Charles Smith and Markel Brown of undefeated Class 4A state champion Peabody swept the major awards for the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 4A boys all-state boys basketball team, winning Coach of the Year and Player of the Year honors, respectively.

By Bob Tompkins
Written for the LSWA

Charles Smith and Markel Brown of undefeated Class 4A state champion Peabody swept the major awards for the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 4A boys all-state boys basketball team, winning Coach of the Year and Player of the Year honors, respectively.

Melanie Durio, who guided her Beau Chene team to its first district championship, was voted the girls’ Coach of the Year, and LSU signee Theresa Plaisance of Houma’s Vandebilt Catholic was selected as the girls’ Player of the Year.

Smith, with just two seniors, guided the Warhorses to a 41-0 record, with only a handful of victories being decided by 16 points or less, including a gritty 61-58 victory over Bossier for the state title. One of his seniors was the 6-foot-5 Brown, an Oklahoma State signee and District 4-4A MVP who averaged 32 points, 8 rebounds, 3 steals and 3 blocked shots a game.

“Any time you win an award, it’s an honor, but winning it in Class 4A – I think that’s the toughest class of basketball in Louisiana,” Smith said. “It’s so hard to even get to the Top 28 in Class 4A, so, to me, it’s a real honor.”

Brown adds, “I just want to say thanks to my family for supporting me and thanks to my teammates for lifting me up the whole way. I never thought I’d be 4A state player of the year. It’s just an honor.”

Durio led her basketball team from Arnaudville to a 26-5 overall record, including an 11-0 league record to claim the school’s first district championship. The Gators went from eight wins and almost dropping the program to hosting the school’s first girls playoff game and winning, before losing in the regional round by one point in overtime to Ruston.

“Wow! It was an amazing year, for sure – a big turnaround from where we were last year, winning eight games while wondering whether they’d drop the program,” Durio said. “We played with what we had – the eight girls from last year, and we got some girls in … and I give all my credit to them. The girls just stepped up and had an awesome run.”

Plaisance, a 6-foot-5 senior, averaged 16 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocked shots a game (often sitting much of the second half of lopsided games on the bench) and led Vanderbilt Catholic (35-1) to its first state title after the Terriers finished as the state runner-up last year. On the big stage of the state championship game, she scored 24 points in a 70-51 victory over Jennings, hitting 7 of 10 field goals and 10 of 11 free throws, and she blocked five shots.

“This has really been an amazing year for our school in general. I’m thrilled to have a state championship,” Plaisance said.” Just me getting the MVP is nothing compared to our team goals and team (state championship) win. It’s just the icing on the cake for me. It’s a great honor and I really appreciate it.”

Joining Brown on the Class 4A boys all-state first team are Salmen’s junior forward T.J. Price, 5-10 junior Jalan West of state runner-up Bossier, 6-4 senior Trevon Lewis of Ellender and 6-6 senior Ronald McGee of Istrouma.

Price, the MVP of District 8-4A and New Orleans’ large schools, averaged 20.3 points, 8 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 2.1 steals besides being a 71-percent shooter from the foul line and hitting 38 percent from 3-point range. West averaged 15.9 points, 4.5 assists and just under 2 steals a game, and Lewis averaged 22.3 points, 12.6 rebounds and 4.3 blocks in claiming the District 8-4A MVP honor. McGee avergaed 22.4 points, 5 assists and 4 rebounds a game, and, at 6-6, even played some at point guard.

Making the boys’ second team were 6-6 junior and District 5-4A MVP Desharick Guidry of Washngton-Marion (18 ppg 10 rpg, 2 bpg), senior Jonathan Ross of Wossman (District 3-4A MVP, 18 ppg, 12rpg), 6-4 senior Jarvis Ray of O. Perry Walker (21.6 ppg), 6-6 junior Trevante Drye of Baton Rouge’s Glen Oaks (19 ppg, 13 rpg, 3 bpg, 2 spg) and 6-0 senior Donovan Williams of Cecilia (6-4A MVP, 22 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 2.1 spg and 1.8 apg).

Liann McCarthy, a 5-10 senior from Ursuline, also helps lead the girls first team with averages of 17.7 points a game and helped the Lions go 40-0 in district the last three seasons.

