Top 28 State Boy's Basketball tournament, is there a better event in the state? If there is I would love to know so I can be sure to be there. Like I say, there are 3 things that are great about March, first is that my birthday is March 1, second Top 28 action and last is the NCAA tournament. My favorite is the Top 28 and that is what gets kicked off today at 3:30 in Lafayette at the ULL Cajun Dome. There are four games on tap today and it gets started with the defending Class B state champion Zwolle Hawks taking on Midland. The second game features top seeded Rapides against a very dangerous Fairview team. In the night cap, it will be district rivals from Monroe when Carroll takes on defending champion Richwood and the final game is top seed Vidalia taking on local favorite Abbeville. Now it is time for our predictions where below you will see the daily talk and preview from Brady and Kevin with the Daily Advertiser. For further Top 28 Action coverage check in at the Daily Advertiser.
Class B
Game 1- Zwolle over Midland
Game 2- Rapides over Fairview
Class 3A
Game 3- Richwood over Carroll
Game 4- Vidalia over Abbeville
Class B Team Capsules Courtesy of the Daily Advertiser's writers of Kevin Foote and Brady Aymond
Coach: Todd Briley
Record: 33-4.
Seed: No. 2.
Road to Top 28: Beat Simpson 94-32, Hosanna Christian 78-45, Hornbeck 63-46.
Leading scorers: Miles Prejean(pictured), 5-11, Sr, 22.3 ppg; B.J. Cormier, 5-9, Sr, 15.0 ppg; Colby Gantt, 6-0, Sr, 12.0 ppg; Allen Fontenot, 5-11, Jr, 7.6 ppg; Michael Vincent 5-8, Sr, 2.8 ppg.
Top 28 history: Ninth appearance with one title and three runner-up finishes. Last Top 28 appearance was 2004.
Notes: Midland's lost in the state finals three times and won its only state title in 1977 under Briley's father and current principal, Clyde Briley. Todd Briley is the school's all-time leading scorer, a former state MVP and played at McNeese State. Leading scorer Miles Prejean was Miles Sonnier for his first three seasons, but changed his name this past offseason.
Rapides Mustangs
Record: 45-5.
Seed: No. 1.
Road to Top 28: Beat ESA 90-34, Bell City 95-52, Castor 108-63.
Leading scorers: C.J. Johnson(pictured), 6-3, Sr, 18.7 ppg; Tremaine Woodruff, 6-0, Sr, 13.7 ppg; Keldrick Timothy, 5-10, Jr, 12.8 ppg; D.D. Birdsong, 6-1, So, 11.6 ppg.
Top 28 history: The is the program's 10th Top 28 appearance with one title, five runner-up finishes.
Notes:
Fairview Panthers
Coach: Ron Stark.
Record: 31-7.
Seed: No. 4.
Road to Top 28: Beat Weston 115-71, Holden 106-79, Centerville 86-79.
Top players: Cody Neal, 6-0, Sr, 27.2 ppg; 5-9 Colby Marler, 5-9, Sr, 15.5 ppg; Jake Howard, 5-9, Sr, 15.2 ppg; Tyler Maddox, 5-10, Fr, 14.0 ppg.
Top 28 history: Fourth trip to Top 28; last trip was in 1988.
Notes: Starting PG Jake Howard missed most of last season after tearing ACL. Neal was District 5-B MVP. Panthers went undefeated in district play and were 1-2 in three pre-district games against Rapides this season. Rapides swept both meetings last year when they were in same district.
Coach: Bradley McLarin
Record: 38-10.
Seed: No. 3
Road to Top 28: Beat Mount Hermon 90-50; Summerfield 74-36; Simsboro 63-50.
Leading scorers: Breion Beaver, 6-0, Jr, 18.8; Marvin Frazier(pictured), 6-8, Jr, 13.1; David Smith, 6-5, Jr, 10.3.
Top 28 history: 17th Top 28 appearance with 12 titles and two runners-up.
Class 3A Team Capsules Courtesy of the Daily Advertiser's writers of Kevin Foote and Brady Aymond
Abbeville Wildcats
Record: 26-5.
Seed: No. 5.
Playoff road: Beat Patterson 52-32, Madison 70-58, E.D. White 70-39.
Top scorers: Keelon Lee(pictured), 6-7, Sr., 17.2 ppg; Tiremone Williams, 6-0, Soph, 11.0 ppg; DaJuan Smith, 6-0, Jr., 11.3 pgg; Dion Perry, 5-11, Sr., 9.2 ppg; Alonzo Williams, 6-4, Soph, 8.0 ppg.
Top 28 history: First trip in school history.
Notes: Hamilton won a state title at Patterson in 1998 and took the Lumberjacks back to the semifinals again in 1999. Abbeville was a Class 4A team last year, losing to eventual state champion Salmen in the regional round. Lee also averages 10 rebounds a game. Abbeville's last loss was to St. Augustine in the Northwest Tournament in late December.
Vidalia Vikings
Record: 28-2.
Seed: No. 1.
Playoff road: Beat Carver 102-38, Bogalusa 90-50, Rayville 98-87.
Top scorers: Torrey Dixon, 6-3, Sr, 25.0; Gary Stewart(pictured), 6-4, Sr, 17.1; Quartell Thomas, 6-1, Sr, 14.5; Daryl Polk, 6-1, Jr, 10.1.
Top 28 history: Fifth appearance with one title and one runner-up.
Notes: Sanders has a career record of 336-219.
Richwood Rams
Record: 17-10.
Seed: No. 7.
Playoff road: Beat Loyola Prep 103-65, North DeSoto 91-66, Plaquemine 50-47.
Top scorers: LaDon Carter(pictured), 6-7, Sr, 20.2; Marceis Davis, 6-3, Sr, 18.1; Ladarrin Williams, 6-6, Sr, 15.2; D'Andre Martin, 6-4, Jr, 10.0.
Top 28 history: Eight appearance with 4 titles and one runner-up finish.
Notes: Low number of official games because they played a ton of games out of state. Also, struggled in district but have absolutely blown out teams in playoffs until last week. Carter was the title game MVP last year. Carter is first-team all-district and averages 13 rebounds, 5 assists and 4 blocks per game; he was District MVP last year in 3-4A. Williams averages 15 rebounds and 5 blocks a game and is also first-team all-district. Davis averages 4 rebounds and 2.2 assists per game.
Carroll Bulldogs
Coach: Jesse Burnette.
Record: 21-10.
Seed: No. 3.
Playoff road: Beat Cohen 82-53; Northwest 78-47, Green Oaks 73-53.
Top scorers: Xavier Lee, 5-11, Jr, 21.5; Dashiell Franklin, 6-2, Sr, 10.0; Josh Tarver, 6-4, Sr, 12.0; Perry Horne, 6-6, Sr, 11.5.
Top 28 history: 11th appearance with 3 titles with 4 runner-up finishes.
Notes: Beat 3A defending champ Richwood two out of three times already this season to win the district title. Lee averages 5.1 assists per game; he switched from point guard last year to two-guard this year and improved his scoring by 2.3 points per game. He was District MVP this year for 2-3A and was MVP last year in 2-4A. Franklin was first-team all district the past two years (2-3A this year and 2-4A last year, scored 12.4 points per game last year..
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