It is highly unusual for such a large number of players to register new career bests as the same time but this past week turned out to be memorable for a total of 18 local players.

Nine boys and nine local prep girls all had their best ever individual game scoring or rebounding totals that includes four who scored their first points of the season and of their varsity career.  

New standards were set right from the “get go” of the past week when Trent Ledbetter of Saline High School poured in 30 points on Monday, December 11, for his best individual scoring performance of his career. On the same night, Weston High School had four boys set new individual standards including Tommy Walker scoring a career best 14 points and Nathin Wages improving his previous best by grabbing 7 boards.  Kason Roberts and Dawson Clifton also enjoyed the best scoring game of their budding careers at WHS by scoring four each.

Perhaps nothing brought more enjoyment and was good to see than what took place during the Lady Wolves Monday evening contest. Tailen Bearden is a hard working senior who seldom sees varsity action having played in just eight games and taken only nine shots all season. Taking advantage of the rare opportunity, the dedicated team member not only scored her first five points of the year but also made her first 3-point shot. 

This was followed by Cali Deal of Quitman High School turning in a performance for the ages on Tuesday, December 12th, when she scored a new career high 39 points. Her herculean effort set a new individual scoring standard in both girls and boys play for all Jackson Parish schools this season and marked the fourth time she has eclipsed the 30 point barrier this season. Morgan McGee of Jonesboro-Hodge also put on a shooting display with a career best five 3-pointers leading to a new season high of 22 points.

On Thursday, December 14th, new standard setting went to another level as eight Quitman High School roundballers all posted new marks, including a pair of first year players who registered their first ever points in a varsity contest. Brayden Martin continued to impress in his inaugural varsity season by putting up 16 points and 8th grader Shane Reed scored a new best 4 points in only his fourth game of seeing playing time this year. Asher Schultz sank a basket and Taden Thomas hit a free throw to also have scoring totals entered in the book for the first time. Four girls also made it a night to remember led by Taylor Borland and Morgan Cheatwood posting a new best of seven points each. Also celebrating her first basket, first free throw and first three points of her varsity career was Brooklyn Brown. The final of the four was Emma Walker, who had scored in five games this season but had never totaled the four points in a game she registered that night.

Putting the final touches on the “elite eighteen” career best performances was the top rebounder and perhaps the premier 8th grader in the area, both from Weston High, ending the week in grand style. Nadia Siadek has been the best “glass cleaner” in the area all season long but it wasn’t until Friday that she could claim recording a “double double” in a game. After her career best 10 point and 10 board effort against Calvin, the 3rd straight game she has 10 or more rebounds, she now can. Budding star, Carly Jo Griffin, also had a career night posting a new single season best 26 points. Becoming a “go to” option for WHS head coach Stacy Tucker, the varsity player that is still taking junior high classes, has now scored 20 or more points in back to back games.

Game Recaps (December 11-15)

Monday, December  11

Saline 61 OCS 56 (boys): Trent Ledbetter drained a three pointer in all four quarters, including two in the third period where he scored 10 of his new career high 30 points to lift the Bobcats to a road victory over their Class A opponents. Gavon Dailey also came up big for Saline with 13 points, the majority coming toward the end of the game where he made seven clutch free throws down the stretch to keep Saline ahead. Eli Ferguson muscled in 10 points in the paint and Jer’Courtney Loyd chipped in with seven. Tate Hamby, who is a Vanderbilt University football commitment, led OCS with 21 points. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
Saline	13	14	16	18	61
OCS	12	11	13	20	56

Weston 68 Dodson 30 (boys): Tommy Walker made seven field goals for a new career high 14 points and Tait Henderson made 9 of 12 shots for a game high 20 points. The victory was the seventh in a row for the Wolves over their neighboring Winn Parish foe that dates back to the 2020-21 season. La’Javien Harris and Daniel Watlington added seven and six points respectively with Kason Roberts, Dawson Clifton, Jude Otwell, and Nathin Wages, who grabbed a career high seven boards, adding four each. Ethan Taylor scored three points and Tyler Pardue tallied two as WHS had ten players score in the contest. The 30 points allowed by Weston also set a new best in fewest points allowed this season.

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
Weston	20	19	15	14	68
Dodson	8	10	4	8	30

Weston 64 Dodson 28 (girls): Anslee Aldy came within one point of her career best in scoring as her 16 points led eight Lady Wolves who scored in the contest. The 28 points allowed is the second lowest scoring total given up this season trailing only the 26 points Dodson scored earlier this year. Weston also tied a national record that can never be broken when they didn’t allow a single point in the third quarter that saw the Lady Wolves score 24 that blew the game open. Lainee Trosclair and Carly Jo Griffin also joined the “double digit” club in scoring with 15 and 12 points respectively. Tailen Bearden and Carlynn Waters finished with five each, Raelynn Shell scored four, Lexie Millien tallied three and Jacie Ledford ended with two points but both led the Lady Wolves with nine and eight rebounds respectively. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
Weston	19	12	24	9	64
Dodson	7	15	0	6	28

