Top 25 Louisiana Boys High School Basketball Rankings - Dec. 17, 2025

Check out High School on SI's debut edition of the 2025-2026 rankings

Peabody coach Charles Smith / Melinda Martinez/The Town Talk / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Football season is behind us, so now it's time to begin High School on SI's coverage of boys and girls basketball. Some teams have played more than a dozen games, while others that have a heavy football presence on the roster - such as Ruston - have only played a couple of games.

Teams that didn't made the initial cut that should be on the rise include Dunham, St. Thoams More, Archbishop Hannan and Archbishop Shaw, which has a .500 record but will be adding talent from the football team such as Allen Shaw IIII.

STM and Dunham have only played a few games. Hannan, the No. 1 team in last year's final rankings, has lost four of its last five vs. rugged competition.

Here is the debut of our Louisiana top 25 rankings.

1. John Curtis Christian (11-0)

Last season: 24-7, No. 10 in final top 25

Coach Biko Paris returned the entire starting five from last year's Division I select semifinal team that lost on a buzzer-beater to St. Thomas More, and the former Curtis player doesn't have 6-foot-5 Jarvis Stevenson yet (returning from football injury). Autrail Manning and company won the Madison Prep Tournament, sweeping Capitol, Bossier and the host Chargers. Curtis defeated Madison Prep by 15 points and also holds a win over defending Division III select champ Country Day.

2. Peabody Magnet (10-1)

Last season: 25-5, No. 15 in final top 25

Despite graduating four starters and seven seniors overall, the Warhorses reloaded with a vengeance. Peabody is dominating opponents with lopsided wins over Abbeville (71-32), Menard (92-20) and Ville Platte (101-41). Connor Rosenthal is the returning starter for the Warhorses, who handed Lafayette its only defeat and have only lost to Kimball (Dallas, Texas).

3. Zachary (8-1)

Last season: 28-6, No. 3 in final top 25

Ian Edmond, the Outstanding Player of the Division I nonselect championship game, returns for his junior season after averaging 19 points per game. UL Ragin' Cajuns' football signee Kriston Brooks (6-4) also scored in double figures (10 ppg). The only starter to graduate was Xavier Ferguson (22 ppg). Demarius Collins and Cambrien Price are returning starters for the Broncos, whose only loss is to city rival University Lab. Zachary picked up a transfer from U-High in 6-foot-4 Ethan Kimmie. Collins scored 25 points in a win over Huntington.

Ian Edmond X

4. Central-BR (7-0)

Last season: 25-5, No. 8 in final top 25

Guard Jace Conrad, who scored 23 points in the 44-37 loss to district rival Zachary in the Division I nonselect finals, is back with Keithon Womack, Jalen Thomas and 6-foot-6 Scott Smith. The Wildcats hammered Walker on Tuesday, 70-36, behind 24 points from Conrad, according to Jackson Reyes of The Baton Rouge Advocate. Sam Giles had 14 points. Womack added 12. Thomas missed the game (illness).

5. Ruston (1-1)

Last season: 18-6, No. 23 in final top 25

Zachary and Central may debut at higher spots due to the number of games they've played, but many people expect Ruston to be the favorite in Division I nonselect with Darren Ford joining 6-foot-8 Ahmad Hudson and 6-foot-4 Ke'Shun Malcolm. Last year, the Bearcats fell in the quarterfinals at Denham Springs, 53-50.

6. Wossman (8-0)

Last season: 28-6, No. 4 in final top 25

The south Monroe school reloaded despite graduating six seniors, including guard Zion Weeks (31 points in Divison II nonselect finals win over Bossier). Dontavious Daggs and Caderrius Williams are returning starters for Wossman, which has wins over Richwood, Huntington and Red River.

7. St. Augustine (11-0)

Last season: 30-4, No. 2 in final top 25

The defending champs of Division I select lost nine seniors from a team that defeated Liberty Magnet and St. Thomas More at the state tourney, but leading scorer Aaron Miles (13 ppg) is back. St. Aug, which won 61-57 recently at Northshore, has an upcoming game vs. Dunham, a 2024-25 state tourney team that has played only three games and is just now getting its football players (Elijah Haven, Jarvis Washington).

8. Madison Prep (7-3)

Last season: 27-10, No. 22 in final top 25

Elijah Garner and William Nelson Jr. combined for 26 points per game last year for District 6-3A Coach of the Year Jeff Jones. Landen Watson is another returning starter. Madison Prep's only loss to an in-state opponent is to John Curtis Christian. The Chargers lost to Grand Prairie (ranked No. 21 in Texas) and Duncanville.

9. Calvary Baptist (9-2)

Last season: 28-4, No. 14 in final top 25

Coach Victor Morris brought back his top three scorers in Tyrone Jamison, Robert Wright and Jaiden Hall. The only setbacks for the Shreveport program are to 12-4 Westlake (Texas) and Madison Prep. Jamison is averaging 21.2 points per game, Hall 14.1 and Wright 11.7.

