Girls Basketball: Ponchatoula pushes top seed to limit; BTW faces top seed tonight

Having won a state title in 2015, Ponchatoula has been one of the top girls programs in the state in recent years.

Despite facing the top-seeded Ouachita Parish Lions, you knew the Green Wave would not go down easily in Lake Charles Tuesday night in the Class 5A semifinals.

The Green Wave pushed the Lions to the limit before falling 64-60 in overtime.

Presley Walls sank a 3-pointer with three seconds left in regulation for the Green Wave to force overtime.

In the overtime period, Skylar Buie connected on a 3-pointer while Tia Perry made 3-of-4 free throws for the Lions.

The game was back-and-forth all night.

Ponchatoula (27-7) led 7-5 after one quarter and took a 20-17 lead into halftime. Ponchatoula carried a 33-32 lead into the final quarter.

Ouachita Parish (32-6) advances to the state title game Friday night to take on No. 2 Benton, who downed No. 19 Natchitoches Central 63-39. Coincidentally, the Lions will attempt to be the first top seed to win the 5A title since Ponchatoula in 2015.

This evening, No. 4 Booker T. Washington of New Orleans (23-13) battles top seed Northwest (30-4) in the Class 3A semifinals at 6:15 p.m.

The Lions have beaten Wossman, South Beauregard and Albany in the playoffs to advance.

LHSAA Girls Marsh Madness
at Burton Coliseum, Lake Charles
Results from Tuesday, March 3
Semifinals
Class B: (1) Fairview 66, (6) Florien 41
Class 3A: (2) Mansfield 41, (3) Madison Prep 32
Class 5A: (1) Ouachita Parish 64, (5) Ponchatoula 60, OT
Class 5A: (2) Benton 63, (19) Natchitoches Central 39

Schedule for Wednesday, March 4
Semifinals
Class C: (4) Plainview vs. (1) Summerfield, 1 p.m.
Class C: (6) Ebarb vs. (2) Hicks, 2:45 p.m.
Class 1A: (7) White Castle vs. (6) Delhi, 4:30 p.m.
Class 3A: (4) Booker T. Washington (NO) vs. (1) Northwest , 6:15 p.m.
Class B: (6) Lacassine vs. (2) Hathaway, 8 p.m.