Girls Basketball Playoffs: John Curtis, Mount Carmel win to set up championship game showdown Saturday

John Curtis, Mount Carmel win to set up championship game showdown Saturday

The Division I LHSAA Allstate Sugar Bowl girls basketball state championship game will simply be the next round of district competition, in a sense.

That is because District 9-5A rivals John Curtis Christian and third seed Mount Carmel Academy both advanced with semifinal wins Thursday.

The top-seeded and two-time defending state champion Lady Patriots overpowered No. 5 St. Joseph’s Academy 61-18.

The game was as total mismatch from the start.

Curtis jumped out to a 19-1 lead after one quarter and shutout the Redstickers in the second quarter to lead 30-1 at halftime. The one point scored by St. Joseph’s is the fewest ever in the state semifinals.

Abryhia Irons led the Lady Patriots (28-4) with 17 points and 10 rebounds while Jerkaila Jordan, the MVP of the championship game a year ago, had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Diamond Smith added 13 points. Lindsey Lutgring led St. Joseph’s (15-19) with eight points. It was the third straight year that Curtis has whipped St. Joseph’s in the playoffs.

Mount Carmel Academy (22-9) withstood a poor shooting start to overcome Dominican 32-22 in a low scoring affair.

Both teams struggled on offense. It was 4-2 Mount Carmel after one quarter and the Cubs led 8-4 at the half. Dominican (24-7) grabbed the lead in the third quarter and led 18-14 going to the final quarter. It was then that Jordan Berry turned it on, scoring all 14 of her points in the final period to propel the Cubs to victory.

Berry scored 14 of Mount Carmel’s 18 points in the final quarter. Taylor Wilkins finished with eight points for the Cubs. Sydney Sherman led Dominican with eight points and Emily Adams added five points.

The Lady Patriots and Cubs will meet for the championship at noon Saturday.

John Curtis and Mount Carmel split a pair of district games in the regular season with the Cubs shocking the Lady Patriots 45-44 at River Ridge on Jan. 10 before John Curtis rebounded with a 39-24 win in Lakeview on Jan. 28.

Allstate Sugar Bowl LHSAA Girls Basketball State Tournament
All games at Rapides Parish Coliseum, Alexandria
Monday, February 25
Division V Semifinals
(1) Claiborne Christian 36, (5) Grace Christian 26
(2) Family Community 52, (3) Family Christian 37

Division IV Semifinals
(1) Lafayette Christian 69, (5) Ouachita Christian 33
(3) Vermilion Catholic 49, (2) Houma Christian 44

Class C Semifinals
(1) Plainview 68, (4) Ebarb 46
(6) Reeves 45, (2) Atlanta 31

Tuesday, February 26
Division II Semifinals
(1) Lee Magnet 79, (4) Ursuline Academy 61
(2) St. Louis Catholic 87, (3) University High 86 (OT)

Class 1A Semifinals
(4) Delhi 59, (1) East Iberville 37
(3) Elton 38, (2) KIPP Booker T. Washington 34

Class 4A Semifinals
(1) Benton 47, (5) Ellender 46
(2) Warren Easton 53, (3) Minden 39

Wednesday, February 27
Division III Semifinals
(2) Northlake Christian 59, (3) St. Katharine Drexel 49
(1) St. Thomas Aquinas 70, (5) Country Day 39

Class B Semifinals
(5) Hicks 58, (9) Zwolle 49
(2) Anacoco 59, (3) Fairview 46

Class 3A Semifinals
(1) Loranger 43, (4) Northwest 42
(2) Madison Prep 59, (3) Albany 46

Thursday, February 28
Division I Semifinals
(3) Mount Carmel 32, (2) Dominican 22
(1) John Curtis Christian 61, (5) St. Joseph’s Academy 18

Class 2A Semifinals
(4) Mansfield 57, (8) Rayville 49
(2) North Caddo 48, (6) Red River 47

Class 5A Semifinals
(9) Captain Shreve 65, (5) East Ascension 48
(6) Denham Springs 48, (2) Walker 33

Friday, March 1
Division V championship, (1) Claiborne Christian vs. (2) Family Community, 10 a.m.
Division IV championship, (1) Lafayette Christian vs. (3) Vermilion Catholic, noon
Division II championship, (1) Lee Magnet vs. (2) St. Louis Catholic, 2 p.m.
Class C championship, (1) Plainview vs. (6) Reeves, 4 p.m.
Class 1A championship, (3) Elton vs. (4) Delhi, 6 p.m.
Class 4A championship, (1) Benton vs. (3) Minden, 8 p.m.

Saturday, March 2
Division III championship, (1) St. Thomas Aquinas vs. (2) Northlake Christian, 10 a.m.
Division I championship, (1) John Curtis Christian vs. (3) Mount Carmel Academy, noon
Class B championship, (2) Anacoco vs. (5) Hicks, 2 p.m.
Class 2A championship, (2) North Caddo vs. (4) Mansfield, 4 p.m.
Class 3A championship, (1) Loranger vs. (2) Madison Prep, 6 p.m.
Class 5A championship, (6) Denham Springs vs. (9) Captain Shreve, 8 p.m.