Rodrick Anderson

A trio of teams from Southwest La. have their eye on the Class B girls basketball state championship this week.

No. 13 Bell City is looking to continue its string of upsets, powerhouse No. 2 Fairview is out to defend its 2020 title, and Hathaway is looking to ride its top billing to a state championship.

Both semifinal games will be played today at Burton Coliseum. Hathaway (22-3) and Bell City (17-7) will play at 5 p.m. while Fairview (27-3) and Florien (24-2) will wrap up the first day of the Louisiana High School Athletic Associations’ Marsh Madness state tournament at 7:30 p.m.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the LHSAA split the semifinals between Burton Coliseum and Southeastern Louisiana University Center in Hammond. All championship games will be played in Hammond March 4-6.

Bell City, who beat two top-five seeds, is making its first appearance at the state tournament since 1990.

“It feels good,” Bell City head coach Tracy Fontenot said. “It was kind of unexpected.

“They finally got to the point that they believed in themselves. We have a lot of young kids that finally started to step up.”

Senior guard Josie Ogea averaged more than 23 points a game during the first three rounds of the playoffs, while senior Emma Merrit averages 15.7 rebounds per game.

Fontenot said limiting turnovers will be key.

“The key is to not turn the ball over and keep them off the boards,” Fontenot said. “We have to handle their pressure.

“They (Hathaway) can score. We played them close for two and a half quarters the last time we met them. We just have to put a complete game together. We have to sustain the energy because they (Hathaway) won’t quit.”

Despite a pair of double-digit wins over the Bruins in the regular season, the Hornets are not looking ahead to the state championship game yet.

“Myself and our team are not overlooking them,” Hathaway head coach Courtnee Young said. “Although we beat them pretty bad in district, we are pretending that it never happened.”

Hathaway lost just one player from last season’s runner up team and has three players averaging in double-figures in Chloey Guidry (25ppg), Lamiyah Sanchez (17ppg) and Madison Suire (11ppg).

“I know we were there last year, but we are still excited,” Young said. “We are not just happy to be there, we want to win, and we are going to do our very best to win and hopefully be playing in the finals.”

Fairview has one of its largest senior groups in years in 2020 Class B MVP Rylee Jinks, Courtlyn Martin, Emily Stark and Coco Williams and played one of the toughest schedules in the state with losses to a trio of No. 1 seeds in LaGrange, St. Louis Catholic and Mt. Carmel.

“Our speed is next-level speed,” Fairview head coach Kyle Jinks said. “Our intensity is at another level.

“Our rebounding has gotten batter. I think it is because we have four seniors, and they understand the situation they are in.”

It is a rematch of last year’s semifinal where the Panthers beat the Bearcats 67-45. Both teams are averaging more than 80 points a game in the playoffs.

“They have a legendary coach (Dewain Strother) over there,” Jinks said. “He always puts a good team on the floor. I think it is going to be a tough, close game, but we are ready to play.”Bell City’s Emma Merrit attempts a block during a game earlier this season. Merrit is averaging 15.7 rebounds per game.

Rick Hickman / American PressFairview’s Rylee Jinks drives to the basketball during a game earlier this year. Fairview meets Florien in a Class B semifinal game tonight at Burton Coliseum.

Rick Hickman / American PressHathaway’s Chloey Guidry works her way around a JS Clark defender in a game on Jan. 12.

Rodrick Anderson / American Press