Brown, Stephens Top 2024 LSWA Class B Basketball All-State Squad
By DANIEL GREEN // Written for the LSWA
Avoyelles Charter junior Jalen Brown and Hicks senior Reese Stephens were selected as the Outstanding Player award winners on the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class B all-state basketball teams selected by a panel of sportswriters from across the state.
Brown was voted the Class B Outstanding Player for the second straight year. He led the Vikings to a win over J.S. Clark in the Division V select final at Burton Coliseum in Lake Charles.
For the season, Brown averaged 21 points, five steals, four rebounds and four assists per outing.
Stephens, a first-team all-state performer in 2023, guided Hicks back to the Division V nonselect final and a runner-up finish to Fairview. She averaged 20 points, five rebounds, five assists and four steals per contest.
Negreet’s Gary Henry (boys) and Ross Rix of J.S. Clark (girls) grabbed Coach of the Year honors.
Henry guided Negreet to the LHSAA tourney for the first time since 1997. Rix coached both the boys and girls at J.S. Clark to the Division V select state championship games, winning the girls championship over defending champion Oak Hill. J.S. Clark was the runner-up to Avoyelles Charter in the boys title game.
LSWA CLASS B ALL-STATE BASKETBALL CHARTS
BOYS
First team
Player School Ht. Cl Avg.
Jalen Brown Avoyelles Charter 5-8 Jr. 21.0
Preston Sanders Zwolle 6-2 Jr. 23.0
Le’Damien George J.S. Clark 6-3 So. 18.0
Dustin Welch Anacoco 6-4 Sr. 20.4
Johnathan Holmes Negreet 6-4 Sr. 22.3
Second team
Player School Ht. Cl Avg.
Kane Broussard Lacassine 6-4 Jr. 20.0
Michael Jones Choudrant 6-1 Sr. 25.4
Armonii Benjamin Avoyelles Charter 6-1 So. 16.3
Hayden Doyle Hicks 6-2 Sr. 15.6
DeMarion McClendon Doyline 5-9 Jr. 15.3
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: JALEN BROWN, AVOYELLES CHARTER
COACH OF THE YEAR: GARY HENRY, NEGREET
Honorable mention: Howard Ethridge, Zwolle; Jacob Vilar, Episcopal of Acadiana; Itavus Brown, Simsboro; Logan Ponder, Quitman; Christopher Newton, Rapides; Dalton Miller, Holden; Kayden Bourque, Midland.
GIRLS
First team
Player School Ht. Cl Avg.
Reese Stephens Hicks 5-4 Sr. 20.0
Taylor Barnaba J.S. Clark 5-1 So. 18.0
Gracie Miller Midland 5-9 Sr. 20.4
Shyanne Phillips Hicks 6-1 Sr. 21.0
Alexis Dyer Oak Hill 5-10 Sr. 17.0
Second team
Player School Ht. Cl Avg.
Bailey Davis Anacoco 5-9 Sr. 12.4
Madison Suire Hathaway 5-4 Sr. 15.4
Payton Herpin Bell City 5-9 So. 20.2
Ambree Collinsworth Castor 5-6 Sr. 12.8
Kaiya Miller Negreet 5-7 So. 12.7
OUTSTANDING PLAYER: REESE STEPHENS, HICKS
COACH OF THE YEAR: ROSS RIX, J.S. CLARK
Honorable mention: Cali Deal, Quitman; Reese Brown, Choudrant; Lily Rousseau, Avoyelles Charter; Tora Savoy, Midland; Hayzlyn Granade, Maurepas; Preslye Rivers, Converse; Abbilee Dowden, Anacoco.