Louisiana Top 28: 3A First Team
First Team
Larry Owens 6’7 F 2017 Carroll (Northwestern St. commit)
Owens has been a beast all season in the paint for Carroll and this game was no different. He did a great job at affecting shots at the rim against Wossman, and as a result was able to get a double-double, with 10 points and 13 rebounds. However, Carroll as a whole had issues scoring down the stretch, and I would have liked to see him get more shots up. However, when it is the fourth time these teams play, I’m sure they know exactly how to gameplan for you.
Cam Wells 6’3 G 2017 Madison
This was my first time really seeing Wells play, and he was mighty impressive, scoring 24 points in their semi-final game against Peabody. However, Wells wasn’t able to get much help, and he was clearly the best player on his team for Madison.
Kevin Norman 6’5 F 2017 Peabody
A 1-2 punch of Kevin Norman and Cedric Russell at the forward and guard positions for Peabody has been devastating all season long, and the Top 28 was no different for them. For most teams in the state, Norman would be a great best player, but when you put him in position to be the 2nd option on offense, and just have him guard the paint on defense, you have something special.
Casey Jones Jr. 5’11 G 2017 Wossman (Northwestern St. commit)
Sadly for Wossman, Jones did not have the opportunity to win the game at the buzzer again this year. After last season’s half court heave to win the game against Peabody in the semifinals last year, it is truly impressive that Jones was still able to go for 23 in the title game. The speed that he possesses in combination with the work ethic and high mental capacity is what has lead to Jones getting a D1 scholarship.
Cedric Russell MVP 6’3 G 2017 Peabody (UL Lafayette commit)
Since heading into the final two weeks of the regular season, Ced has simply played out of his mind. He went for 27 in the semifinal game, including hitting an astounding 18/18 free throws. What is even more amazing is that 27 is only half of his season high of 54 this year. In the championship game, he finished with 22 points, and lead his offense 73 points in the 73-54 win. This gives Peabody their 8th title in school history, and their first since 2012.
Honorable Mention
Jatarrius Turpin 5’9 G 2019 Wossman
Turpin was the second option for Wossman all year, and the sophomore guard showed why. He is capable of scoring in a variety of ways. I am looking forward to seeing how he transitions next year, as he will have the ball in his hands a lot more, but I think he will be able to lead Wossman’s high octane offense.
Dwight Simon 6’7 C 2018 Peabody
When you see only 11 points, you may be wondering why Simon made this list, but if you were at the game you would see why. Simon effected a ton of shots at the rim in both games, and in the state title game, he came down with 22 rebounds! He was a monster on the glass, and was able to take away a lot of second chance opportunities for the opponents.