Riverside Academy’s Malik Crowfield and Doyle’s Taylin Underwood lead the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 2A All-State Basketball teams.
The 6-foot-4 Crowfield led Riverside to its second straight 2A boys title with averages of 18.2 points and 11.3 rebounds per game. Crowfield scored 35 points in the Rebels’ title-game win over Lakeview.
Underwood (5-9) led Doyle to a 2A runner-up finish with averages of 26 points, 6 rebounds and 5 steals per contest. She scored 32 points in the Tigers’ semifinal win over Lake Arthur and added 29 in the final game vs. North Caddo.
A panel of sportswriters from across the state selected Redemptorist’s Valencia Wilson and Lakeview’s Joshua Hancock for the Coach of the Year honors.
Wilson’s Wolves finished 23-9 and advanced to the quarterfinals a year after winning just eight games. Jonesboro-Hodge’s Joshua Kador and Lake Arthur’s Edie Higgins also were nominated for the girls honor.
Hancock led Lakeview to a 28-5 record and a runner-up finish in the school’s first trip to the Louisiana High School Athletic Association’s Top 28 in a decade. North Caddo’s Ron Meikle also was considered for the boys honor.
Crowfield is joined on the boys first team by teammates Von Julien (14.1 points, 9.7 assists, 4.2 steals) and Herb McGee (14.2 points, 6.7 rebounds, 4.2 steals) along with Lakeview’s Tray Kirkendoll (18 points, 10 assists, 5 rebounds) and The Dunham School’s Quinton Thomas (22.4 points, 10.5 rebounds, 2.8 assists).
The girls first team also included North Caddo’s Ledetriha Sheppard (19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists), Pickering’s Sami Thomas (20 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists), Lake Arthur’s Elizabeth Guidry (20.3 points, 6.2 rebounds, 3.6 assists) and Capitol’s Darneisha McCallister (25 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists).
The boys second team included French Settlement’s Justin Lobell, Lakeview’s Tay Hardy, Carver’s Romalas Walker, Episcopal’s Spencer Kleinpeter and Winnfield’s Evan Smith.
The girls second team included Rapides’ Lou Compton, Lakeview’s Ny Keria Jones, North Caddo’s Jasmine Thomas, Jonesboro-Hodge’s LaParis Robinson and Ferriday’s Jada Griggs.
