sport standout <strong>Maison Vorise</strong> among the leaders. West Monroe meanwhile has a deep group of potential scoring threats, including a good mix of upperclassmen such as senior guard <strong>Chauncey Lee</strong> and junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2294804' first='Shunderrius' last='Glass']</strong> and talented sophomores <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1601906' first='Jayden' last='Jackson']</strong> and <strong>Jahvion Pickens.</strong><br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 19 Beau Chene at No. 14 Northwest (Division-II Non-Select)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Beau Chene will take the short, 20-mile trip to Northwest for the second time this season in a rematch of a nine-point win Jan. 10. The Raiders will be eagerly awaiting for their opportunity to avenge that stumble and win at least one playoff game for the sixth straight season and have the upperclassman guard duo of junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1593026' first='Kaleb' last='Collins']</strong> and senior <strong>Chauncy Roberson</strong>, one of the better tandems in the area, to help lead those efforts. But the Gators have a talented team in their own right with a nice mix of veterans from senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1560389' first='Ki'sean' last='Aggison']</strong> and wing <strong>Jhykai Sharp</strong> and the junior group of <strong>Dontrelle Pitre</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1560425' first='Zion' last='Williams']</strong>, <strong>Mekhi Milton</strong> and <strong>Matt Mayfield</strong> and the young talent of sophomore <strong>Ja'Vontre Charles</strong> and freshman <strong>C.J. Charlot</strong>. <br></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 20 Notre Dame at No. 13 Ascension Episcopal (Division-III Select)</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Even with a tough 3-6 finish to the regular season, Notre Dame takes a 12-10 record into a short Thursday night trip, just over 20 miles, to Ascension Episcopal. Many of the Pioneers' losses came to higher-ranked or higher-classified teams and often in games determined by single digits. And a 2021 playoff wins gives Notre Dame, albeit by a slight margin, more recent postseason success. The Blue Gators, with their 21-11 mark, are the higher seed for plenty reason, but also enter the matchup off a 2-5 and 4-4 close to their schedule and seeking their first playoff win since 2017. Despite their proximity, the teams haven't met since Jan. 4, 2019, when the Pioneers won, 57-32.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Notre Dame shooting guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1273365' first='Teddy' last='Menard']</strong> is not only currently the highest-ranked prospect in the matchup by PrepHoops, but one of the highest ranked seniors in the Acadiana area. But Ascension Episcopal has a trio of players on that list in point guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1273298' first='Cade' last='Dardar']</strong>, shooting guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1271534' first='Luke' last='Guidry']</strong> and small forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1273297' first='Cole' last='Colligan']</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->