Louisiana high school girls basketball Top 25 rankings (1/5/2024)
Check out our first edition of the SBLive Louisiana Top 25 girls prep basketball rankings for the 2023-24 season.
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1. Lafayette Christian (14-0) - Last season (Division II select champions)
The Lady Knights have two of Louisiana Girls Basketball's top five players in LSU commit Jada Richard and Eve Alexander (Florida A&M). Alexander, a 6-foot forward, scored her 1,000th career point in a recent win over Northside.
Another 6-footer, sophomore Kahliyah Samuels, is the No. 3 Class of 2026 player in the state (all rankings by Louisiana Girls Basketball).
LCA has won six state titles. The top-seeded Lady Knights beat St. Louis Catholic, 61-51, for last season's crown.
2. Walker (20-0) - Last season (Division I non-select semifinalist)
The Lady Wildcats are officially undefeated with their only loss coming to out of state power Duncanville (Texas). 5-foot-9 senior Kennedi Ard leads four double-digit scorers with 14.4 points per game. Senior Jamiya Vann (13.3 ppg), junior Leah Eddards (12.2) and junior Arionna Patterson (10.2) are all capable of leading the team in scoring. Ard (4.2 rpg) and the 6-foot Patterson (4) are the top rebounders.
The Wildcats hammered an 18-3 Doyle team, 76-25, and own impressive wins over 16-3 Denham Springs, 16-3 Southside and 10-3 John Curtis Christian.
3. Huntington (14-2) - Last season (Division I select quarterfinalists)
The Lady Raiders lost to second-seeded Lafayette High, 51-41, in last season's playoffs. Junior Carley Hamilton and sophomore Kyndal Graham are combining to score approximately 40 points per game. Hamilton is averaging six rebounds and three assists per game.
Hamilton and Graham scored 15 points apiece in a 67-54 loss to Lafayette Chirstian in December. Huntington's only other loss was to Wossman, 60-52, in the season opener. The Lady Raiders are No. 1 in the Division I select power ratings.
Huntington avenged its Wossman loss by defeating the Lady Wildcats, 71-64, in a rematch.
4. Wossman (12-2) - Last season (Division II non-select state champions)
The top-seeded Lady Wildcats easily defeated No. 2 Albany, 63-40, to win the state title last season. The Monroe program is looking to win its fourth crown this time.
Wossman boasts the No. 6 and No. 7 players in the state in 6-4 post Brittany Burton and 5-7 guard DaNaya Ross. Wossman lost to Parkway and Huntington, two teams they've also defeated, and ended 2023 with a bang by beating Zachary, 66-44.
5. John Curtis Christian (10-3) - Last season (Division select runner-up)
The Lady Patriots can attain their 10th state title this season. They're tied with (defunct) Baskin and Anacoco with nine titles apiece behind Fairview (14), Jena and Southwood (11 each).
5-8 junior Irmani Daniels is the No. 7 player in Louisiana. 5-9 sophomore Chikae Desdunes is the No. 1 in-state player in her class. The Patriots are No. 2 in Division I select behind Huntington.
6. Parkway (10-4) - Last season (Division I non-select champions)
For the defending Division I non-select champions, Tennessee Tech commit Chloe Larry, a 5-8 senior, is ranked as the No. 3 player in Louisiana. 5-foot-10 sophomore forward Dakota Howard is the No. 12 in-state player.
The Lady Panthers ripped a 17-4 Southwood squad, 69-32, to stay undefeated in District 1-5A at 3-0. Parkway's most recent losses were by two points to Huntington and four points to Fairview. They also dropped the first two games of the season to Wossman and Huntington. Parkway won a rematch vs. Wossman, 62-53.
7. Liberty Magnet (13-1) - Last season (Division I select quarterfinalist)
The Lady Patriots, a No. 9 seed, were ousted from last season's playoffs by John Curtis Christian. 6-foot-2 senior and Southern Miss forward commit Whitney Hart is the No. 4 player in Louisiana. Hart was averaging 24 points and 11 rebounds through the first six games.
8. Zachary (11-3) - Last season (Division I non-select quarterfinalist)
The Lady Broncos are led by 5-foot-10 junior combo guard Tiarra McPipe, who poured in a career-high 32 points with 11 rebounds in a 69-54 win over Southside. Losses were to Carencro, Albany and Wossman.
9. Southside (16-3) - Last season (Division I non-select bi-district playoff team)
The experienced Sharks have good length with 6-footers Kay'Len Alexander and Alleyah Kennedy and physical shooting guards Eymani Key and Tamia Cahee. Key was recently honored for scoring her 1,000th career point. Alexander is a freshman from a family of collegiate hoopers.
Southside bounced back from a loss to Zachary with a 74-66 overtime win vs. Fairview.
10. Bastrop (21-0) - Last season (Division II non-select quarterfinalist)
The Lady Rams lost, 61-24, as an eighth seed to their district rival, top-seeded Wossman, in the third round of last season's playoffs. Bastrop has recent road wins over J.S. Clark, Ponchatoula and Natchitoches Central. Mariah Heard leads the team in scoring with 14 points per game.
11. Denham Springs (17-3) - Last season (Division I non-select bi-district)
The sixth-seeded Lady Yellow Jackets were upset by No. 27 Slidell by one point in the first round of the playoffs last season. 5-foot-5 senior guard Reagan White (11.9 ppg) is joined in double-digit scoring by Taylor Smith (10.4) and Prai Nelson (10.1).
