Vote: Who should be SBLive's Louisiana High School Athlete of the Week? (3/4/2024)
Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Louisiana High School Athlete of the Week for Feb. 26-March 3. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to nominate an athlete, please email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com or tag us on Twitter.
Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified.
Chloe Larry, Parkway girls basketball
The senior made a shot seen around the world in the Division I non-select semifinals, a 65-foot 3-pointer at the buzzer that gave the Lady Panthers a 64-63 overtime win over top-seeded and undefeated Walker. Larry scored 29 points in the semis and 20 in the championship game win over No. 2 Denham Springs. Parkway, the No. 5 seed, repeated as state champions, and Larry was named Most Outstanding Player. The semifinal shot was featured on ESPN's Sportscenter.
Jeremiah Evans, Southwood boys basketball
The 6-foot-8 senior nailed a 3-pointer with seconds remaining to push the sixth-seeded Cowboys past district rival No. 3 Captain Shreve in the Division I select quarterfinals, 40-39. Southwood, which will face No. 2 Liberty in the semifinals, avenged two regular season losses to Shreve and advanced to the state tourney for the first time since 2002, according to Roy Lang of The Shreveport-Bossier Advocate.
Taylor Barnaba, J.S. Clark girls basketball
The sophomore point guard was named Most Outstanding Player after leading her team to its first state title. The second-seeded Lady Bulldogs defeated No. 1 Oak Hill, 67-45, in a rematch from 2023. Barnaba scored 18 points with eight steals and six assists. She had five points, six steals, four assists and two rebounds in the semifinal win over Family Christian.
Kelly Norris, Rosepine girls basketball
Norris helped the Lady Eagles to their second consecutive Division III non-select state title, totaling 15 points, 17 rebounds, four steals, an assist and a block in a 50-46 win over Amite. The top-seeded Lady Eagles also defeated Amite in the 2023 championship. Norris had eight points, 17 rebounds and 11 assists in the semifinal win over Westlake.
Danaya Ross, Wossman girls basketball
The Lady Wildcats claimed their third consecutive state title in dominant fashion. Ross scored 16 points with four rebounds, four steals, four assists and a block in the 63-22 rout of second-seeded South Beauregard. The top-seeded Wildcats were Division II non-select champions in 2023 and Class 3A champs in 2022. Ross scored eight points with seven assists, four rebounds and a steal in the semifinal win over Albany.
Indeara Hebert, Lafayette Christian girls basketball
The senior made all three of her field goal attempts in the Lady Knights' 43-38 win over third-seeded Madison Prep in the Division II select championship. With her team struggling offensively in the second and third quarters, Hebert stepped up and made consecutive 3-pointers. She scored six of LCA's eight points in the third quarter, finished with eight points and grabbed six rebounds with two assists. Hebert and senior teammates Eve Alexander and Jada Richard won their fourth straight title.
Imani Daniel, John Curtis Christian girls basketball
Daniel was named Most Outstanding Player after helping the second-seeded Lady Patriots defeat No. 5 Woodlawn-Baton Rouge, 60-46, in the Division I select title game. Daniel made 3-of-5 field goals and 11-of-14 free throws to finish with 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and four steals. John Curtis has won seven championships over the past eight years and will lose only one senior. Daniel made 7-of-8 field goals and finished with 16 points in the semifinal win over Liberty.
Reesie Jinks, Fairview girls basketball
Jinks, a junior, scored 39 points as the second-seeded Lady Panthers won their 15th state title by defeating top-seeded Hicks, 81-78, in the Division V non-select championship. Jinks (14-of-28 FG) added seven rebounds, four steals and two assists. She had 10 points, eight assists and three steals in the semifinal win over Anacoco.
Anna Richerson, Parkview Baptist girls basketball
Richerson posted 18 points, nine rebounds and two steals to lead the Lady Eagles to their second straight Division III select state championship. No. 2 Parkview Baptist defeated city rival No. 4 University Lab, 49-38, in the finals. In the semifinal win over No. 3 Holy Savior Menard, Richerson had 12 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three steals.
Justice Young, Arcadia girls basketball
The 6-foot senior center was named Most Outstanding Player after leading her top-seeded team to a 48-32 win over No. 2 Oakdale in the Division IV non-select championship. Young scored 16 points with 19 rebounds (10 offensive), an assist and a block as Arcadia capitalized on 23 second-chance points. She scored 21 points with 11 rebounds in a 60-29 semifinal win over Lakeview.
Amijah Price, Woodlawn-Baton Rouge girls basketball
The fifth-seeded Lady Panthers surprised No. 1 Huntington in the Division I select semifinals. Price was 20-for-20 from the free-throw line and scored 33 points with 10 rebounds, five assists and four steals in the 71-58 win. Woodlawn finished as runner up to John Curtis Christian.
