Five non-select first-round LHSAA playoff matchups to watch

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The LHSAA boys basketball playoffs tip off Thursday and Friday with nearly 100 matchups around the state.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here were five games from the "select" school brackets that caught our attention, due in no small part to the notable talent on the rosters.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><a href="https://prephoops.com/2024/02/five-select-first-round-lhsaa-playoff-matchups-to-watch/">Check out more information on top select matchups</a>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 17 East St. John at No. 16 Airline — Division-I Non-Select</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Wildcats will try to win a fourth straight playoff-opener as a double-digit seed, but continuing that streak would come as an underdog on a long road trip nearly five hours from home. Senior multisport standouts <strong>Jahyi Jones</strong>, <strong>Lorenzo Zeno</strong>, <strong>Ky'Van Fobb</strong> and <strong>Charles Rayfield</strong> are among the leaders on that mission. But a senior-led Vikings group featuring <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1105538' first='Trevon' last='Jackson']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1105529' first='Bryson' last='Broom']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1697890' first='Connor' last='McConathy']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1492971' first='George' last='Tillman']</strong> and talented juniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1492964' first='Jayden' last='Gladney']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1596247' first='Joshua' last='White']</strong> waiting in Bossier.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 18 Hahnville at No. 15 Live Oak —  Division-I Non-Select</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Tigers will open the playoffs on the road after dropping their past four and six of their past 11, but have a roster led by two of the state's highest-ranked prospects in their classes in senior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1105547' first='Jordan' last='Moore']</strong> and junior <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1560453' first='Cobe' last='Landry']</strong>. For home-standing Live Oak, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2132622' first='Clayten' last='Ray']</strong> and <strong>Traven Barnes</strong> are senior leaders on a team loaded with sophomore talent such as <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1755871' first='Cameron' last='Ivy']</strong>, <strong>M.J. Washington</strong>, <strong>Cayden Jones</strong> and <strong>Hayden Ray</strong> and freshman <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2132755' first='Jordan' last='Magee']</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 21 West Monroe at No. 12 Mandeville —  Division-I Non-Select</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Rebels have won their opening game each of the past two postseasons, including a long road trip south last year as an underdog, and have several experienced and talented returners leading the way to attempt the same feat this spring — including senior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2294804' first='Shunderrius' last='Glass']</strong>, senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2294809' first='Ryder' last='Hamilton']</strong>, junior forward <strong>Kendrick Green</strong> and junior guard <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1601906' first='Jayden' last='Jackson']</strong>. Mandeville opens a third straight postseason as a home team and won each of its past two openers. Seniors <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1275279' first='Charles' last='Stipe']</strong>, <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2132630' first='Jack' last='Marcello']</strong>, <strong>Chauncey Aubert</strong> and <strong>Adam Lockley</strong> and multisport star <strong>Nate Sheppard</strong> are players to watch.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 21 Port Allen at No. 12 Westlake — Division-III Non-Select</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Pelicans navigated ups and downs in their first season since coach DiMario Jackson and a strong 2023 class moved on to college opportunities. And while the four-time defending champions will open the postseason on the road for the first time since 2017, the program has won its first-round game every year since 2011. Senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1218215' first='Aries' last='Lewis']</strong> headlines a still-talented roster that includes <strong>Ji'Siah Fernandez</strong>, <strong>Charleston Clark</strong>, <strong>Mason Boston</strong>, <strong>Warren Bessie</strong> and <strong>Gentry James</strong>. The Rams are meanwhile led by senior forward <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2356211' first='Nathan' last='Vincent']</strong>; junior multisport standout <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1492961' first='Kevin' last='Rideau']</strong>, one of the state's more underrated football prospects; and junior guards <strong>Ryan Allen</strong> and <strong>Avan Breaux</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>No. 26 Union Parish at No. 7 Richwood — Division-III Non-Select</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The most lopsided matchup seedings-wise on either our select or non-select lists of games to watch is a rematch of a district tilt the Rams had to scrape out by a 52-49 margin late last month. Multisport standouts <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1167550' first='Xzander' last='Washington']</strong>, the Richwood big man, and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='1492965' first='Chase' last='Meeking']</strong>, the Union Parish combo guard, headline their respective rosters. Along with Washington, the Rams boast the junior guard duo of <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2077393' first='Austin' last='Love']</strong> and <strong>[player_tooltip player_id='2408124' first='Markari' last='Newton']</strong>.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->