Twelve champions will be crowned in Louisiana high school girls basketball during the state finals on March 1-2 and all the exciting action can be found on CST.
For the best of the best in Louisiana, it all comes down to this. Teams have been vying for championships in their respective classes and divisions this week in the Allstate Sugar Bowl LHSAA Girls’ Marsh Madness at Rapides Coliseum in Alexandria.
Ten defending champions were in the 48-team field: No. 5 East Ascension (5A), No. 2 Warren Easton (4A), top-seeded Loranger (3A), No. 2 North Caddo (2A), No. 4 Delhi (1A), No. 1 John Curtis (Division I), No. 1 Plainview (Class C), No. 4 Ursuline Academy (Division II), St. Katharine Drexel (Division III) and Lafayette Christian (Division IV).
As of Feb. 28 at 3 p.m., eight defending champions remain standing. By Friday, the number of total teams will be narrowed down to 24 that will have their title aspirations intact.
Defending Class 3A champion Loranger edged Northwest 43-42 in the semifinals to reach the championship game against No. 2 Madison Prep.
“We knew it was going to be a dogfight,” Loranger coach Sean Shields said to The Advocate. “They had a great game plan in slowing us down. They looked like the veteran team on the floor and we didn’t.”
In Division I, two-time defending champion John Curtis defeated St. Joseph’s 61-45 in the semifinals as they strive for their spot in history with a three-peat. John Curtis will face Mt. Carmel in the championship game, who handed them a 45-44 loss earlier in the season.
Congrats to John Curtis for advancing to the Division I Girls’ Marsh Madness Finals! #allstatesugarbowl
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 28, 2019
“The loss to Mount Carmel I would hope humbled them to the point to know that if you don’t show up and you don’t execute (that) you give anyone a chance to beat you,” John Curtis coach Barbara Farris said to The Advocate. “That is something we’ve been drilling home over the years even though we’ve been very successful.”
Defending 4A champion Warren Easton beat Minden 53-39 and are confident they have what it takes to knock off No. 1 Benton in the title game.
Warren Easton advances to the Class 4A Finals! Congrats! pic.twitter.com/F95VUBN2GT
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 27, 2019
“We’re going to get the job done. He believed we could do it, so we’re going to do it,” Warren Easton senior Kiana Anderson said to The Advocate. “We’ll bring it home, hold up No. 2. We’re greedy. We want it all, and we’re going to take what’s ours.”
Allstate Sugar Bowl LHSAA Girls’ Marsh Madness Finals
March 1:
Division V (10 a.m.): No. 1 Claiborne Christian (18-16) vs. No. 2 Family Community (15-10)
Division IV (noon): No. 1 Lafayette Christian (32-5) vs. No. 3 Vermilion Catholic
Division II (2 p.m.): No. 1 Lee (32-2) vs. No. 2 St. Louis Catholic (30-6)
Class C (4 p.m.): No. 1 Plainview (37-7) vs. No. 6 Reeves (21-14)
Class 1A (6 p.m.): No. 3 Elton (29-3) vs. No. 4 Delhi (22-13)
Class 4A (8 p.m.): No. 1 Benton vs. No. 2 Warren Easton
March 2:
Division III (10 a.m.): No. 1 St. Thomas Aquinas (19-10) vs. No. 2 Northlake Christian (24-4)
Division I (noon): No. 1 John Curtis (28-4) vs. No. 3 Mt. Carmel (22-9)
Class B (2 p.m.): No. 2 Anacoco (39-2) vs. No. 5 Hicks (34-8)
Class 2A (4 p.m.): Winner of No. 2 North Caddo/No. 6 Red River vs. winner of No. 4 Mansfield/No. 8 Rayville
Class 3A (6 p.m.): No. 1 Loranger vs. No. 2 Madison Prep
Class 5A (8 p.m.): Winner of No. 2 Walker/No. 6 Denham Springs vs. winner of No. 5 East Ascension vs. No. 9 Captain Shreve
Allstate Sugar Bowl LHSAA Girls’ Marsh Madness Semifinals Results (per The Advocate and LHSAA)
Monday
Division V: (2) Family Community 52, (3) Family Christian 37
Congrats to Family Community the winners in the Division V Semi-Finals for Girls’ Marsh Madness!!
