Top 25 Louisiana Girls High School Basketball State Rankings (1/22/25)

Defending Division I nonselect champion Parkway downs Huntington in district matchup of elite programs; Oak Grove makes imprint with resounding win; Sulphur, Oakdale also debut

Parkway forward Dakota Howard (24) dribbling down the court during a district 1-5A match-up versus Haughton on Monday, January 22, 2024, in Bossier City, La. / Paul Karge / USA TODAY NETWORK

The historic winter storm that blanketed much of Louisiana on Tuesday caused numerous girls high school basketball postponements and cancelations with the timing uncertain as to when things will thaw out in south Louisiana, which experienced temperatures as low as five degrees in New Iberia.

There was plenty of action to review from the last seven days, however, and some games were played in north Louisiana on Tuesday.

Keep reading to find out who moved up and down (and in & out) in this week's rankings. We've expanded our watch list, picked out a team of interest that has a sparkling record but has been relatively unchallenged, and selected a handful of bubble teams that are playing at a consistently high level.

1. Walker (25-0)

Previous rank: 1

Power rating: No. 1 (Division I nonselect)

The Wildcats defeated Hahnville (16-5) by a score of 53-39. Their Jan. 21 game vs. French Settlement (16-8) was postponed. District play is scheduled to begin at home on Jan. 24 vs. Denham Springs (16-8), which forced overtime in a previous loss to Walker.

Arionna Patterson is averaging 17.4 points per game and is shooting 54% from the field. Logan Cookmeyer is scoring 11.6 ppg. Kadyn Green (10 ppg) is also scoring in double figures. LaShantae Clay is averaging 4.1 ppg, six assists. 3.7 steals and three rebounds.

2. Parkway (16-2)

Previous rank: 2

Power rating: No. 2 (Division I nonselect)

The Panthers defeated Southwood and Huntington. The 60-47 win at Huntington avenged a three-point loss earlier in the season. Savannah Wilson totaled 21 points, and Dakota Howard added 15, according to Russell Hedges of the Bossier Press Tribune. The setback was Huntington's first league loss in 49 games. Parkway has won 47 straight district games.

3. Lafayette Christian (16-5)

Previous rank: 3

Power rating: No. 1 (Division III select)

The Knights defeated Hamilton Christian, 61-27, and had a district game vs. Welsh postponed. LCA has reached eight consecutive state finals and won four straight championships. Coach Errol Rogers told Shannon Belt of The Lafayette Daily Advertiser that he graduated 85% of the scoring from last season's team. Kaliyah Samuels, Logan Boutte, Shanna Simien and Payton Dean have been among the top offensive producers for the Knights, who have won 11 straight games.

4. Wossman (19-3)

Previous rank: 5

Power rating: No. 1 (Division II nonselect)

The Wildcats won their district opener vs. Tioga (15-8) by a 52-26 margin. Freshman Heaven Weeks is ranked as the top player in the state by Prep Hoops Louisiana. Wossman travels to Grant (3-16) later this week.

5. Zachary (17-3)

Previous rank: 6

Power rating: No. 3 (Division I nonselect)

The Broncos defeated Alexandria (17-5) by a score of 69-35 and earned a win on the road at small school power Oak Hill, 73-59. A game vs. Edna Karr was postponed. Freshman Asia Bell is ranked as the No. 2 player in the state by Prep Hoops Louisiana. The Broncos have another road date against a formidable small school, Midland (15-8), scheduled for Jan. 27.

6. John Curtis (12-3)

Previous rank: 7

Power rating: No. 1 (Division I select)

The Patriots handled Warren Easton, 62-41, in the district opener. Curtis has won seven state titles in the last eight years. Last season, the Patriots beat Woodlawn-BR in the finals. Upcoming district opponents include Dominican (18-3), Edna Karr (20-3) and Archbishop Chapelle (16-4).

7. University Lab (15-1)

Previous rank: 8

Power rating: No. 1 (Division II select)

A game vs. White Castle (15-9) was cancelled. In a 37-26 win over East Ascension (16-3) at the White Castle Tournament, senior Taylor Lee finished with 16 points, 14 rebounds, six steals and three blocks. Senior guard Ryli Martin is ranked as the No. 30 player in Louisiana by LBR Basketball.

