Curtain call for LG seniors, defending champs play in final home game

Rodrick Anderson

Over the last four years, the top-ranked LaGrange Gators have won 107 girls basketball games, reached the quarterfinals three times and won the school’s first state championship.

Now five seniors — Jeriah Warren, Aasia Sam, Deja Tanks, Kristen Broxton and Jordynn Lafleur — get one final home game with a chance to return to the state tournament and move closer to defending their state title.

“It has been a privilege, and I was fortunate enough to coach them a little while in middle school,” LaGrange head coach LaKeem Holmes said. “They have all come up together.

“They have made three quarterfinals in four years, and now we are trying to cap it off with back-to-back state championships. They are a real focused group. This is a special group. The whole senior group was nominated for student of the year. They all had 3.5 GPAs or better.”

The Gators’ first-round home game turned into a forfeit win after Beau Chene bowed out because of COVID-19. So it will be the Gators’ first game on their home floor in nearly three weeks after going on the road Monday to beat North Vermilion in the regional round. LaGrange hasn’t lost at home since Feb. 21, 2019.

“We are excited,” Holmes said. “It is great to be back in The Swamp and have our seniors play their last game at the Swamp and hopefully advance.”

LaGrange will host No. 9 Carencro (13-5) at 6:30 p.m. today in the Class 4A quarterfinals. All five of the Bears’ losses have come against top-five teams.

“I am excited to play (Carencro),” Holmes said. “They are a young group. They remind me of us when we first started out. Hopefully, we can take advantage of a lot of young mistakes.”

LaGrange has won 21 consecutive games and has allowed more than 40 points once in its last 12 games.

“We are getting better defensively,” Holmes said. “When we are able to be sound defensively, communicate and play hard, everything else works itself out. We just have to play our style of ball and play defense.”Aasia Sam drives down court past Maliyah Alex during their game at Lagrange High School in Lake Charles, La., Friday, Jan. 22, 2021.

Rick Hickman / American Press

SportsPlus

Local News

REAL ID enforcement date now just three months away

life

Several SW La. students honored at Northwestern State

Crime

Eight DeRidder High students arrested

Local News

Wicked weather this way comes on Saturday

Jim Gazzolo

Jim Gazzolo column: Garcia best Southland has to offer

McNeese Sports

Cowboys look for finishing kick

Crime

2/13: Calcasieu Parish Sheriff announces arrest list

Local News

 BREAKING: Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed as Trump’s secretary after close Senate vote

Local News

At Oak Park Elementary, no one eats alone

Local News

Candidate Fondel airs his views at forum

life

Gettin’ jiggy wit it — Irish dance style

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