OCS 45 Saline 21 (girls) The Lady Bobcats suffered their lowest scoring output of the season in the contest that was marred by Alaya Gray exiting in the second quarter due to a scary knee injury that fortunately didn’t turn out as bad as it looked. With Alana Gray, who led Saline with 11 points, and Tyla Malone nailing three pointers along with Kacidy Sims and Jordan Williams scoring baskets, Saline jumped out to a 10-9 first quarter lead over the perineal Class A power. Then OCS applied a full court pressure defense that allowed 11 points the rest of the way. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
Saline	10	2	6	3	21
OCS	9	13	15	8	45

Tuesday, December 12

St. Mary’s 65 Quitman 61 (girls): Despite an incredible 39 point scoring performance by Cali Deal the Lady Wolverines fell in overtime ending a five game winning streak. Quitman led 38-27 at the half in the back and forth contest that saw eleven lead changes only to see St. Mary’s from Natchitoches tie it up at 44 each by the end of the third period. Anna Leach, who scored nine points on the night, made a three pointer in the final stages of the final frame to tie the game at 55 all and send the Lady Wolverines into their first overtime contest of the season. Jaleigh Burns added six, Taylor Borland finished with four, Emma Walker tallied two and Morgan Cheatwood made a free throw to round out the QHS scoring. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	OT	TOTAL
Quitman	20	18	6	14	3	61
St. Mary’s	18	9	17	14	7	65

St. Mary’s 63 Quitman 43 (boys): It was one of those nights when the shots just wouldn’t fall as the Wolverines suffered through their lowest scoring output of the season to put an end to their three game winning streak. The game was over early as the 6th ranked team in Division IV among “non-select” schools jumped out to a 27-11 first quarter lead that grew to 47-21 by the half. Eli Walker led the Wolverines with 13 points on the strength of three 3-pointers followed by 11 points from Logan Ponder. Eight and six points were also scored by Brayden Martin and Braden Smith with Abel Leach adding three and Riley Duck hitting a pair of free throws. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
Quitman	11	10	14	8	43
St. Mary’s	27	20	8	8	63

Lincoln Prep 59 JHHS 26 (boys): The scoring woes that has plagued the Tigers all season reached a new low point as Lincoln Prep won the game by more points than the Tigers scored. After nine games JHHS is averaging only 41.66 points per game and has now been held below 30 points for the second time this year. As big as a culprit to the 31.8% field goal percentage that included a 1/9 performance from beyond the arc was the 29 turnovers committed and 19-2 advantage in transition points put up by the future district foe. Chance Leonard and Daelen Boston scored nine each to lead the Tigers with Symeon Malone and DaMarious Burns each finishing with four points as only four Tigers managed to make points. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
JHHS	6	9	9	2	26
LPHS	16	22	16	5	59

Lincoln Prep 48 JHHS 40 (girls): Morgan McGee hit three of her season best five treys she drained on the night in the first half to JHHS to a 29-24 half time lead but homestanding Lincoln Prep held the Lady Tigers to just 11 points in the second half to win their first game of the year. McGee ended with a career best 22 points with the next best scoring effort being five points by McKenzie Bradford as dropped their third straight and eight out of their last nine to fall to 3-10 in head coach Shan Jackson’s first year at the helm. LaRonda McGuire and Sanaa Tatum finished with four each, Nesha Johnson ended with three and Tyya Davis, who was plagued by early foul trouble, had just a first quarter basket.

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
JHHS	13	16	6	5	40
LPHS	6	18	13	11	48

Claiborne Christian 55 Weston 48 (boys): The Wolves burst out to a 12-2 advantage but the 5th ranked team in the Division V “non-select” rankings responded with a 22-7 run to head into the break with a 24-19 advantage. Weston regained the lead at 38-37 by the end of the third quarter but with the scored tied at 48-48, Claiborne Christian scored seven straight to take the victory. Bryce Zehr led the Wolves  with 13 points followed by nine from Daniel Watlington that equaled his season best as both made three 3-pointers. Tommy Walker followed his career best scoring night from the night before with a solid 8 point, 8 rebound effort with Jude Otwell also putting up a respectful six points and 7 boards showing. Tait Henderson scored six, Nathin Wages 5 and LeJavion Harris added a free throw.

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
Weston	12	7	19	10	48
Claiborne Christian	5	19	13	18	55

Claiborne Christian 69 Weston 56 (girls): Racing out to a 30-12 first quarter advantage, the 4th ranked Division V team among “non-select” schools ran their season opening, winning streak to 18 straight games. A bright spot for the Lady Wolves was the three point shooting of Carly Jo Griffin and Lainee Trosclair who made three each and led WHS in scoring with 20 and 19 points each. Nadia Siadek was next with five points while also pulling down a team high 13 boards giving her an impressive 9.5 board per game average. Lexie Millien finished with four points, Anslee Aldy and Carlynn Waters had three each and Raelynn Shell made a basket to round out the scoring. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
Weston	12	7	16	21	56
Claiborne Christian	30	12	10	17	69

