LaGrange captures first state title behind Warren’s 17 points

LaGrange won its first girls basketball state championship with a suffocating 46-31 win over two-time defending champion Warren Easton in the Class 4A state championship game Saturday night at Burton Coliseum.

The Gators (32-4) never trailed and came out strong with an 11-3 run.

Easton (22-11) scored the next six points to get within 11-9, but LaGrange went on a 10-2 run to take control.

Easton scored on consecutive possessions twice in the game and shot 27 percent from the floor. The Eagles didn’t reach double-digit points in any quarter.

LaGrange wasn’t much better at 31 percent, but pieced together enough points to get the job done.

Jeriah Warren led the way with 17 points while Alona Gray added 13. Warren also paced the Gators defense with a block and five steals. She was named the game’s Most Outstanding Player.

{{tncms-inline content=”<p><em><strong>See more photos</strong></em>&nbsp;from the girls’&nbsp;<strong>LHSAA State Tournament</strong>&nbsp;at&nbsp;<a href="https://www.americanpress.com/photos/" target="_blank">americanpress.com/photos</a>&nbsp;or&nbsp;<a href="https://photos.americanpress.com/" target="_blank">photos.americanpress.com</a></p>” id=”02f34379-6cfc-4382-806e-df5d8434a62b” style-type=”quote” title=”Pull Quote” type=”relcontent”}}

“I was frustrated with myself at halftime because my shot wasn’t falling,” Warren said. “I just told myself to be patient and take my time when I got to the basket.”

Deja Tanks had eight points and nine rebounds in the first half, with six of the rebounds coming on the offensive end. Three of her four baskets came on putbacks after grabbing an offensive rebound.

Warren Easton shot 25 percent in the first half, including 1 of 12 on 3-pointers, and turned the ball over nine times as LaGrange built a 22-14 halftime lead.

Tanks finished with eight points and 15 rebounds.

Breanna Sullon led Easton with 10 points and seven rebounds.

Gray was the lone player from either team to shoot better than 50 percent from the floor, making five of her eight field goal attempts.

“I still can’t believe it,” LaGrange head coach La’Keem Holmes said. “They deserve it. They’ve been working hard for six months, and that doesn’t include summer workouts or weights. They did it as a team. Sometimes it was Aasia Sam or Jeriah carrying the team, sometimes it was Nadailyn Carrier and Deja. This week we asked Alanna Stevens to face guard the best opposing player across a college court and she was great. It was a team effort, being great in their roles.”See more photos from the girls’ LHSAA State Tournament at americanpress.com/photos or photos.americanpress.com

SportsPlus

Local News

Family fabric: Quilting exhibition offers insight to generations of storytelling, culture and artistry

life

McNeese president’s honor list announced for fall 2024 semester

life

Walls can talk: Artist says art is essence of humanity

McNeese Sports

Selling a winning pitch

Local News

House committee address citizen concerns over carbon sequestration in Louisiana

Jim Beam

Jim Beam column:Don’t worry. Trump is fixer

Local News

Mayor talks progress, what’s ahead for the city

Local News

EMS Academy, Acadian Ambulance will be offering EMT classes in LC

Local News

City Council candidates for District C state their views

Local News

Capstone at the Oaks senior living complex nearing completion

Local News

FBI says it found 2,400 new JFK assassination records

McNeese Sports

Baseball Preview: Putting pieces in place

McNeese Sports

Shumate rallies Cowboys by ETAM

Business

Trump raises tariffs on aluminum and steel to 25%

Crime

Sheriff issues warrant for Texas man accused of theft

Local News

Parish facility management team strengthening building infrastructure

Crime

LC woman killed in crash with intoxicated driver

Local News

If FEMA didn’t exist, could states handle the disaster response alone?

life

Program uses locally grown produce to help students with healthier eating habits

Crime

2/10: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

Local News

Trump says he has directed US Treasury to stop minting new pennies, citing rising cost

Local News

Eagles deny Chiefs a three-peat

Local News

Trump says he is serious about Canada becoming 51st state

Business

Names in the News: People shaping the future of Lake Area business