8. Southern Lab (14-4)

Previous rank: 9

Power rating: No. 1 (Division IV select)

The Kittens defeated Ponchatoula (15-9) by a score of 54-40. A game vs. Delta Charter was canceled. Games at Destrehan (14-8) and Brusly were postponed. Shaila Forman had 22 points and 11 rebounds vs. Ponchatoula. Kori Wesley and Asia Patin chipped in 12 points apiece. Patin added five assists, three steals and two rebounds.

9. Huntington (10-5)

Previous rank: 4

Power rating: No. 4 (Division I select)

The Raiders defeated Benton and lost to Parkway. Carley Hamilton's 24 points were a team-high in the 77-32 win over Benton (17-9). Jamari Bell added 12 points, Kyndal Graham and Ja'Kiya Redman scored 10 apiece. Hamilton is averaging 19 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 1.7 assists per game.

10. Barbe (20-2)

Previous rank: 11

Power rating: No. 5 (Division I nonselect)

The Buccaneers defeated Jennings and LaGrange and are scheduled to begin district play vs. Sulphur (15-2) on Jan. 24. Barbe recently defeated Sulphur in a non-league contest. Mia Colston buried a 3-pointer from the wing as the Bucs built a 14-5 lead vs. LaGrange in a 57-23 win over the Gators, another prominent Lake Charles program.

11. Fairview (26-4)

Previous rank: 12

Power rating: No. 1 (Class B)

The Panthers won at Hicks (70-43) and Pitkin (80-50) in a district game. Fairview has scored at least 80 points in eight games with a high of 99. Upcoming league opponents include Elizabeth (13-7) and Anacoco (15-9).

12. Haughton (21-1)

Previous rank: 13

Power rating: No. 4 (Division I nonselect)

The Buccaneers won a marquee district game against Natchitoches-Central on the road, 50-45, and had a game vs. Arcadia (15-3) postponed. Skylar Branch (13 pts), Shaniya Perkins (13), Bella Hammond (12) and Kamyra Turner (10) were the leading scorers vs. Natchitoches-Central, according to Russell Hedges of the Bossier Press Tribune. Upcoming district opponents include Parkway (16-2) and Airline (16-2).

13. Vandebilt Catholic (8-6)

Previous rank: 14

Power rating: No. 4 (Division II select)

The Terriers were idle with upcoming district games vs. South Terrebonne (11-7) and E.D. White (16-3) and a non-league game vs. Southern Lab on Jan. 30.

14. Natchitoches-Central (18-2)

Previous rank: 10

Power rating: No. 6 (Division I nonselect)

The Chiefs lost to Haughton. A Jan, 21 game vs Byrd was postponed. Natchitoches-Central is scheduled to travel to Negreet (14-12) on Jan. 23. with a league road game vs. Parkway on Jan. 24. Anna Newton scored 25 points in the loss to Haughton, according to Russell Hedges of the Bossier Press Tribune.

15. Simpson (30-2)

Previous rank: 15

Power rating: No. 1 (Class C)

The Broncos won the district opener at Ebarb, 56-22. Another league tilt is scheduled for Jan. 24 vs. Pleasant Hill (10-17). Olivia Edwards scored 16 points vs. Ebarb. Bella Hunnicut had 14 points.

Olivia Edwards scored 16 points to lead Simpson past Ebarb, 56-22, on Friday. Simpson Lady Broncos never trailed in the...

Posted by Simpson Lady Broncos Basketball on Saturday, January 18, 2025

16. Woodlawn-BR (15-6)

Previous rank: 16

Power rating: No. 5 (Division I select)

The Panthers downed Denham Springs, 54-50, in a matchup of top Baton Rouge area programs. A game vs. Ponchatoula was postponed. Another city showdown awaits on Jan. 23 vs. defending Division III select champion Parkview Baptist.

17. Bell City (16-3)

Previous rank: 17

Power rating: No. 3 (Class B)

A game vs. Starks (10-8) was postponed.

18. Edna Karr (20-3)

Previous rank: 19

Power rating: No. 3 (Division I select)

Have we been sleeping on the Cougars? VK Jones of Crescent City Sports/The Hash it Out Show ranks Karr inside his top five teams statewide. The Cougars defeated Amite and Mount Carmel last week. Cass Antoine scored 19 points in the 66-33 win over Mount Carmel (13-5) in the league opener. Sanaa Bean added 15 points. "We came out with good energy," Bean, a senior, told Jarryd Boyd of The Hash it Out Show after the game.