Asia Patin, Southern Lab girls basketball
The sophomore guard was named Most Outstanding Player of the Division IV select championship. Patin scored 18 points with 13 rebounds in the top-seeded Kittens' 56-41 win over No. 2 Northwood-Lena. She had 11 points, seven rebounds, six assists and six steals in the semifinal win over Sacred Heart.
TJ Callahan, Episcopal boys basketball
Callahan spurred his team, a No. 13 seed, to upsets at No. 4 Calvary Baptist and No. 5 St. Thomas Aquinas in the Division III select playoffs. The senior Kentucky State football/basketball signee totaled 17 points, 10 rebounds, five assists and two steals in the 76-61 quarterfinal win over STA. The Knights will challenge top-seeded Isidore Newman in the semifinals. Callahan totaled 15 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks in the regional win in Shreveport.
Jaylen Peters, Liberty Magnet boys basketball
The 6-foot-6 senior had 17 points, 11 rebounds and two blocks to boost the second-seeded Patriots past No. 10 Scotlandville, 53-46, in the Division I select quarterfinals. Liberty (24-3) will take on No. 6 Southwood in the semifinals. The Patriots are on a mission after missing the 2023 playoffs.
Joley Bennett, D'Arbonne Woods Charter softball
The eighth grader went 4-for-4 in a 15-5 win over Calvin, hitting a double and her second home run of the season. D'Arbonne Woods, which also defeated Weston and Claiborne Christian for a 3-0 week, made an impressive run through the 2023 Division III select playoffs as a No. 6 seed. upsetting No. 2 Notre Dame and No. 3 St. Charles Catholic to finish as runner up to Calvary Baptist. Bennett homered 16 times as a seventh grader.
Kylan Edwards, Pineville boys basketball
Edwards made the game-winning shot in the fourth-seeded Rebels' 46-45 win over No. 5 Edna Karr in the Division I select quarterfinals. He also led the team in scoring with 16 points. Pineville (24-4) can avenge last season's quarterfinal loss with an upset of No. 1 St. Thomas More on Wednesday.
Taylor Williams, Albany softball
Williams batted 4-for-7 over the weekend as the Lady Hornets split two games, defeating Fontainebleau and losing to Mandeville. The junior is hitting .500 on the year for Albany, which finished as 2023 Division II non-select runner up to North DeSoto.
Aubrey Hobbs, Sam Houston softball
Hobbs hit a grand slam, her fourth home run of the season, in a 12-6 win over West Ouachita. The Lady Broncos, who were 2023 Division I non-select runners up to St. Amant, have a deceptive 3-6 record with close losses to other state powers.
Miki Watts, Loranger softball
The UL Ragin' Cajuns' commit batted 6-for-7 with three doubles, two walks (one intentional) and three stolen bases as Loranger defeated Fontainebleau and Springfeild. The Lady Wolves (5-3) have won three straight games.
Ahmad Hudson, Ruston boys basketball
The freshman recorded a triple-double in the eighth-seeded Bearcats' 62-55 Division I non-select quarterfinal win at Zachary. Hudson scored 12 points with 12 rebounds and 10 blocks to send Ruston back to the state tourney. The Bearcats take on No. 5 Natchitoches Central in the semifinals.
Cayden Tullier, East Ascension softball
The sophomore batted .833 with three home runs, a double, five RBIs, three walks and two stolen bases as the Lady Spartans (7-4) defeated Academy of Our Lady and St. James.
Austin Canale, Fontainebleau baseball
The senior tossed a one-hitter, throwing 97 pitches in a 3-1 win over Lakeshore with seven strikeouts (six looking), according to Mike Pervel of nola.com. The Bulldogs are 5-5 on the year.
Jayce Depron, Madison Prep boys basketball
Depron's 16 points paced the top-seeded Chargers to a 66-57 win over No. 8 Archbishop Hannan in the Division II select quarterfinals. Prep (25-2) will face No. 4 Archbishop Shaw in the semifinals.
Kourtney Sepulvado, Zwolle softball
Sepulvado struck out 13 and yielded one hit in five innings as the Lady Hawks defeated East Beauregard, 10-0. Zwolle, which is 13-1 and No. 2 in the Division V non-select power ratings, has outscored its last six opponents, 90-0.
Ava West, Sterlington softball
The freshman went 4-for-7 with two doubles, a triple and four RBIs in wins over Buckeye and Tioga. Sterlington, the 2023 Division III non-select runner up, is 10-0 and No. 1 in the power ratings.
