Welcome to the first edition of the Top 25 2024-25 Louisiana Girls High School Basketball State rankings.
In the debut of last season’s rankings, Lafayette Christian and Walker were easy choices to lead the pack with undefeated records.
As top teams continue to face each other more frequently in early season tournaments, it’s more difficult than ever to remain undefeated. Two of the teams in our top 25 are only a game over .500 due to rigorous scheduling.
Here is a look at our top 25 teams in the state. Check back each week for updated rankings. Records and power ratings as reflected on Geaux Preps on Dec. 19, 2024.
Power Rating: No. 1 (Division II nonselect)
The Wildcats followed their only loss (to Parkway) with a win over the Panthers. Ramiah Augurson (6-0, Sr.) was named Tournament MVP at the Showdown at the Lake. Last year, Wossman went 25-4 in the regular season and won the Division II state championship. Anyra Wilson averaged 10 ppg. Augurson averaged 12 points and eight rebounds.
Noteworthy wins: Huntington, Parkway, Southern Lab, J.S. Clark, John Curtis Christian, Lakeview.
Power rating: No. 1 (Division I select)
The Patriots only graduated one senior from last year’s team that went 19-4 in the regular season. They lost a starter in Chikae Desdunes, who transferred to a prep school, but returned key players such as Imani Daniel, Bailey Timmons, Jayla Albert and KeSonja Nelson.
The Patriots, who won their seventh state championship in eight years, have wins over Lafayette Christian, J.S. Clark, Mandeville and Vandebilt Catholic with a loss to Wossman.
Power rating: No. 1 (Division I nonselect)
The Panthers blitzed Denham Springs, 57-29, to win last season’s Division I title. Dakota Howard (15 ppg), Savannah Wilson (8 ppg) and Zara Baker-Scanlon (8 ppg) are returning starters.
Parkway, which is coming off a loss in its last game to new district rival Huntington (in a non-league contest), has wins over Arcadia, Wossman, Denham Springs, Oakdale, Vandebilt Catholic, Woodlawn-BR and Oak Hill. Its other loss was to Wossman.
Power rating: No. 2 (Division I nonselect)
The Wildcats went 33-0 in the 2023-24 regular season and brought back Arionna Patterson and LaShantae Clay. Patterson is averaging 17.6 points per game. Clay is averaging seven assists and 4.1 steals. Patterson posted 28 points in a 62-34 win over Parkview Baptist, according to Charles Salzer of The Baton Rouge Advocate. Logan Cookmeyer added 15.
The Wildcats, who lost in last season’s semifinals to No. 5 Parkway on a long-distance buzzer-beater, have wins over Midland and Denham Springs with an upcoming game against Lafayette Christian Dec. 19.
Power rating: No. 10 (Division I select)
The Raiders went 24-2 and earned the No. 1 playoff seed last season (lost to Woodlawn-BR in the semis). Carley Hamilton (18 ppg), Kyndal Graham (17 ppg), Jaila Marshall (10 ppg) and Jamar’li Bell (9 ppg) all returned.
The Raiders are on an impressive three-game winning streak (Southwood, Arcadia and Parkway). Its losses were to Wossman, Southern Lab and Lakeview.
Power rating: No. 5 (Division I nonselect)
The Broncos feature Ava Raymond and Tiarra McPipe, who combined for 53 points in a 60-54 win over Southern Lab, according to William Weathers of The Baton Rouge Advocate. Raymond and McPipe combined for 19 rebounds. McPipe had seven assists.
Zachary’s only loss is to Lafayette High. The Broncos have wins over Oak Grove and Vandebilt Catholic.
Power rating: No. 1 (Division IV select)
The Kittens went 24-7 last season, won a state title and defeated Lafayette Christian (which went 31-1) along the way. Junior point guard Asia Patin is one of the top players in the state. Lab got a boost with the return of Shaila Forman, who led the Kittens to a state title as a sophomore (missed last year due to injury). Kori Wesley is an elite defender.
The Kittens have wins over Huntington, Natchitoches Central (which is 11-1), Lafayette, Barbe and Woodlawn-BR with losses to Wossman and Fairview.
Power rating: No. 6 (Division I select)
The Panthers went 22-9 in last year’s regular season and finished as runner-up to John Curtis after upsetting No. 1 Huntington in the semifinals as a No. 5 seed. Four of five starters were underclassmen, including Amijah Price (18 points, 8 reb., 7 assists per game).
Woodlawn has wins over Fairview, Madison Prep and Liberty with losses to Parkway and Southern Lab.
Power rating: No. 1 (Class B)
The Panthers went 28-7 in the regular season last year and won a state title, their 13th. Coach Kyle Jinks won his 1,000th game this week. Only one senior, Ella Reeves, graduated. Reesie Jinks scored 39 points in the championship game vs. Hicks. Kaylee Guillory, Avery Williams and Andi Turner are returning starters.
Fairview has wins over Southern Lab, Ponchatoula, Midland and Vandebilt Catholic with losses to Woodlawn-BR and Oak Hill.
Power rating: No. 3 (Division I select)
The Lions lost to John Curtis in last year’s quarterfinals in a rematch of the previous year’s title game won by Lafayette. Key players include McKayla Sky Jones and Kira Johnson, who scored her 1,000th point last season.
The Lions have wins over Zachary and Hathaway with losses to Ponchatoula and Southern Lab.
