5A Non-select Top Teams (5-9)

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>This basketball season is packed with excitement. Mandeville, led by [player_tooltip player_id='489569' first='Alanna' last='Benoit'], aims to bounce back. Ponchatoula, led by [player_tooltip player_id='668591' first='Alyssa' last='Hillard'], seeks to improve. St. Amant has a strong front court duo, while Barbe, led by [player_tooltip player_id='668603' first='Maleigh' last='James'] and [player_tooltip player_id='485530' first='Mia' last='Colston'], is expected to make a deep playoff run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Barbe is gonna be a top team no matter the class. They're led by senior guards Maleigha James and [player_tooltip player_id='485530' first='Mia' last='Colston'], who bring a lot of experience and skill to the team. They've also got some young talent in sophomore [player_tooltip player_id='992548' first='Davelyn' last='Richard'] and junior Aniyha Lavan, who are expected to make significant contributions this season. Barbe is expected to make a deep playoff run and could be a serious contender for the championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Mandeville is led by the all-state junior, [player_tooltip player_id='489569' first='Alanna' last='Benoit'], who averaged 20 points and 7 rebounds last season. Freshman [player_tooltip player_id='974207' first='A.J.' last='Carpenter'] is definitely another player to keep an eye on. They fell short in the semi-finals last year, but I'm sure they're ready to make a comeback this season!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Ponchatoula is led by senior [player_tooltip player_id='668591' first='Alyssa' last='Hillard'], who was awarded all-state honorable mention last year. Other key players include junior [player_tooltip player_id='947844' first='Devasia' last='Williams'] and senior Maya Joseph. Despite taking a loss in the regional round last year, the team is looking strong and ready to make a deeper run this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>St. Amant has one of the best front court duos in the state with forwards Jaci Coleman and [player_tooltip player_id='489563' first='Rhian' last='Comery']. They're bringing back most of their starters from last season, which gives them a lot of experience and continuity. With this strong lineup, they're aiming for a deep run in the state tournament.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->