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 25, 2019
Division V: (1) Claiborne Christian 36, Grace Christian 25
Congrats to Claiborne Christian for winning the Division V Girls’ Basketball Semi-Finals! Claiborne Christian will host Family Community in the Finals! #girlsmarshmadness pic.twitter.com/rLso8BQV6W
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 25, 2019
Division IV: (1) Lafayette Christian 69, (5) Ouachita Christian 33
Congrats to Lafayette Christian for advancing to the Division IV Girls’ Marsh Madness Finals! pic.twitter.com/VmGqHM1b1U
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 25, 2019
Division IV: (3) Vermilion Catholic 49, (2) Houma Christian 44
Vermilion Catholic will advance to the Division IV Finals!!! Congrats! #girlsmarshmadness pic.twitter.com/KBu99gDDto
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 26, 2019
Class C: (6) Reeves 45, (2) Atlanta 31
Reeves advances to the Class C Girls’ Basketball Finals! Congrats! pic.twitter.com/gmBVJmrMHC
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 26, 2019
Class C: (1) Plainview 68, (4) Ebarb 46
Tuesday
Division II: No. 2 St. Louis Catholic (29-6) 87, (3) University 86, OT
Congrats to St. Louis on advancing to the Division II Girls’ Marsh Madness Finals with an overtime win over University High! #girlsmarshmadness #allstatesugarbowl #rapidescoliseum pic.twitter.com/x47CIe51IO
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 26, 2019
Division II: (1) Lee (31-2) 79, (4) Ursuline Academy 61
Congrats to Lee Magnet for their win over Ursuline Academy in the Allstate Sugar Bowl/LHSAA Girls’ Marsh Madness Division II Semi-Finals! #allstatesugarbowlmarshmadness #lhsaa #girlsbasketball #divisionII pic.twitter.com/nxVzsyNBQ2
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 26, 2019
Class 1A: (4) Delhi 59, (1) East Iberville 57
Congrats to the Delhi Bears for advancing to the Class 1A Finals! #girlsmarshmadness #allstatesugarbowl #lhsaa pic.twitter.com/Zk4yixifmX
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 26, 2019
Class 1A: (3) Elton 38, (2) KIPP B.T. Washington 34
Congrats to Elton for advancing to the Class 1A Finals! #girlsmarshmadness pic.twitter.com/X4nHXH6dhe
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 27, 2019
Class 4A: Benton 47, (5) Ellender 46
Benton will advance to the Allstate Sugar Bowl/LHSAA Girls’ Marsh Madness Class 4A Finals! Congrats! pic.twitter.com/WM37SBbQx7
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 27, 2019
Class 4A: (2) Warren Easton 53, (3) Minden 39
Wednesday
Division III: (2) Northlake Christian 59 (3) St. Katharine Drexel 49
Northlake Christian will advance to the Division III Finals! Congrats! #girlsmarshmadness pic.twitter.com/AS0O1vfq3M
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 27, 2019
Division III: (1) St. Thomas Aquinas 70 (5) Country Day 39
St. Thomas Aquinas advances to the Division III Finals in Girls’ Marsh Madness! Congrats!
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 27, 2019
Class B: (5) Hicks 58 (9) Zwolle 49
Hicks advances to the Class B Finals in Girls’ Marsh Madness! Congrats! pic.twitter.com/1IJNqdd4Wc
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 27, 2019
Class B: (2) Anacoco 59 (3) Fairview 46
Congrats to the Anacoco Lady Indians for advancing to the Allstate Sugar Bowl/LHSAA Class B Girls’ Marsh Madness Finals! pic.twitter.com/bq6ooIVs1h
— LHSAA (@LHSAA) February 28, 2019
Class 3A: (1) Loranger 43, (4) Northwest 42
Class 3A: Madison Prep 59, Albany 46
Thursday
Division I: (2) Mt. Carmel 32 (3) Dominican 22
Division I: (1) John Curtis 61, (5) St. Joseph’s Academy 45