LHSAA 3rd Rounds Predictions: 5A
1) Natchitoches Central vs. 8) New Iberia
This is going to be the first matchup of the year for these two teams, with everything that they have worked for this year on the line. New Iberia has only lost a single game since the beginning of February, but Natchitoches Central is a much different beast than the Yellowjackets have faced over this hot streak. I think that Natchitoches Central just has too much talent for New Iberia to pull off the upset.
PHLA Pick: Natchitoches Central
4) Walker vs. 21) Southwood
So far I am 1-1 as far as predicting Southwood upsets in the playoffs. I thought they would be able to get the win in the first round over Central Lafourche, but I thought their season would end against East Ascension in the 2nd round. I was wrong about that, but once again, I don’t think they get passed this round. I think there is a big drop off between the top 4 seeds and the rest of the field (with the exception of Bonnabel). Walker is a much more talented team that East Ascension was, and Southwood is going to have to pull off the upset in a raukus arena on the road. I think the talent for Walker is going to be too much.
PHLA Pick: Walker
3) Landry Walker vs. 6) H. L. Bourgeois
Here is a bit of a hot take, but I think that H.L. has had the easiest road to get to this point in the playoffs as anyone in 5A. If they were matched up against anyone that was still alive in the 2nd round, I would have predicted a loss for the Braves. And even then, they were just barely able to get past an outmatched Slidell team. This is going to be their first test in the playoffs, and a hell of a test it will be. I will say this at least. If HL can pull off this win, they will have certainly earned the right to play in the final 4. I don’t see that happening though.
PHLA Pick: Landry-Walker
2) Ouachita Parish vs. 7) Bonnabel
This is another interesting matchup, and I think this might be the most interesting matchup of any game in the 3rd round. Bonnabel is the better team on paper, with 3 possible future D1 players on their team. They will have the best player on the court in TJ Collins, and there is no shutting down someone with Collin’s talent, but Ouachita at least has a 6’4 guard defender in Kendarius Wallace that will do as well as anyone could in the state. They also have a handful of defenders with size to throw at the rest of the guards for Bonnabel. Ouachita also has the size to be able to matchup well with freshman phenom Will Allen for Bonnabel. The Bruins are young, but they still have the star power to matchup with anyone. I just think this is about as bad of a matchup as they can pull.
PHLA Pick Ouachita Parish.