3A to 5A: North Louisiana All State Team Members
The north Louisiana members of the All State teams in the smaller classes was like a who’s who of top ranked talent. John Buggs (Summerfield) and Mylik Wilson (Rayville) were the most notable name of the 19 players who made the All State first or second teams in their respective classes. Historically, classes 3A through 5A have had some of the more high profile recruits make the All State teams. Even though the players named might not be as widely known as their counterparts from the lower classes, these first and second team guys were key figures in the success of their individual teams.
1st and 2nd team All State (3A)
Two players that participated in Marsh Madness made the 3A 1st team. Wossman’s Darrell Comanche, Jr. (6’4″ Senior) and Dwight Simon (6’7″ Senior) from Peabody were probably the most consistent wing and post players in class 3A. Comanche led his team in scoring while leading them to the 3A semifinals. Simon was the low post anchor for a Peabody team that lost to Madison Prep in the 3A state finals. Even in losses to the eventual champions of 3A, both of these players showed, with their play, why the deserved first team honors.
The 3A second team had north Louisiana representation from three schools. Jailyn Natt (6’2″, Senior) of Wossman, Randy Jones (6’5″, Junior) of Carroll, and Darius Smith (6’4″, Junior) of Peabody were those players. Jones was the low post presence for a Bulldog team that lost in the 3A quarters to Jailyn Natt and the cross town rivals Wossman. Natt was the Robin to Comanche’s Batman as a senior leader for the Wossman Wildcats. Smith was Peabody’s best two way player. He often lead the team in scoring. Darius could also turn around and play the opposing teams best scorer. Smith and Jones will definitely be viewed as possible first team selections moving into 2018-19.
1st and 2nd team All State (4A)
A total of four players made the All state first and second team from north Louisiana. These four represented the best of the best in the north. They were either first or second team all region, district MVPs, or repeat members of the All state team. Some people around the state might be surprised by the respective teams that each player made. However, all four of the players deserved the honors nevertheless.
First team members Jalen Brooks (6’5″, Woodlawn-Shreveport) and Dustin Roy (5’11”, Tioga) took their perspective regions and districts by storm. Roy was the Cenla MVP dropping overe 100 threes en route to leading Tioga to a Co-district championship. Brooks led his team to within a bucket of winning the 4A state title while averaging a double-double for the entire season. Both players were major reasons why their teams had the success they achieved all season long.
The second team members are arguably the two best guards in the state. Tra’Michael Moton (6’0″, Woodlawn-Shreveport) and Jacoby Decker (5’8″, Bossier) are two of the most prolific scorers that play the point guard position. Decker was the 1-4A MVP averaging 20-plus points per game while Moton is a repeat All state team member due in large part of leading Woodlawn-Shreveport with his assist and scoring totals. Both players can take over a game at any given moment and are fierce competitors. North Louisiana could not have two better guards representing them on the All state team.
1st and 2nd team All State (5A)
Of all Louisiana classifications, class 5A had the lowest total on the first or second team with two representatives. Even though these two are the only north Louisiana players, they are definitely two of the best. Brian White, the top true point guard in 5A, from Natchitoches Central (1st team) and 6’7″ post man Willie LaPoole from Ouachita (2nd team) are two players that teams had to focus on when they matched up. White is the tough as nails point who can score and create for others. He can also be a rugged defender that gives opposing point guards fits. LaPoole is the kind of post player that can take his defender inside and out. He has a nice mid-range touch as well as post game that is elite. LaPoole is probably the toughest match up in the 5A ranks in north Louisiana. These two also helped their teams reach the state semifinals which is a true testament to how good they really are.
All of these players are very deserving of being selected to the All state teams from their respective classes. For the unsigned seniors, this is a testament to the hard work they have displayed in the high school ranks. For those juniors named, they have another chance to come back and lead their teams and repeat their All state status. We will definitely see what the future holds for these young men as they sign with college teams or perform for their high school in 2018-19.