12. Southern Lab (11-5) - Last season (Division IV select runner-up)
The Lady Kittens recently handed Liberty Magnet its first loss to an in-state opponent at the East Baton Rouge Parish Tournament. Kinsley James led Southern Lab in scoring in the 63-48 win, collecting 19 points with four 3-pointers. Asia Patin and Gabriell Hill added 12 points apiece.
13. Hicks (21-1) - Last season (Division V non-select quarterfinalist)
The No. 8 Pirates lost, 89-46, to top-seeded Fairview in last season's playoffs. The Lady Pirates have two Top 50 seniors in point guard Reese Stephens and forward Shyanne Phillips. Notable wins - versus Anacoco, Hathaway, Rosepine, Fairview and Haughton. Recently lost their first game to Anacoco.
14. Carencro (13-4) - Last season (Division I select regionals)
The Lady Bears lost to eventual state champ Lafayette High, their District 3-5A rival, in last season's playoffs. 5-foot-8 senior combo guard Shelcie LeBlanc led Carencro to a win over host St. Martinville in the Darrel Mitchell Sr. Holiday Classic.
15. Natchitoches Central (13-7) - Last season (Division I non-select quarterfinalist)
The Lady Chiefs lost to District 1-3A rival and eventual state champion Parkway in last season's playoffs. Alyssa Chander, a 5-foot-7 senior guard, is among the team's standouts. The Lady Chiefs recently lost close games to Bastrop and Carencro. Notable wins - versus Oak Hill, Southwood, Rosepine, Albany and Southern Lab.
16. Rosepine (15-5) - Last season (Division III non-select champions)
The Lady Eagles returned 5-foot-7 East Texas Baptist commit Addison Fruge from last season's top-seeded team that beat Amite, 69-61, in the title game. Notable wins - versus Fairview, Oak Hill (twice), Carencro, Anacoco.
17. Amite (14-3) - Last season (Division III non-select runner-up)
5-foot-4 senior point guard Hailey Brumfield is a top 10 player in the state. The Lady Warriors have defeated Southern Lab, Mandeville and South Beauregard. Brumfield is averaging 16.3 points, 7 rebounds, 6.2 assists and 2.3 steals per game.
18. Fairview (21-5) - Last season (Division V non-select runner-up)
Reesie Jinks will attempt to lead the Lady Panthers to a 15th state title. Fairview has notable wins vs. Parkway, Oakdale, Lakeview, Midland (three times), Oak Hill and Vandebilt Catholic.
19. Albany (14-2) - Last season (Division III non-select runner-up)
5-foot-10 senior forward Aubrey Hoyt is a player to watch for the Lady Hornets, who have wins over Mandeville, Zachary and Doyle. On Jan. 12, Albany and Amite will lock horns in a potential district title showdown. Both programs made the state final last year, with Amite playing in a smaller playoff division.
20. Church Point (13-3) - Last season (Division II non-select regionals)
The ninth-seeded Lady Bears lost to eighth-seeded Bastrop in last season's second round of the playoffs. 6-foot senior Shaine Parker and 5-foot-4 guard A'Kira Hagger are among the team leaders for Church Point, whose only losses are to Lafayette Christian, Southside and Lake Arthur.
21. Anacoco (21-3) - Last season (Division V non-select quarterfinalist)
The Lady Indians were eliminated from last season's playoffs by eventual state champion Hathaway. Anacoco has notable wins over Hicks and South Beauregard.
22. Oak Hill (18-7) - Last season (Division V select champions)
The defending Division V select champion Lady Rams loaded up with a challenging schedule that includes Huntington, Rosepine, Fairview and Natchitoches Central. 5-foot-11 senior Alexis Dyer leads the team with 18 points and nine rebounds per game.
23. Oakdale (14-4) - Last season (Division IV non-select champions)
The ninth-seeded Lady Warriors upset No. 2 Lakeview in last season's championship game. 5-foot-8 junior Emani Young is averaging 19 points, eight rebounds and four steals per game. Notable wins over J.S. Clark, French Settlement and Barbe.
24. Midland (14-6) - Last season (Division V non-select quarterfinals)
Midland features 5-foot-7 junior guard Gracie Miller and 6-foot senior forward Da'Ja-Lee LeBlanc. The Lady Rebels lost three times to Fairview and once to Lafayette Christian, Walker and Oak Hill. Midland has defeated Anacoco and Lake Arthur.
25. J.S. Clark (12-3) - Last season (Division V select runner-up)
The third-seeded Lady Bulldogs lost to top-seeded Oak Hill in last season's title game. 5-foot- sophomore Taylor Barnaba is a dynamic ball-handler for J.S.. Clark, which has a win over Southside and losses to Barbe, Bastrop and Oakdale.
On the Bubble/Best of the Rest (random order)
Lake Arthur, Arcadia,Chalmette, Mandeville, St. Martinville, Slidell, Ruston, Neville, Ponchatoula, Vandebilt Catholic, Iowa, Doyle, Westlake, Acadiana, St. Scholastica, Woodlawn-BR, Haughton, Archbishop Chappelle, Tioga, Teurlings Catholic, Madison Prep, Dunham, Sacred Heart, Holy Savior Menard, Claiborne Christian, Live Oak, South Beauregard, Pearl River, Brusly, North Vermilion, French Settlement, LaSalle, Parkview Baptist, University Lab, Lakeview, Lafayette High, St. Thomas More
Photo of Lafayette Christian's Jada Richard (30) by KATC-TV
-- Mike Coppage | @SBLiveLA
