South Beauregard girls squad gets production from senior trio in Division II non-select semifinal win
HAMMOND, LOUISIANA - South Beauregard's three seniors combined to score 42 points in the Lady Knights' 60-39 Division II non-select semifinal win over Church Point on Wednesday at the University Center.
Kenzie Hudler led the way with 17 points, 16 rebounds, two steals and an assist. Kaelyn Gunter added 13 points, five assists and three rebounds. Emorie Fontenot chipped in 12 points, 12 boards, two steals, a block and an assist.
"I'm just thrilled," South Beauregard coach Susan Johnson said. "We're blessed to make it back (to the state tournament) this year. That was our goal: let's just make it back."
The Lady K's (27-7) advanced to face the No. 1 Wossman - which beat Albany in Wednesday's other semifinal - in the title game on Saturday at 4 p.m. In 2023, a fourth-seeded South Beauregard team lost to No. 1 Wossman in the semifinals, as the Lady Wildcats went on to win their second straight state title.
"Losing four seniors last year, we said, 'What are we going to do now?'" Johnson said. "We went back to the drawing board and figured it out. These three (seniors) stepped up."
The second-seeded Lady K's won their final 13 regular-season games ahead of playoff wins over No. 7 Iowa and No. 15 Leesville. Division I non-select No. 1 Walker was the last team to defeat South Beauregard (in December).
"Whenever you put together a schedule, you have to gamble," Johnson said. "I gave ourselves six games that could go either way. Down the home stretch, I knew we could go undefeated.
"Once the power points began rolling in, I said that we're going to get to the No. 2 seed. We knew we had to win the district for the stars to line up, and we did."
Hudler and Fontenot, South Beauregard's twin towers, provided power in the paint against No. 6 Church Point. Gunter accounted for two of her team's three 3-pointers and made 5-of-6 free throws. Hudler was 5-of-7 and Fontenot was 6-for-6 from the charity stripe.
"Our last two games (34-32 vs. Iowa and 59-38 vs. Leesville) were a little closer than we would've liked," Hudler said. "We were shooting ourselves out of the game.
"The starters got together and said that if we take a shot, it needs to be off momentum. It needs to be off a pass."
South Beauregard's Kaelyn Gunter (left) talks to head coach Susan Johnson (right) while teammate Emorie Fontenot looks on after the Lady Knights' Division II non-select semifinal victory Feb. 28, 2024.
Twelve of South Beauregard's 16 field goals came via assists. Madilynn Derouen added eight points, and Faith Johnson scored six.
The Knights made up for a 32% shooting percentage (16-of-50 FG) by sinking 25-of-33 free throws. (75.8%).
"I can't tell you who is going to score the most points," Johnson said. "We're a momentum team. If we stand around, we can't throw a quarter in the ocean.
"When we move in and out and get momentum, it opens things up with everyone touching the ball."
Louisiana high school girls basketball Top 25 rankings (2/25/2024)
South Beauregard outscored Church Point, 17-6, in the second quarter and 18-10 in the fourth. The teams played to an 11-all stalemate in the first quarter.
The Lady Bears (27-7) were without star senior Shaine Parker, who was sidelined due to concussion protocol.
Parker, who was leading the Bears in points and rebounds, was fouled hard in the closing seconds of a 47-43 quarterfinal win at No. 3 Bastrop.
"Our goal was to make it to this (semifinal) game and win it," Gunter said. "Our dream is to win a state championship."
The Lady K's will be playing in their first state title game since 2017 when they defeated Albany.
Johnson and her assistants all played for South Beauregard. Johnson was an assistant coach on the 2017 team. Basketball tradition runs deep in the rural Southwest Louisiana community.
"It's like a cult," Johnson quipped. "Once you're a Lady K, you're always one."
Community ties in the Ragley/Longville area are generational. Hudler, for instance, said she "isn't from the area," even though she moved there in the first grade.
"It's a culture," she said. "People from other teams ask how we know each other so well. It's always been these two playing with me (referring to Gunter and Fontenot). I grew up being able to learn their moves, learn my moves and work with each other.
"That's really what Lady K's are; we feed off each other from Day 1."
Akirra Hagger and Ery'ul Johnson scored in double figures for the Bears, who enjoyed their best season ever. Hagger had 12 points, Johnson 11. Three Lady Bears fouled out and two others finished with four fouls.
"We're going to try our best to win it," Fontenot said of the title game. "No matter what gets in our way, we're going for the win."
Photo of South Beauregard senior players Emorie Fontenot (from left), Kaelyn Gunter and Kenzie Hudler
-- Mike Coppage | @SBLiveLA
