Photograph: 2022 J. S. Clark Girl’s Basketball Team. (Photo used with the permission of J.S. Clark head girls basketball coach Tiffanie Lewis.)
BOBBY ARDOIN
Editor/Consulting Writer
The J.S. Clark Leadership Academy basketball team might be young, but the Bulldogs are definitely the pre-tournament favorite for the annual St. Landry Parish Basketball Tournament which starts Thursday.
With no seniors, a pair of juniors and a bunch of underclassmen, J.S. Clark is the top girls’ tournament seed after winning 11 of the first games.
Clark reached the semifinals last year, losing to North Central.
In the 2022 boys’ bracket, there is no dominant team, as host Northwest High (4-2) is the pre-tournament favorite. The Raiders have lost two straight games to No. 2 seed Opelousas and Lafayette Christian Academy.
The first round of the tournament venue is split this season, as the boys’ first round games are scheduled for Opelousas High beginning at 5 p.m. Thursday as third-seeded Beau Chene meets No. 6 Eunice.
Beau Chene is the girls’ first round host.
Playing in the girls’ tournament opener at 6:30 p.m. is third-seeded North Central and No. 6 Beau Chene.
The tournament stage moves to Northwest High for the Friday night semifinal contests and the tournament championship games set for Saturday night.
Girls Bracket
Clark has been set offensively by ninth grader Taylor Barnaba, a point guard averaging 16.6 points, three rebounds and 3.1 steals.
Also in double scoring figures for the Bulldogs are guard Shanna Simien (11.0). Erinanna Ned, a sophomore, averages 6.3 rebounds.
Second-seeded Opelousas (5-3) opened the season with three straight win. On Monday night the Tigers lost to Acadiana High in a home game (29-26).
North Central and Northwest played for the tournament title last year. Returning champion Northwest is seeded No. 4 in the tournament and 2-5 at this point. The Raiders haven’t played since Dec. 2 as three consecutive games were canceled.
NCHS (2-8) is off to a difficult start. The Hurricanes are also on a three-game losing streak.
The remaining teams in the bracket are Port Barre (4-4), Beau Chene (3-5) and Eunice which is winless after eight games.
Boys Bracket
Following No. 1 seed Northwest is Opelousas High, which is again coached this season by Lorenzo Williams. The Tigers are 5-3, but Clark coached this year by Ross Rix and Beau Chene each have six wins.
Eunice is the only undefeated boys’ team (4-0) with victories over Crowley, Port Barre, Church Point and Opelousas Catholic.
Defending tournament champion North Central (3-4) has lost four of the last five games, while Port Barre is 3-5 after winning consecutive games over St. Edmund and Catholic-Pointe Coupee.
BOYS SCHEDULE
Thursday
No. 3 Beau Chene-No. 6 Eunice (5 p.m. at Opelousas)
No. 2 Opelousas-No. 7 Port Barre (6:30 p.m. at Opelousas)
No. 4 North Central-No. 5 Clark ( 8 p.m. Opelousas)
Friday
No. 1 Northwest plays North Central and Clark winner 6:30 p.m.
Saturday
Boys championship game (8 .p.m. at Northwest)
GIRLS SCHEDULE
No. 2 Opelousas-No. 7 Eunice (5 p.m. at Beau Chene)
No. 3 North Central-No. 6 Beau Chene (6:30 at Beau Chene)
No. 4 Northwest-No. 5 Port Barre (8 p.m. Beau Chene)
Friday
No. 1 J.S. Clark plays Northwest-Port Barre winner (5 p.m. at Northwest)
Saturday
Girls championship game (6:30 p.m. Saturday at Northwest)
*Note: For complete times Friday and Saturday consult the tournament bracket on the St. Landry Parish website.