Power rating: No. 5 (Division II select)
The Terriers only graduated one senior from last year’s state tourney team. Makayla Charles, Journee Johnson and Tyanna Stewart were the leading scorers. Vandebilt Catholic has wins over Lafayette Christian, Madison Prep and Ponchatoula with losses to Parkway, Fairview, Zachary and John Curtis.
Power rating: No. 2 (Class B)
The Rams returned three starters from last year’s team that went 26-13 in the regular season and won a state title. Brilee Dousay, Lainey Johnson and Jodie Jowers all averaged double figures.
Oak Hill has wins over Simpson and Fairview with losses to Airline and Simpson.
Power rating: No. 4 (Division I nonselect)
The Tigers bounced back from their first loss (to Destrehan) with a 61-58 win over Ponchatoula. Jaelynn Elliott’s 21 points led the way, followed by Madyson Parker (14) and Cianni Williams (13), according to Ken Trahan of Crescent City Sports.
Slidell has wins over E.D. White (which is 10-1), Albany, Mandeville and Archbishop Chapelle.
Power rating: No. 2 (Division I select)
The Cougars, who lost in the opening round of last year’s playoffs to No. 16 Acadiana, are led by the duo of sophomore guard Cass Antoine (18 ppg) and 6-foot-4 senior center Sanaa Bean (14 ppg).
Karr has wins over Hahnville, Madison Prep and Liberty with an upcoming game vs. Lafayette High.
Power rating: No. 1 (Division II select)
The Cubs, who went 21-11 in the regular season, finished as runner-up in Division III to top-seeded Parkview Baptist. University, which moved up to Division II, brought back leading scorers Kennedy Aldridge (19 ppg) and Taylor Lee (12 ppg).
U-High has wins over East Ascension (which is 11-1), Denham Springs and Liberty Magnet.
Power rating: No. 7 (Division III select)
The four-time defending champions are back in Class 2A, their actual enrollment class, after spending time playing up in Class 4A. The Knights lost by a total of eight points to Oakdale, Iowa, John Curtis and Vandebilt Catholic.
Jada Richard, Eve Alexander and Indy Hebert graduated. 6-foot-0 junior forward Kaliyah Samuels had 22 points to pace the Knights in an impressive 67-47 win over Barbe, which had only lost once. Taelyn Taylor is a four-year starter. Logan Boutte is eligible after sitting out a year (transfer). She had a nice freshman campaign at Highland Baptist. Shanna Simien and Peyton Dean are players to watch.
Power rating: No. 7 (Division I select)
The Green Wave is in its first year in the select division after losing in the second round of the nonselect playoffs to No. 6 Zachary as a No. 11 seed. Alyssa Hillard, Zion Duncan and Taliah Jackson are players to watch.
Ponchatoula has wins over Lafayette High and East St. John with losses to Slidell, Fairview and Vandebilt Catholic.
Power rating: No. 1 (Division IV nonselect)
The Hornets, who went 28-3 in last year’s regular season (state champs), graduated two seniors. DeAsia Alexander (6-foot-0, soph.) scored 15 points with 13 rebounds in a 60-29 rout of Lakeview in the semifinals.
Arcadia has wins over Ouachita Parish and West Monroe with losses to Parkway (51-38) and Huntington (49-42).
Power rating: No. 1 (Division III nonselect)
The Tigers are led by Caroline Bradley, a 6-foot-5 sophomore who is a candidate for the no. 1 player in the nation. Oak Grove lost to Zachary with wins over Class 5A West Monroe and Neville.
Power rating: No. 3 (Division I nonselect)
The Buccaneers lost to No. 1 Walker as a No. 8 seed in last season’s quarterfinals. 6-foot-3 junior forward Shaniya Perkins is a player to watch. Haughton has wins over Lakeview, South Beauregard and Denham Springs.
Power rating: No. 6 (Division I nonselect)
The Yellow Jackets went 26-4 in the regular season and finished as runner-up to Parkway (as a No. 2 seed). Prai Nelson and Kennedi Lindsey are returning starters.
Denham Springs took Walker to overtime recently before losing, 59-54. That was the first game that Walker hasn’t won by at least 17 points. The Yellow Jackets have wins over Doyle, Liberty, St. Scholastica and Mandeville with losses to Parkway, Haughton and University.
Power rating: No. 9 (Division I nonselect)
The Buccaneers have a deep lineup led by guard Mia Colston, who rarely misses when she gets into a groove. Colston got in foul trouble in a loss to Lafayette Christian but still scored 12 points in limited minutes. Barbe also has a loss to Southern Lab with two wins over Iowa and wins over Midland and South Beauregard.
Power rating: No. 2 (Division II nonselect)
Di’Amon Levings and Aubrey Young are among the players to watch for the Yellow Jackets, who lost by two points to No. 2 South Beauregard in the quarterfinals last year as a No. 7 seed.
Iowa has wins over Lafayette Christian and Sulphur (which is 9-1) with two losses to Barbe and a loss to Lakeview.
Power rating: No. 2 (Class C)
The Broncos have wins over Oak Hill and Florien with a loss to Oak Hill. Hallie Rollins scored 12 points in a 40-point win over St. Joseph’s Plaucheville.
Power rating: No. 10 (Division I nonselect)
The Chiefs’ only loss is to Southern Lab (wins over Rosepine, Oakdale, South Beauregard and Peabody).
On the Bubble: East Ascension (11-1), Sulphur (9-1), Mandeville (7-3), Airline (7-1), Neville (7-2), Lakeview (10-4), Oakdale (10-4), Alexandria (10-1). J.S. Clark (9-4)