Joining Plaisance and McCarthy on the girls’ first team are 5-5 senior KK Babin of St. Michael in Baton Rouge (7-4A MVP, 15 ppg, 5 apg, 4 spg), 5-7 junior Shalyn Riley of Jennings (5-4A MVP, 18.4 ppg, 8.6 rpg, 2.1 spg, 1.5 apg) and Glen Oaks’ 5-10 senior Blessin Bush (17 ppg, 10 rpg).

The girls second team features 5-6 sophomore Lulu Perry of Benton (2-4A MVP, 25.5 ppg, 5.3 rpg, 2.4 spg, 3.6 apg), 6-0 senior Chelsea Broussard of Beau Chene (averaged 17 points and 12 rebounds), 5-8 senior Natasha Wiltz of Cecilia (24.5 ppg, 10 rpg, 2.3 spg, 3 bpg), 6-0 junior Sharnice Brooks of Bastrop (15 ppg, 10 rpg) and 5-9 junior Tiffany Wallace of Leesville (4-4A MVP, 29 ppg, 5 rpg, 2 apg).

CLASS 4A ALL-STATE CHARTS
GIRLS
First-team
Player  school  ht.     cl.     avg.
Liann McCarthy  Ursuline        5-10    Sr.     17.7
Shalyn Riley    Jennings        5-7     Jr.     18.4
Theresa Plaisance       Vandebilt Catholic      6-5     Sr.     16.0
KK Babin        St. Michael     5-5     Sr.     15.7
Blessin Bush    Glen Oaks       5-10    Sr.     17.0
Second team
Player  school  ht.     cl.     avg.
Lulu Perry      Benton  5-6     So.     25.5
Tiffany Wallace Leesville       5-9     Jr.     29.0
Chelsea Broussard       Beau Chene      6-0     Sr.     17.0
Natasha Wiltz   Cecilia 5-8     Sr.     24.5
Sharnice Brooks Bastrop 6-0     Jr.     15.0
Outstanding Player: Theresa Plaisance, Vandebilt Catholic
Coach of the Year: Melanie Durio, Beau Chene
Honorable mention: Kuaneshia Butler, Helen Cox; Chrishonda Whitlock, Peabody;
Erne’ Snowden, McDonogh 35; Jalyn Johnson, Jennings; Paige Gauthier, St.Louis
Catholic; Megan Buckley, St. Louis Catholic; Sybil Washington, Vandebilt
Catholic; Alice Robinson, Parkway; Ciara Sanders, Woodlawn-Shreveport; Biaca
Davis, Cecilia; Kari Payton, Bastrop; Rosa Bryant, Bastrop; Byroneisha Santiago, Ruston; Latoya Whitley, Franklin Parish; Coretta Mingo, Washington-Marion; Sky Morton, Ursuline; Jeanne Kenney, St. Michael; Jeadell Quinn, McDonogh 35; Janeicia Neely, Cabrini; Char’Kira Fields, Helen Cox; Kaysean Clavelle, Karr; Lanette Green, Glen Oaks.

BOYS
First team
Player  school  ht.     cl.     avg.
T.J. Price      Salmen          6-2     Jr.     20.3
Trevon Lewis    Ellender        6-4     Sr.     23.3
Markel Brown    Peabody 6-5     Sr.     29.0
Ronald McGhee   Istrouma        6-6     Sr.     22.4
Jalan West      Bossier 5-10    Jr.     15.9
Second team
Player  school  ht.     cl.     avg.
Jarvis Ray      O.P. Walker     6-4     Sr.     21.6
Desharick Guidry        Washington-Marion       6-6     Jr.     18.0
Donovan Williams        Cecilia 6-0     Sr.     22.0
Jonathan Ross   Wossman 6-3     Sr.     18.0
Trevante Drye   Glen Oaks       6-6     Jr.     19.0
Outstanding Player: Markel Brown, Peabody
Coach of the Year: Charles Smith, Peabody
Honorable mention: Jimmie Duplessis, Karr; Jeremy Clark, East Jefferson;
Keelan Garrett, St. Louis Catholic; Hakeem “Doc” Welsh, Alexandria; Brian Williams, Glen Oaks; Joseph James, Bossier; Steven Vinson, Benton; A.J. Shine, Minden; Jay Beavers, Minden; JaRod Farmer, Huntington; Levander Liggins, Leesville; Tony Montgomery, Northside; Brandon Sims, Franklin Parish; Miguel Gibson, Wossman; James Wright, Belle Chasse; Joseph Kirk, Tara.