Thursday, December 14th

Quitman 72 Dodson 35 (boys): Brayden Martin hit 6 of 7 shots, including both bombs from beyond the arc, to score 16 points and set a new career high in scoring that paced the Wolverines to their second highest scoring total of the year. Abel Leach and Eli Walker also reached “double figures” with 14 each while Braden Smith scored nine as QHS shot a season best 71% from the field. Noah Leach scored six points, while Larson Thomas and Shane Reed, scored four each. Asher Schultz and Riley Duck added two points apiece and Taden Thomas hit a free throw to  become the 10th Wolverine to score. After leading 43-28 at the half, Quitman blew the game wide open by winning the third quarter by an 18-2 advantage to up the lead to over 30 points heading into the final frame. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
Quitman	22	21	18	11	72
Dodson	13	15	2	5	35

Quitman 62 Dodson 17 (girls) Four Lady Wolverines set new individual scoring and Quitman almost reached one as a team in the blowout that was eerily similar to QHS’s season opening 59-18 win over the hapless Lady Panthers who have now lost 49 straight games dating back to the 2021 season. As they have virtually all season, Cali Deal and Anna Leach led the Lady Wolverines in scoring with 21 and 8 points. From there, the books took on a new look as several players made unusual but welcome contributions. Morgan Cheatwood and Taylor Borland both set new scoring highs with seven points each, while A.J. Gray, Jaleigh Burns and Emma Walker all finished with four points. Brooklyn Brown scored the first three points of her varsity career and both Ali Claire Palmer and Ava Caskey tallied two points each. 

Weston 58 Calvin 54 (boys): Tait Henderson returned to his team leading scoring form by posting 20 points and Jude Otwell tied a career best by scoring eight points. Tyler Pardue chipped in with seven to finish just one short of his all time best as well as Weston won their 10th win of the season on the earliest date in head coach Jacob Otwell’s five year career. LaJavion Harris added six to go along with a team best nine boards. Daniel Watlington and Bryce Zehr scored 8 points and Nathin Wages hit a basket while also making two of the 11 steals recorded by the Wolves. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
Weston	11	14	16	17	58
Calvin	18	6	10	20	54

Weston 64 Calvin 63 (girls) A pair of 8th graders and the “best boarder” in the area made the difference as Weston closed out the week by winning their second game in three days to move to 10 wins on the season. Carly Jo Griffin continued to etch her name prominently in the 2023-24 season annals leading the Lady Wolves with a career best 26 points  while Carlynn Waters, performed like a seasoned pro at the end  as she calmly stepped to the line and made the first of two free throws with just seconds remaining. Not to be overshadowed was the effort by Nadia Siadek who corralled 10 rebounds, and finally reached 10 points at the same time for her first official “double double” of the year. Lexie Millien and Anslee Aldy also scored in double digits with 12 and 10 points while both had 7 boards as well. Jacie Ledford also added two points and 8 boards. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
Weston	21	13	13	17	64
Calvin	16	16	16	15	63

Friday, December 15th 

Choudrant 68 Saline 66 (boys) Freshman Eli Ferguson scored 23 points and Maddox Williams poured in 18 points on the strength of three 3-poiinters in the third quarter but the rally attempt from a 41-26 halftime deficit came up just short. Gavon Dailey chipped in with 12 points while Nathan Peoples scored seven. Jer’Courtney Loyd, Conner Roberts and Jackson Bougues also all scored two for the Bobcats who was missing Trent Ledbetter due to illness.  The contest played in Saline evened the season series at one win each offsetting the overtime victory by the Bobcats earlier in the season. Four players reached double figures in scoring for the Aggies who improved to 12-7 on the year.

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
Saline	12	14	24	16	66
Choudrant	18	23	15	12	68

Cedar Creek 64 Quitman 53 (boys): Playing for the second time in six days, Cedar Creek flipped the script by beating Quitman on their home court as the Wolverines had done to win the Neil Kilgore Tourney on Creek’s home floor. With Quitman trailing by only one point heading into the final frame, a 20-10 final period advantage by the Cougars set the final margin. Logan Ponder led Quitman with 15 points followed by 11 points from Eli Walker, who paced the Wolverines with three trey’s. Brayden Martin and Noah Leach chipped in with nine and eight points each, Riley Duck also came up big for Quitman with six points, for his second highest scoring total of the year and Braden Smith added four for Quitman who shot only 31 % from the floor and making only 6 of 20 from behind the arc.

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
Quitman	12	16	15	10	53
Cedar Creek	17	14	15	20	66

Quitman 41 Cedar Creek 27 (girls): Quitman limited the Lady Cougars to just 10 points over the first three quarters to take a commanding 28 point lead heading into the final frame. Cali Deal, who averaged 28 points per game during the week, continued her offensive onslaught by scoring all but 17 of Quitman’s points. Jaleigh Burns added five and both A.J. Gray and Taylor Borland contributed four each with Taylor Harvey and Anna Leach chipping in with two points each. 

TEAM	1	2	3	4	TOTAL
Quitman	10	14	14	3	41
Cedar Creek	5	3	2	17	27

Season records as of December 17th

Boys

Quitman 13-6
Weston 10-7
Saline 9-8
JHHS 2-7
Dodson 2-14

Girls

Quitman 13-7
Weston 10-7
Saline 4-14
JHHS 3-10
Dodson 0-14

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