High School

Franklin edges East Iberville, reaches third straight title game: Live score, updates of Division IV semifinal

Second-seeded Hornets hold off upset-minded No. 6 East Iberville, 41-37, in an LHSAA Division IV nonselect semifinal

Mike Coppage

Jeremiah Gray and the Franklin Hornets are trying to reach their third consecutive championship game.
Jeremiah Gray and the Franklin Hornets are trying to reach their third consecutive championship game. / Matt Louviere Sports Photography

The Franklin Hornets and East Iberville Tigers will tangle in a Division IV nonselect boys basketball semifinal game Monday at 6:15 p.m.

Pregame

Despite graduating seven seniors from last season's championship team — its first title in 66 years — the Franklin Hornets are back at the Louisiana high school boys basketball state tournament for the third consecutive time.

Franklin (23-5), coached by Tremayne Johnson, enters the tournament as the favored No. 2 seed. Last year, a sixth-seeded club took down No. 3 Oakdale, No. 2 Ringgold and No. 1 Lakeview. This season, the Hornets advanced with wins over No. 15 Ringgold (60-52) and No. 7 Haynesville (51-48).

The Hornets have senior triplets in Jeremiah, Jorian and Javen Gray. Senior forward Treyshaun Mack, who was named Outstanding Player, scored 12 points in the 50-45 win over Lakeview in last year's final.

Senior guard Jylon Jackson is another experienced player. Sophomore Jahiri Perry is an underclassman to watch for Franklin, which has won 21 of its last 23 games with a pair of district losses to Catholic New Iberia.

East Iberville has made a habit of notching upsets. Last year, a 12th-seeded Tigers team took out No. 5 North Central before losing to No. 4 Pickering in the quarterfinals. The sixth-seeded Tigers (19-14) eliminated No. 27 South Plaquemines (66-47) before beating No. 11 North Central (63-59) and No. 3 Lakeview (47-46) on a buzzer-beater by senior Collin Banks, who averages seven points and six rebounds per game.

Guards Tyler Green (senior) and Marcus Holmes (junior) each average 10 points per game for the Tigers, who are making their first appearance at the state tournament in 29 years, according to Will Weathers of The Baton Rouge Advocate.

Franklin, which went 24-7 last season, lost to North Central (59-55) in the 2022-23 championship game. The Franklin/East Iberville winner will meet the No. 1 Vinton (23-4)/No. 4 Ferriday (25-9) winner in the finals on Friday at 6 p.m.

Vinton, a local fan favorite whose campus sits 25 miles west of Lake Charles, plays Ferriday at 8 p.m. on Monday.

FUN FACT: LHSAA Network color commentator Eric Mouton, the head coach at Ascension Episcopal, faced Franklin twice a year in district play until the Blue Gators moved down to Class 1A this season.

First quarter

About to tipoff. Franklin in white uniforms. East Iberville in black.

Treyshaun Mack with a steal for Franklin but he throws it out of bounds. Scoreless 7:01, 1st.

Marcus Holmes calls timeout for East Iberville. Scoreless, two minutes in.

Jylon Jackson makes a free throw. Franklin 1, East Iberville 0 5:25, 1st.

Jahiri Perry with a put-back for Franklin. Adrick Wilson with a baseline jumper for the Tigers. 3-2, Franklin 4:39, 1st.

Franklin 3, Tigers 2 4:07 1st.

Franklin 3, Tigers 2 3:23, 1st.

Timeout, Hornets. Franklin 3, Tigers 2 3:11, 1st.

Jorian Gray called for traveling, but Mack steals and makes an arcing floater. Franklin 5, Tigers 2 2:39, 1st.

Mack blocks a shot and the Hornets add to the lead. Franklin 7, Tigers 2 1:22, 1st.

Franklin in a 1-2-2 matchup zone, per Eric Mouton. East Iberville turns it over. Franklin 7, Tigers 2 :48 seconds left in the first.