19. Slidell (17-5)

Previous rank: 23

Power rating: No. 7 (Division I nonselect)

The Tigers claimed a crucial district road win over city rival Northshore, 61-57. A game vs. St. Mary's Academy was canceled. A game vs. Fontainebleau was postponed. Cianni Williams had 18 points vs. Northshore, according to Dave Woodall of The New Orleans Advocate. Payton Rowbotham added 13. Joelynn Elliot (11) and Madyson Parker (10) both scored in double digits.

20. Neville (14-3)

Previous rank: 22

Power rating: No. 8 (Division I nonselect)

The Tigers defeated Alexandria (17-5) by a score of 46-43 to kick off District 2-5A action. A game vs. Ouachita Parish was postponed. Junior Joy Fisher is averaging 14.1 ppg.

21. Oak Grove (10-2)

Previous rank: Not ranked

Power rating: No. 2 (Division III nonselect)

Oak Grove, which returns to the rankings, hasn't been the easiest team to get a handle on. The Tigers haven't played a ton of games, but they made a statement by blasting Ouachita Christian 52-19 in Monroe. OCS has an 18-3 record and is a top team in Division IV select.

22. East Ascension (16-3)

Previous rank: Not ranked

Power rating: No. 10 (Division I nonselect)

The Spartans made an appearance in the rankings earlier but dropped out after back to back losses to University Lab and Hahnville. They've returned on the strength of a four-game winning streak that was capped off by a 59-49 win over Baton Rouge area foe Parkview Baptist (14-4). A game at Destrehan (14-8) was postponed.

23. Oakdale (16-5)

Previous rank: Not ranked

Power rating: No. 4 (Division III nonselect)

The Warriors, who were in the last season's rankings pretty much the entire time, make their debut after capturing wins in 11 of 12 games with only a three-point loss to Allen Parish rival Fairview. A 49-30 road win over Class 5A New Iberia snapped the Yellow Jackets' nine-game winning streak.

24. Doyle (15-6)

Previous rank: 24

Power rating: No. 5 (Division III nonselect)

A game against Ascension Catholic was canceled and a game against Loranger was postponed. The huge game coming up is the district contest at Pine (15-3) on Jan. 28. Pine is No. 3 in the D3 power ratings. French Settlement (16-8), which Doyle recently defeated, is No. 1. Oak Grove (10-2) is No. 2.

25. Sulphur (15-2)

Previous rank: Not ranked

Power rating: No. 9 (Division I nonselect)

The Tors took a 50-33 non-district win over Iowa ahead of a district showdown vs. Barbe. The Lake Charles area programs met recently in a non-district game with Barbe beating the Tors.

Team to Watch: North Vermilion (18-1)

Previous rank: Not ranked

Power rating: No 3 (Division II nonselect)

The Patriots haven 't faced the toughest schedule, but they've won every game since dropping the opener to an Oberlin team with a deceptive 15-11 record (wins over Midland, Oak Hill and Kinder). We'll get a better idea of their ability after upcoming district games. vs. Teurlings Catholic (14-6), Rayne (14-5), Northside (9-10) and St. Thomas More (13-6). Last season, North Vermilion was 1-4 in district with losses to Teurlings, Northside and STM.

North Vermilion's best wins are against Kinder (16-5), New Iberia (14-7) and Central Catholic (16-7).

First Out: Thibodaux (12-5), Oak Hill (21-9), Arcadia (15-3), Lakeview (18-4), Denham Springs (16-8), Northshore (15-5), Mandeville (15-6), Iowa (14-7), Plainview (19-5), Reeves (17-5)

Dropped Out: No. 18 Parkview Baptist (14-4), No. 20 Alexandria (17-5), No. 21 Oak Hill (21-9), No. 25 Northshore (15-5)

On the Bubble: Captain Shreve (19-4), St. Scholastica (14-5), Lafayette (10-9), Archbishop Chapelle (16-4), Alexandria (17-5), Parkview Baptist (14-4), Ponchatoula (15-9), E.D. White (16-3). Frederick Douglass (13-3), Cedar Creek (18-3), JS Clark (16-8), St. Edmund (16-3), Pine (15-3), Midland (15-8), Rosepine (14-9), Anacoco (15-9), Terrebonne (19-4), H.L. Bourgeois (16-6), East St John (13-6), Hahnville (13-6), Sterlington (13-7), Abbeville (12-4), South Beauregard (15-9), Albany (15-9), Westlake (12-5), Kinder (16-5), Bastrop (15-4), Merryville (17-4), Ouachita Christian (17-3), Summerfield (20-5), Calvin (18-6), Oberlin (15-11)