Brackets released for 2022 Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic

2022 Brackets announced: pic.twitter.com/ZJWv9J8iSq

— Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic (@sbprepclassic) December 27, 2021

The most prestigious tournament in Louisiana and one of the best tournaments in the south is set.

The 11th Annual Allstate Sugar Bowl National Prep Classic returns to the Alario Center in Westwego January 5-8 after a one-year hiatus, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

A total of 48 teams from eight states will compete in four different brackets.

There are two boys and two girls brackets, including six defending Louisiana state champions.

Eight New Orleans area teams will compete in the very tough Boys National 16-team bracket, including John Curtis Christian, Country Day, defending Division I state champion St. Augustine, Archbishop Hannan, Archbishop Shaw, Karr, Landry and Sophie B. Wright, along with excellent teams from seven other states.

The Boys State Bracket features eight teams, including McGill-Toolen of Alabama, along with Douglass, Riverside Academy, Family Christian, East Jefferson, Parkview Baptist, Ellender and Holy Cross.

The Girls Platinum Bracket has 12 teams, including Theodore, Alabama, joining area teams Northshore, Liberty, Lafayette, Warren Easton, defending Division II state champion St. Louis Catholic, defending 3A state champion Madison Prep, defending Division III state champion Lafayette Christian, defending Division I state champion John Curtis Christian, Ellender, Ponchatoula and Walker.

The Girls Gold Bracket features 12 teams from Louisiana, including Northwest, along with seven from the New Orleans area in Cabrini, Ben Franklin, West Jefferson, Ursuline, Karr, Mount Carmel Academy and St. Martin’s Episcopal, defending Division IV state champion Ouachita Christian, Dominican, St. Thomas More and Amite.

Ed Daniels of WGNO, CrescentCitySports.com and NASH FM 106.1 FM is the tournament director, along with 12-time state championship coach Timmy Byrd and long-time coach and administrator Kristy Hebert.

“Last year, in the first week of January, I felt lost, it was like a huge void because we didn’t have our tournament,” Daniels said. “I frankly did not know what to do. We are grateful to Scott Walker and his office and the entire Jefferson Parish Council for their support and we are extremely grateful to the Jefferson Parish Convention and Visitors Bureau. Of course, we could not do this without the Allstate Sugar Bowl. Our goals are simple—to run a great tournament and bring visitors to the parish.”

The event has ignited the Jefferson Parish economy for years.

“We’re not in it for money,” Daniels said. “We’re in it because we want to run one of the best basketball tournaments in the country. That’s why we do it. Timmy Byrd, Kristy Hebert and I love the game and love the tournament and it is something we want to perpetuate for a long time. My wife, Robin, does a superb job of organizing and handling upwards of 600 hotel rooms for our visitors.”

Byrd believes it is a very good boys field.

“Obviously, we are excited to have it back,” Byrd said. “Hopefully, there are no last-minute cancellations. We’re thinking it’s going to be a good tournament with good out-of-state competition. It will be good to see everybody. Under the circumstances, we feel good about our boys brackets. We did lose a couple of teams, as you would expect.”

There is always the possibility of a COVID outbreak which could alter the field of teams.

“So far, so good and we hope it stays that way,” Byrd said. “We know everything is day-to-day but we are prepared. It will be interested to see how Louisiana teams fare against the out-of-state teams. Newton (Georgia), Beaumont United (Texas) and Huntsville Lee (Alabama) are really good. The others are very good as well.”

Hebert is excited about the girls brackets.

“This is probably one of the most competitive brackets we’ve had in a few years,” Hebert said. “It was hard seeding the teams with so many defending state champs and runner-ups. It is going to be very interesting and competitive. I also think it’s pretty cool that we have several teams that are excited to play in a facility where state championships will be held this year, which is a new twist. Theodore, Alabama is a steady, solid program with two players committed to play at the next level.”

The one out-of-state invader will see good competition in the Girls Platinum Bracket.

“Our Louisiana teams are very good,” Hebert said. “We have a ton of teams that won state titles last year and many who are really good this year. Both brackets will be very competitive. It is simply great to have the event back.”

All four championships will be played on Saturday, Jan. 8 and you can watch all four championship games on CrescentCitySports.com, a sponsor and supporter of the event since its inception.