Holmes' put-back puts the score at the end of one: Franklin 7, Tigers 4

Second quarter

Treyshaun Mack (Franklin) the leading scorer with four points.

Jorian Gray shooting two free throws for Franklin. Misses the first. Makes the second. Franklin 8, Tigers 4 7:40, 2nd Quarter.

Perry rebounds a Jeremiah Gray miss from NBA range. Puts it back in. Franklin 10, Tigers 4 6:53, 2nd Quarter.

Franklin 10, Tigers 4 6:19, 2nd Quarter. Franklin 10, Tigers 6 (tip-in) 6:01, 2nd Quarter. Green credited with the bucket. 5:54, 2nd.

Tyler Ballet makes a free throw for the Hornets. Franklin 11, Tigers 6 5:33 2nd...Wilson converts off a steal for East Iberville. Franklin 11, Tigers 8 5:16 2nd. East Iberville using a half-court trap to force turnovers.

Franklin offensive foul. Franklin 11, East Iberville 8 4:40 left in the first half. Mack called for his second foul.

Franklin 11, Tigers 10. Green scores for East Iberville. 4:06, 2nd Quarter.

Jorian Gray no-look pass to Ballet, the junior. Franklin 13, Tigers 10 3:28, 2nd Quarter.

Theo Dunn, senior forward, makes a free throw for East Iberville. Makes another. Franklin 13, Tigers 12 3:18, 2nd Quarter.

Jorian Gray with the soft touch on a jumper in the paint. Franklin 15, Tigers 12 1:58, 2nd Quarter.

Blocking foul on Franklin's Mark Jones. Holmes make a free throw for East Iberville. Now Holmes is at the bench being attended to. He has blood on his lip, it appears. He's back to shoot the second free throw. Ref sends him back out. Stil 15-12. A substitute, Dunn, will shoot the free throw.

Dunn misses the second free throw, followed by multiple turnovers. Mack called for traveling. Franklin 15, Tigers 12 1:13, 2nd Quarter.

Sophomore Dashun Lightfoot off the bench making plays. He draws a foul on Dunn, his second. Franklin 15, Tigers 12 :40 left in the half.

Holmes fouled by Jeremiah Gray. Makes a free throw with 21.2 left in the half. Misses the second. Franklin 15, Tigers 13. 4.4 seconds left in the half.

Long 3 at the buzzer by Jylon Jackson. Franklin 18, Tigers 13 Half.

There were 0.9 seconds left when the ball was in-bounded to Jackson.

Third quarter

Each team has eight steals. They've combined to make 6 of 18 free throws. Franklin shooting 33% from the field. East Iberville, 22%.

Hornets were 0-of-7 from 3-point range until Jackson's 3 at the buzzer.

Mack with great defense. Jump ball. Franklin 18, Tigers 13 6:46, 3rd.

Holmes rose up over three defenders for a jumper. Franklin 18, Tigers 15 6:20, 3rd.

Green scores again. Franklin 18, Tigers 17...Mack answers for the Hornets. Franklin 20, Tigers 17 5:09, 3rd.

Jylon Jackson penetrates, just misses the chance at an and-1, but he'll shoot two free throws. Hornets 3-for-11 from the line after that miss. He makes the second. Franklin 21, Tigers 17 4:29, 3rd.

Jorian Gray with a steal for Franklin. Hornets still lead 21-17...Jeremiah Gray nails a 3 from the corner. Franklin 24, Tigers 17 3:22, 3rd.

Jorian Gray draws the third foul (charge) on Chase Joseph. Still 24-17, Franklin.

Jorian Gray draws another foul. This one will result in free throws. Makes the first. Misses the second. Franklin 25, Tigers 17...East Iberville gets a free throw. Franklin 25, Tigers 18...Mack scores and has a chance for a 3-point play. Missed the free throw. Franklin 27, Tigers 17 1:53, 3rd Quarter.