10. Denham Springs (9-1)

Last season: 29-4, No. 12 in final top 25

All but one starter returned for Denham Springs, which hasn't lost since the season opener vs. Independence. Da'Jean and Da'Sean Golmond are among the returning players, along with Jermaine O'Conner, Jeremy Wiliams and Trae Dorsey. The Yellow Jackets have a double-digit win over University Lab.

11. De La Salle (9-1)

Last season: not ranked

6-foot-4 senior Levon Gipson is a player to watch for the Cavaliers, who are the only team with a win over Catholic League programs Archbishop Rummel and Jesuit. De La Salle also has a win over 10-2 Holy Cross and Northshore and has only lost to 9-2 Brother Martin. The Cavs are No. 1 in the Division III select power ratings.

12. Marksville (7-1)

Last season: not ranked

Marksville, which lost to Richwood in the Division III nonselect finals. has won seven straight games since a one-point loss to J.S. Clark. Dayne Small, Armonii Benjamin and Jaden Price are all scoring 14 ppg or better. The Tigers are hot right now after wins over Class 5A powers Natchitoches-Central and Alexandria. Marksville is No. 7 in the Division III power ratings.

13. Jesuit (7-1)

Last season: not ranked

Coach Chris Jennings' team knows how to win close games. The Blue Jays have won five by 10-or-fewer points, including a one-point win over Country Day (44-43). Jesuit also has a 35-point win over Catholic New Iberia.

14. Alexandria (8-1)

Last season: not ranked

The Trojans suffered their first loss to Marksville after winning their first eight games. Jarvell Bordelon and Tyshawn Duncan are combining to score over 30 points per game for coach Lance Brasher.

15. Metairie Park Country Day (6-3)

Last season: 26-6, No. 6 in final top 25

The Cajuns are expected to climb the rankings with an experienced roster that features Herman Dyson, Curtis McAllister, Kellen Brewer and Rhys Diley, who lettered as an eighth-grader for the Division III seelct champs. McAllister and Dyson each scored 17 points in the finals vs. Calvary Baptist. The Cajuns' losses are to John Curtis, Jesuit and Northshore.

16. Archbishop Rummel (9-1)

Last season: not ranked

Just as in football, the Catholic League is stacked in hoops. The Raiders opened the season with nine straight wins before losing by three points to De La Salle. Sophomore Ron Navarre averages 10.3 points per game.

17. Huntington (6-3)

Last season: 23-9, No. 25 in final top 25

Peyton Parker and Antonio Dixon return for the west Shreveport school, which has losses to Madison Prep, Zachary and Wossman.

18. Natchitoches-Central (7-2)

Last season: 25-6, No. 19 in final top 25

The Chiefs, who have been a regular at the state tourney in recent years, have only lost to Zachary and Marksville and won their last two games by 43 and 37 points. Adell Demery and Harold Remo return after helping the Chiefs to the Division I nonselect semifinals (lost to Zachary).

19. Edna Karr (9-0)

Last season: not ranked

The Cougars, who are No. 1 in the Division I select power ratings, have won six games by 10-or-fewer points

20. David Thibodaux (7-1)

Last season: not ranked

Kortlan Williams returns for the Bulldogs, who debut as our highest ranked team from the Lafayette area. Ja'Nathan Dalcour scored 22 points in a win over St. Martinville, according to Matt Louviere of the The Acadiana Advocate. David Thibodaux went 25-6 last year and lost at No. 1 Archbishop Shaw in the Division II select quarterfinals.

21. Pleasant Hill (14-2)

Last season: not ranked

The Class C school located in rural north Sabine Parish has the only win over Class 4A Northside with losses to University Lab and Peabody.

22. Lafayette Renaissance (6-0)

Last season: not ranked

Coach Brad Boyd is building something special at the north Lafayette charter school, which hosts the upcoming Coca-Cola Classic. The Tigers beat Opelousas Catholic by 34 points on Tuesday and own a 12-point road win over New Iberia.

23. Ferriday (11-0)

Last season: not ranked

The Trojans have wins over Class 4A Franklin Parish (9-3) and Class 5A Neville (7-2).

24. Lafayette High (7-1)

Last season: not ranked

Liam Rounttee, a 6-foot-3, junior, scored 15 points with seven rebounds and three assists in a win over Ville Platte.

25. Zwolle (16-2)

Last season: not ranked

The Hawks, No. 1 in the Class B power ratings, avenged one loss by defeating Anacoco. The other loss was in the second game of the year to undefeated Gibsland-Coleman.

Under consideration: St. Thomas More, Tioga, New Iberia, Captain Shreve, Madison Parish, Archbishop Hannan, Archbishop Shaw, Holy Cross, Brother Martin, Catholic New Iberia, Anacoco, Airline, Mandeville, Southside, Dunham, Northside, University Lab, Bossier, Richwood, Lakeshore, Northwest, Independence, Slidell, East Ascension, Plainview, Franklin Parish, Sterlington, Carencro, Parkview Baptist, Washington-Marion Lake Charles College Prep, Plainview, Giblsland-Coleman

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