By LAMAR GAFFORD, Written for the LSWA
Lafayette Christian, George Washington Carver and Peabody know a thing or two about getting to the LHSAA state tournament and winning basketball championships.
Naturally, members of all three schools were chosen as major winners on the Louisiana Sports Writers Writers Association’s Class 4A All-State basketball teams as selected by reporters across the state.
Longtime Peabody coach Charles Smith received state 4A boys Coach of the Year honors, while Carver junior Daijon Leatherman picked up the Outstanding Player award.
Smith won his ninth state championship as the Warhorses’ head coach by guiding them to a 28-5 record and the Division II Select title. A finalist this season for the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame – whose Class of 2024 will be unveiled Saturday evening at halftime of the first game in the NCAA Final Four — Smith has 1,208 career wins, making him the fourth coach in the nation to win over 1,200 games.
The Warhorses’ top player, senior forward Jordan Mathews, was a first-team All-State selection with his 16.3 scoring average. Junior guard Rashad Mitchell made the second team with an 11.3 scoring average and impressive court savvy. Teammate Justin Burns was an honorable mention choice.
Leatherman nearly led the Rams to their third straight title but was stopped despite a dominant performance against Smith’s Warhorses with 18 points, 12 rebounds and five blocks during their semifinal tilt. That concluded a season where he averaged 18.6 points, 17.1 rebounds and 5.2 blocks, while shooting 70 percent from the field.
On the girls side, LCA swept the major awards as Errol Rogers picked up Coach of the Year and Jada Richard earned Outstanding Player.
The Tioga tandem of Christina Lambert and Madison Lockwood earned honorable mention status.
In Class 5A, Pineville postman Javonte Thomas was a second-team All-State pick after helping the Rebels to the state semifinals with his 13.0 scoring average.
ASH had a pair of honorable mention selections.
The Trojans were represented by Jaylin Johnson while Thamerin Balthazar made the HM list for the Lady Trojans.
2024 LSWA CLASS 4A ALL-STATE BASKETBALL CHARTS
BOYS
First team
Player School Ht. Cl Avg.
Daijon Leatherman Carver 6-9 Jr. 18.6
Jordan Mathews Peabody 6-5 Sr. 16.3
Michael Mouton St. Thomas More 6-4 Sr. 16.6
Drew Timmons Archbishop Hannan 6-6 Jr. 22.4
Kameron Williams Lafayette Christian 6-7 Sr. 22.0
Second team
Player School Ht. Cl Avg.
Oren Bowens McMain 6-4 Sr. 26.7
Christian Creppel Archbishop Shaw 6-5 Sr. 16.5
Javon Johnson Bossier 6-1 Sr. 20.2
Jordan Matthews Vandebilt Catholic 5-10 Jr. 17.0
Rashad Mitchell Peabody 6-0 Jr. 11.3
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: DAIJON LEATHERMAN, CARVER
COACH OF THE YEAR: CHARLES SMITH, PEABODY
Honorable mention — Justin Burns, Peabody.
GIRLS
First team
Player School Ht. Cl Avg.
Eve Alexander Lafayette Christian 6-0 Sr. 13.7
Makayla Charles Vandebilt Catholic 5-8 Jr. 18.4
Kyndal Graham Huntington 5-5 Jr. 16.7
Kylei Leblanc LaGrange 5-10 Sr. 20.0
Jada Richard Lafayette Christian 5-6 Sr. 23.0
Second team
Player School Ht. Cl Avg.
Eryn Brown Istrouma 5-7 So. 31.7
Emilee Duet St. Scholastica 5-5 Jr. 16.5
Carley Hamilton Huntington 5-7 Jr. 18.1
Danai Lewis De La Salle 6-1 Sr. 15.5
Hannah Mouton Northwood-SH 5-5 Sr. 23.0
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: JADA RICHARD, LAFAYETTE CHRISTIAN
COACH OF THE YEAR: ERROL ROGERS, LAFAYETTE CHRISTIAN
Honorable mention — Christina Lambert, Tioga; Madison Lockwood, Tioga.
CLASS 5A BASKETBALL ALL-STATE CHARTS
BOYS
First Team
Player School Ht. Cl Avg.
Jeremiah Evans Southwood 6-10 Sr. 22.0
Aidan Anding Ruston 6-0 Jr. 14.8
Ahmad Hudson Ruston 6-7 Fr. 14.0
Howard Gaskins Jr. Liberty 6-3 Sr. 16.3
Allen Graves Ponchatoula 6-10 Sr. 20.8
Second Team
Player School Ht. Cl Avg.
Logan Smith Natchitoches Central 6-2 Sr. 18.0
Javonte Thomas Pineville 6-6 Sr. 13.0
Michael Sarver St. Paul’s 6-0 Sr. 23.6
Keith Jones Karr 6-4 Sr. 18.5
Jeremiah Lucas Bonnabel 6-3 Jr. 23.7
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: ALLEN GRAVES, PONCHATOULA
COACH OF THE YEAR: BRANDON WHITE, LIBERTY
Honorable mention — Jaylin Johnson, ASH.
GIRLS
Honorable mention — Thamerin Balthazar, ASH; Makayla Gallien, Natchitoches Central; Alyssa Chandler, Natchitoches Central; Zaccheya Jackson, Ruston; Jade Spikes, West Monroe; Markayla Williams, West Monroe.