High School

Lafayette Christian defeats De La Salle: Live score, updates of Louisiana girls basketball Division III semifinal

No. 1 Knights handle No. 5 Cavaliers 62-37 to advance to Friday afternoon's Division III select championship game

Mike Coppage

Lafayette Christian junior Kaliyah Samuels recently scored her 1,000th career point.
Lafayette Christian junior Kaliyah Samuels recently scored her 1,000th career point. / Scott Clause / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Tuesday's slate of Louisiana high school girls basketball semifinal playoff games tips off at 1 p.m. at the University Center in Hammond with No. 1 Lafayette Christian facing No. 5 De La Salle.

Pregame

The Knights (27-5), who have won four consecutive state championships, began this season with a 2-4 record after losing only one game last season. LCA was back to its usual form shortly, losing only one more game (to Walker). All five of the Knights' losses were to tournament teams.

Junior Kaliyah Samuels, who went over the career 1,000-points mark in LCA's 73-27 quarterfinal win over No. 8 Calvary Baptist, averages a team-high 18 points and 10 rebounds per game. Sophomore Shanna Simien averages 12 points and seven rebounds.

Point guard Taelyn Taylor (7 ppg, 5 rpg, 5 assists), Haya El Halawany (5 ppg, 4 apg) and Leilani Hudson (8 rpg) are senior starters and tough, physical players. Junior Logan Boutte (6 ppg, 2 rpg) sat out the 57-6 regional win over No. 17 Jewel Sumner (ankle).

De La Salle is led in scoring by eighth-grader Ya'Myri Brown (17 ppg, 6 rpg, 3 apg), followed by sophomore Tamia Cole (10 ppg). The Cavaliers, who defeated No. 12 St. Thomas Aquinas (49-39) and No. 4 Dunham (54-36), are making their first appearance at the state tournament.

Follow this post, refreshing frequently to receive the latest live update, with real-time reporting on scores and key plays.

First quarter

Shanna Simien draws an offensive foul on De La Salle's first possession.

Kaliyah Samuels with a power move in the paint for a 2-0 Knights' lead.

Paityn Dean, who had 20 points in the quarterfinals, hit a 3 for a 5-0 LCA lead. De La Salle quickly turns it over. 6:44 1st

Taelyn Taylor, LCA senior point guard, at the line for two free throws. Knights up 5-0. Misses the first. Makes the second. 6-0, Knights 6:12 1st.

Simien converts in transition. LCA, 8-0. 5:55 1st. Four Knights have scored a point. Timeout, De La Salle.

De La Salle with another charge. That's the second foul on Brown, the eighth grader who leads the Cavaliers in scoring. Samuels to the line for two free throws. Five fouls on De La Salle. None on LCA. Samuels makes the first free throw, misses the second. 9-0 Knights, 4:35 1st.

Samuels again down low. 11-0, Knights. The junior has five points. 3:36, 1st.

Simien to Samuels, 13-0 Knights. 2:38, 1st. She has seven points.

Kenadie Jackson makes two free throws for a 15-0 LCA lead. 1:05 1st.

Taylor feeds Samuels at the buzzer for a 17-1 LCA advantage after one.

Second Quarter

Simien makes a free throw. Knights up, 18-1. 10 turnovers in the first quarter for De La Salle, which was 0 of 6 on field goals. LCA had five assists on six field goals. Taylor has three assists and two steals. Samuels, nine points and three rebounds.

Cole makes De La Salle's first field goal and it's 20-3, LCA ahead with 6:13 left in the first half.

Taylor scores her fifth point and draws a foul. Knights lead 28-5 after the three-point play. 3:12, 2nd Quarter.

Jackson put-back extends it to 30-6, Knights. De La Salle turns it over. LCA turns it back over. 1:51, 2nd Quarter. Jackson and Taylor with six points. Simien has five points. Dean has four.

Jackson with a long 3 at the buzzer for a 32-8 LCA lead. Jackson, Taylor and Dean with six points apiece. Simien has five.

LCA vs. De La Salle halftime
Mike Coppage

Third Quarter

Samuels now in double digits with 11 points after she gives the Knights a 34-8 lead early in the 3rd Quarter. Brown responds with a bucket for the Cavaliers.

Samuels picks up her fourth foul as Jaeden Brown converts a 3-point play. LCA, 34-13. 5:53, 3rd.

De La Salle on a 7-0 run, trailing 34-15 with 5:07 left in the third quarter.

Make that a 10-0 run for the Cavaliers, who get a 3, Lafayette Christian responds with a bucket and a timeout. 36-20, Knights. 4:32 3rd.

Taylor knocks down two free throws. The senior has eight points. Jackson also has eight for LCA, which leads 38-18 with 3:13 left in the third.

Dean in double digits (11 points) after a corner 3. Knights, 41-18, 2:49 (3rd).

Dean with two free throws (13 points) and a 43-18 LCA lead 2:25 (3rd).

Jaeden Brown picks up her fourth foul. She leads De La Salle with eight points. Jackson sinks two free throws for LCA, which leads 45-22 with under a minute to go in the third.

Cavaliers showing plenty of fight, draining a 3 and diving for a loose ball. Knights retain possession. 48-25, Knights (end of third quarter). El Halawany buries a 3 at the buzzer.

Fourth Quarter

Samuels and Dean each have 13 points for LCA, which is up 49-27 early in the fourth quarter.

Tayor rifles a long pass to a streaking Samuels, who has 17 points for LCA. Samuels goes to the rack again and scores. The junior has 19 points and a chance for a 3-point play. She sinks the free throw. LCA, 56-29 (5:14, 4th).

Floater on the baseline from Jackson, who has 10 points. Knights up 60-33, 2:56 (4th).

Timeout, 1:11 remaining. LCA leading, 62-37. Samuels 20 points, Dean 13. J. Brown has 10 for De La Salle.

Lafayette Christian (28-5) will face No. 2 Sacred Heart-NO for the state title. Knights defeat De La Salle, 62-37,

Download the SBLive App

To get live updates on your phone — as well as follow your favorite teams and top games — you can download the SBLive Sports app: Download iPhone App | Download Android App

Published |Modified
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.

Home/Louisiana