Why the Road to Louisiana’s Division I Title Runs Through Zachary Once Again — and It’s Not Just Ian Edmond

The defending Division I non-select champions return nearly their entire core, play at a relentless pace, and boast rare depth as Zachary positions itself as the team to beat in Louisiana

Ian Edmond (far left) and Kristion Brooks (right) with coach Jon McClinton / Zachary Athletics

The road to the Louisiana Division I non-select basketball championship will run through the Zachary Broncos.

Last season, Zachary captured the state title with a 44-37 win over District 4-5A rival Central High, and Xavier Ferguson was the only player to graduate out of the top five scorers.

Defending Champs Return Nearly Entire Core

Zachary (14-1), which plays at a rapid pace, routinely scores 70-to-80 points in a game, and the offensive production remains balanced.

"We're one of those teams that's not going to have many players with 20-point nights, but we'll have a lot of 12 to 14s," McClinton said.

Ian Edmond Sets the Tone

Ian Edmond, a 6-foot-1 junior and the Outstanding Player from last season's championship, leads the team with an average of 17.1 points and 3.2 steals and is shooting an incredible 70% from the field.

"His work ethic is amazing," McClinton said. "You're talking about a kid that loves the gym - stays in the gym. His dad played the game and has a lot to do with the success he's had. He's a good kid who is always trying to learn. You put those two things together, and you're going to get a great player."

Balanced Scoring Fuels a Fast-Paced Attack

Seven Broncos are averaging at least five points per game. Cambren Price (10.2 ppg), Aidan Givens (8.2) and Demarius Collins (8.1) are the top scorers after Edmond.

Collins, a junior, scored 25 points in a win over Huntington with five 3-pointers

"Once hits a couple, he can go off for five or six (3s), " McClinton said. "He also rebounds the ball well for us."

Price, who McClinton called a "quiet assassin," produced 20 points and 12 rebounds in a win over defending Division II select champ Archbishop Hannan.

Five more Broncos score between 3-4 points per game.

Football Athletes Add Power and Versatility

The Broncos have so much depth that 6-foot-4 football receivers Kristion Brooks and Ethan Kimmie came off the bench in last week's Southside Tournament, which Zachary won handily.

"You can't really teach what Kristion does," McClinton said of the UL Ragin' Cajuns' football signee. "His first practice was last Monday, but you'd think he was in practice No. 42 like the rest of the team. His energy, communication and leadership really help us."

Trey Armwood, Mason Newman, Brooks and Kimmie are combining to score more than 25 points per game. Kimmie, a transfer from University Lab, is averaging over seven ppg.

"Everybody knows Ethan is a heck of an athlete," McClinton said. "He's still trying to get adjusted to our system. We play a little faster than he's used to."

"It's All About the Hands"

McClinton is constantly teaching and instructing his players during games, frequently shouting "hands!" or "too easy!" when he's not pleased with the defensive intensity.

"Our hands have to be active when it comes to (opponents') passing," McClinton said. "Instead of a direct pass, we want a lob. That will give us a better chance of getting there. It's the small things."

Challenging Schedule Sharpens Title Push

In addition to wins over 24-25 tournament teams Natchitoches-Central, Bossier and Hannan, the Broncos defeated Mississippi private school powers Madison-Ridgeland Academy and Jackson Academy in the past week. Home games vs. Denham Springs and John Curtsi Christian - both ranked in the overall top 10 by High School on SI - will be on tap in January.

"January is our tough month," McClinton said. "We have a lot of tough games. We don't shy away from playing the top teams. I learned that from (Southside coach) Todd Russ. We try to play as many of the better teams around the state so we can throw our kids in the water."

And the Broncos are swimming in the water just fine.

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