Five non-select first-round LHSAA playoff matchups to watch
In this article:
The LHSAA boys basketball playoffs tip off Thursday and Friday with nearly 100 matchups around the state. Here were five games from the “select” school brackets that caught our attention, due in no small part to the notable talent on…
Access all of Prep Hoops
Continue reading this article and more.
Continue ReadingThe LHSAA boys basketball playoffs tip off Thursday and Friday with nearly 100 matchups around the state.
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.
No. 17 East St. John at No. 16 Airline — Division-I Non-Select
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 Jahyi Jones, Lorenzo Zeno, Ky’Van Fobb and Charles Rayfield are among the leaders on that mission. But a senior-led Vikings group featuring Trevon Jackson Trevon Jackson 6'0" | PG Airline | 2024 State LA , Bryson Broom Bryson Broom 6'0" | CG Airline | 2024 State LA , Connor McConathy Connor McConathy 6'1" | CG Airline | 2024 State LA and George Tillman George Tillman 6'2" | SG Airline | 2024 State LA and talented juniors Jayden Gladney Jayden Gladney 6'1" | CG Airline | 2025 State LA and Joshua White Joshua White 6'4" | PF Airline | 2025 State LA waiting in Bossier.
No. 18 Hahnville at No. 15 Live Oak — Division-I Non-Select
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 Jordan Moore Jordan Moore 6'4" | CG Hahnville | 2024 State LA and junior Cobe Landry Cobe Landry 6'5" | SF Hahnville | 2025 State LA . For home-standing Live Oak, Clayten Ray Clayten Ray 6'3" | SG Live Oak | 2024 State LA and Traven Barnes are senior leaders on a team loaded with sophomore talent such as Cameron Ivy Cameron Ivy 5'11" | SG Live Oak | 2026 State LA , M.J. Washington, Cayden Jones and Hayden Ray and freshman Jordan Magee Jordan Magee 5'9" | CG Live Oak | 2027 State LA .
No. 21 West Monroe at No. 12 Mandeville — Division-I Non-Select
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 Shunderrius Glass Shunderrius Glass 6'0" | CG West Monroe | 2024 State LA , senior forward Ryder Hamilton Ryder Hamilton 6'4" | SF West Monroe | 2024 State LA , junior forward Kendrick Green and junior guard Jayden Jackson Jayden Jackson 5'10" | PG West Monroe | 2025 State LA . Mandeville opens a third straight postseason as a home team and won each of its past two openers. Seniors Charles Stipe Charles Stipe 5'7" | PG Mandeville | 2024 State LA , Jack Marcello Jack Marcello 6'1" | PG Mandeville | 2024 State LA , Chauncey Aubert and Adam Lockley and multisport star Nate Sheppard are players to watch.
No. 21 Port Allen at No. 12 Westlake — Division-III Non-Select
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 Aries Lewis Aries Lewis 6'6" | SF Port Allen | 2024 State LA headlines a still-talented roster that includes Ji’Siah Fernandez, Charleston Clark, Mason Boston, Warren Bessie and Gentry James. The Rams are meanwhile led by senior forward Nathan Vincent Nathan Vincent 6'7" | PF Westlake Highschool | 2024 LA ; junior multisport standout Kevin Rideau Kevin Rideau 6'3" | CG Westlake | 2025 State LA , one of the state’s more underrated football prospects; and junior guards Ryan Allen and Avan Breaux.
No. 26 Union Parish at No. 7 Richwood — Division-III Non-Select
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 Xzander Washington Xzander Washington 6'5" | SF Richwood | 2024 State LA , the Richwood big man, and Chase Meeking Chase Meeking 6'2" | CG Union Parish | 2025 State LA , the Union Parish combo guard, headline their respective rosters. Along with Washington, the Rams boast the junior guard duo of Austin Love Austin Love 5'11" | SG Richwood | 2025 State LA and Markari Newton Markari Newton 5'11" | PG Richwood | 2025 State LA .