Franklin 27, Tigers 20 1:49, 3rd Quarter Timeout

Franklin 29, Tigers 20 1:13, 3rd Quarter. Macks adds a put-back. Hornets with their biggest lead of the game. Franklin 31, Tigers 20 47.8 left in the third.

Chase Joseph 3-pointer and he'll get to the line for two free throws after a turnover. Franklin 31, Tigers 23 20.1 seconds left in the third.

Joseph makes one free throw. Franklin 31, Tigers 24 14 seconds left in the third.

End 3: Franklin Hornets 31, East Iberville Tigers 24.

Fourth quarter

Chase Joseph again for East Iberville. Green with the ball after a Franklin turnover. Franklin 31, Tigers 26 7:10, 4th Quarter.

Franklin 31, Tigers 28...Chase Joseph with an assist to Marcus Holmes for East Iberville. 6:36 remaining.

Franklin 31, Tigers 30. Holmes with two free throws for East Iberville. 5:41, 4th. Mack scores for the Hornets. Franklin 33, Tigers 30 5:24, 4th.

Timeout

Tyler Ballet free throw for the Hornets. Misses the second. Franklin 34, Tigers 30 5:05 to go.

Mack beats the defender to the glass. Then picks up his third foul. Jeremiah Gray has four fouls. Chase Joseph hits a 3 for East Iberville. Franklin 36, Tigers 33 4:26 to go.

Timeout 4:14 remaining. Franklin 36, Tigers 33. Joseph has 11 points for East Iberville. Holmes has nine. Mack with 12 points for the Hornets.

Fourth foul on Treyshaun Mack. Tigers miss a free throw. Make the second (Green). Franklin 36, Tigers 34 3:55, 4th.

East Iberville gets a turnover (10 seconds). Misses a three that would've given them the lead. Franklin with the rebound. Jylon Jackson shot rims out. Joseph dishes to Dunn and we're tied at 36 2:56 left.

East Iberville misses. Franklin turns it over. 36-36 2:25 to go.

East Iberville turned it over as well. Banks, who hit the game-winner at Lakeview, fouls out for East Iberville. Franklin 36, Tigers 36 2:06 left. Jackson misses a free throw. Misses both. We're still tied. 1:52, 4th.

Still tied, 1:10 to go.

Jylon Jackson fouled by Chase Joseph. Franklin shooting two again. Jackson makes the first free throw. Timeout. Franklin 37, Tigers 36 53.5 to go.

East Iberville has never led. The Tigers trailed by 11 (31-20) before outscoring the Hornets 16-6. Jackson makes the second free throw. Franklin 38, Tigers 36 43.3 to go. Timeout, East Iberville.

Mack fouls out with 21.1 seconds to go. East Iberville will shoot two free throws. 21.1 seconds left. Franklin 38, Tigers 36. Green misses a free throw. Makes the second. Franklin 38, Tigers 37 8.9 seconds left. Perry to shoot two free throws.

Perry gets a friendly bounce on the first free throw. Timeout. Franklin 39, Tigers 37 8.9 seconds left.

Perry missed the second free throw, but the Tigers traveled. Franklin 39, Tigers 37 6.7 seconds left.

Jeremiah Gray fouled with 4.7 seconds left. Franklin 39, Tigers 37. Makes a free throw. Makes both. Franklin advances to its third straight title game with a 41-37 win over East Iberville.

POSTGAME

Treyshaun Mack led the Hornets (24-5) with 12 points (6 of 8 FG), seven rebounds and three steals. Perry: nine points, seven rebounds, three steals. Jackson: seven points, five rebounds, four steals, two assists. Jorian Gray: five points, five steals, four assists, three rebounds.

For East Iberville (19-15), Joseph had 11 points, three assists, three rebounds and two steals. Holmes: nine points, seven rebounds, two steals.

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Mike Coppage
MIKE COPPAGE

Mike Coppage is a Louisiana-based veteran reporter with decades of experience covering recruiting and high school sports for Scout, Rivals, The Acadiana Advocate and The Daily Iberian. He has been freelancing for High School On SI since 2024.

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