5 select quarterfinal matchups to watch | LHSAA Playoffs

Teams from every corner of Louisiana to the next will battle Friday (with a couple Thursday early birds) for berths in next week’s state tournament at McNeese State in Lake Charles.

The levels of competition and drama have ratcheted up with each stage of the postseason thus far from last week’s first round to now what appears poised to be a memorable slate of quarterfinals.

Here are the five games on the schedule that most caught our attention among the select divisions.

No. 5 Southwood at No. 4 Huntington (Division-I)

Shreveport should be rocking Friday with two of the state’s top basketball teams, separated by just four miles, battling for a trip to next week’s state tournament. Huntington will host the rematch of a Dec. 6 game it won at Southwood. In addition to the home-court advantage, the Raiders boast the experience of last season’s semifinal run and the matchup’s highest-ranked senior prospect in forward Decedric Webb Decedric Webb 6'5" | SF Huntington | 2023 State LA . But the Cowboys, headlined by one of the state’s top junior prospects in big Jeremiah Evans Jeremiah Evans 6'10" | PF Southwood | 2024 State #145 Nation LA , have been one of Louisiana’s hottest teams for months with an 18-game winning streak entering Friday. Senior-heavy Huntington has O’Shamar Hall O’Shamar Hall 6'4" | SF Huntington | 2023 State LA alongside Webb in the front-court with a good group of guards that includes Kentravis Green and De’kaveon Taylor. Guards Darius Anderson Darius Anderson 6'2" | CG Southwood | 2023 State LA , Cameron Green and Kerrick Morris Kerrick Morris 6'2" | SG Southwood | 2023 State LA provide Southwood some senior leadership, while the junior class includes Travis Brooks Travis Brooks 6'1" | SG Southwood | 2024 State LA , Maurice Carson and Dylan Bell Dylan Bell 5'8" | PG Southwood | 2024 State LA with Evans.

No. 5 Archbishop Shaw at No. 4 Vandebilt Catholic (Division-II)

This matchup might not garner the volume of attention and headline around the state of some others, but has the potential to be among the most electric games of the night. Two of the state’s most dynamic point guards will square off in Loyola-bound Shaw senior Kameron Johnson and highly touted Vandebilt Catholic sophomore Jordan Matthews Jordan Matthews 5'11" | PG Vandebilt Catholic | 2025 State LA . Each player is capable of going for 20 or even 30 on any given night, and watching their duel on the bayou is one of the most intriguing individual matchups anywhere in Louisiana this week. Secondary ball-handlers Xavier Meyers and William Lewis Jr., forward Aidan Lasalle Aidan Lasalle 6'0" | PG Archbishop Shaw | 2024 State LA and stretch forward Christian Creppel Christian Creppel 6'5" | SF Archbishop Shaw | 2024 State LA round out the Eagles’ lineup. Meanwhile, Matthews is just one member of the Terriers’ impressive 2025 group that includes multisport start Jaydon Coleman, Baylie Streams and Josiah Johnson alongside senior guard Seth Brown and juniors Jahyri Coleman and Samuel Kinnard.

No. 6 G.W. Carver at No. 3 Archbishop Hannan (Division-II)

The LHSAA’s adjusted playoff groupings will pit a pair of 2024 state champions against one another to battle for a lone semifinal berth. Both teams have navigated their ups and downs against challenging schedules while replacing key 2022 graduates. Veterans Javon Anderson, Jaylon Hicks Jaylon Hicks 6'5" | SF Carver | 2023 State LA and Laurence Nathan Laurence Nathan 6'2" | PG Carver | 2024 State LA have been among the leaders for the Rams, with sophomore big man Daijon Leatherman Daijon Leatherman 6'8" | PF Carver | 2025 State LA and freshman guard Romeo Brown among the up-and-coming younger standouts. The brother duo of senior Luke Timmons and sophomore Drew Timmons Drew Timmons 6'5" | SF Archbishop Hannan | 2025 State LA are the leaders for the Hawks, with juniors Ryan McDougal and Nick Penn and sophomores A.J. Thompson and Zach Lauro also playing big roles.

No. 8 L.B. Landry at No. 1 Madison Prep (Division-II)

One of a pair of high-profile New Orleans vs. Baton Rouge showdowns on this list. L.B. Landry is back in its third straight quarterfinal and trying to finally get back over the hump to the state tournament. Madison Prep has meanwhile won back-to-back state championships and seven in the past eight years. The Chargin’ Buccaneers are led by a deep and talented senior class led by Anthony Johnson Anthony Johnson 6'0" | PG L.B. Landry | 2023 State LA , Shavurdacour Nicholas Shavurdacour Nicholas 6'5" | SF L.B. Landry | 2023 State LA , Walter Bickham Walter Bickham 6'6" | SF L.B. Landry | 2023 State LA and Franswar Neal. The guard group of juniors Jayce Depron Jayce Depron 6'3" | CG Madison Prep | 2024 State LA and Josh Smith Josh Smith 6'2" | SG Madison Prep | 2024 State LA and senior Dylan Dominique Dylan Dominique 6'0" | PG Madison Prep | 2023 State LA drive the Chargers, with young forwards Quentin Dabney Quentin Dabney 6'5" | SF Madison Prep | 2024 State LA , Chris Lindo Chris Lindo 6'6" | PF Madison Prep | 2025 State LA and Jamari Thigpen developing well into their roles throughout the season.

No. 9 St. Augustine at No. 1 Scotlandville (Division-I)

The Purple Knights and Hornets are set for another edition to a long-standing rivalry between the New Orleans and Baton Rouge powerhouses. St. Augustine is the only program other than Scotlandville to win the Division-I select championship in the six previous tournaments since the LHSAA split the basketball postseason. The Purple Knights topped the Hornets in the 2021 title game after having fallen head-to-head in the previous two. St. Augustine struggled through an atypical amount of ups and downs, including a blowout loss at Scotlandville on Dec. 30, while Scotlandville looked almost unbeatable for most of the season once UNO-signed big man Dorian Booker Dorian Booker 6'10" | PF Scotlandville | 2023 State LA returned from illness. But a district loss to Liberty Magnet three weeks ago in the final stretch of the regular season made the Hornets look suddenly more vulnerable than they had in months.

The Purple Knights return to Baton Rouge with another solid roster this year — and better than in December with their football players all now back available and in rhythm — from its senior leaders, including Davis Oliver-Goodwin; to a talented junior group of Turner Duncan Turner Duncan 6'3" | PG St. Augustine | 2024 State LA , Bobby Kennedy, Joshua Jackson Joshua Jackson 6'3" | SG Brother Martin | 2024 State LA , Hubert Caliste Hubert Caliste 6'6" | PF St. Augustine | 2024 State LA Jr. and Dandrick Green Jr.; and a sophomore group led by point guard Cy Merrett. The Hornets meanwhile surround Booker with the guard trio of Jamal Drewery Jamal Drewery 5'10" | PG Scotlandville | 2025 State LA , Chase Sample and John Hubbard and their own critical multisport standout in forward C’Zavian Teasett C’Zavian Teasett 6'3" | SG Scotlandville | 2023 State LA with sixth men such as juniors Trelen Washington and Ja’Marriyon Brown that have proven they play their role effectively when called upon.