Hornets return to Burton, back for another shot at state title

Rodrick Anderson

Four years after its first-ever run to the Class B state championship game, Hathaway will make its return trip to Burton Coliseum.

The No. 3 Hornets (24-5) will take on No. 2 Simsboro (23-2) at 5 p.m. in the first of two Class B semifinals games today. In the other semifinal, No. 1 Anacoco plays No. 5 JS Clark Leadership Academy.

With an experienced squad, including nine seniors, the Hornets will play in the semifinals for the third time in school history. They fell just short of the LHSAA Marsh Madness state tournament the last three seasons in the quarterfinals.

“I think we were just too young (in 2018, 2019, 2020),” Hathaway head coach Eric Willis said. “We have an older team this year.

“They have been playing together forever. It is the right time, and we had a good matchup in the quarterfinals.”

Hathaway’s starting lineup is led by forward Noah Guidry (13 ppg, 9 rpg) and guards Ian Augustine (13.5 ppg) and Koyden Lopez (11 ppg, 7 apg).

Simsboro won back-to-back state championships in 2018 and 2019 before losing in the finals last season in overtime to Doyline. While the Tigers lost some star talent Kaleb Crane and Jakemin Abney, they return senior Jamarian Cato (19.5 ppg) and junior Nick Maryland (11 ppg) plus a newcomer in sophomore Chilaydrien Newton (12.8 ppg).

“We have our hands full,” Willis said. “It is going to be really tough to stop Simsboro.

“If we play like we did the last two games, we will be alright. I have heard about him (Newton), he is really good. He is really good with the ball, and they can all shoot the ball well.”

Hathaway beat the Tigers in the semifinals in 2017 58-46 before losing to Zwolle 37-34 in the finals.

The Hornets have won seven consecutive games behind strong defensive play and will need more of the same to stop the Tigers, whose only losses this season was to Class 5A No. 2 West Monroe and Class 1A No. 4 Arcadia.

“We have to stop the easy buckets,” Willis said. “They are really athletic and get up and down the floor.

“They can really shoot the ball, so we have to take away layups first and transition points and slow it down a little. We can’t give up easy layup after easy layup. We have to be patient on offense, which I think we will be fine with an older team.

No. 1 Anacoco has run up an impressive 33-2 led by Northwestern State signee Shaun Riley.

JS Clark (21-9) started off the season 4-9 but has won 17 consecutive games led by senior 6-4 guard D’Marcus Fugett (20ppg, 10.1rpg).Hathaway senior guard Ian Augustine dribbles the ball while defended by JS Clark’s Joseph Levier.

Rodrick Anderson / American Press

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