Jerkaila Jordan named Class 5A girls basketball MVP

Written for the LSWA
Winning championships was one way to measure the careers of Reece Beekman and Jerkaila Jordan. The Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 5A All-State team has provided another.

Beekman of Scotlandville and Jordan of John Curtis claimed the top awards on the LSWA 5A teams selected by a panel of sportswriters from across the state.

These awards come after both players swept the 2019-20 Gatorade Louisiana Player of the Year honors.

Beekman led the Hornets to their fourth consecutive LHSAA Division I select title and was picked as the boys Outstanding Player. The 6-foot-3 Virginia signee averaged 19.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and 9.1 assists a game.

“Reece could average 30 points a game, but he would rather pass the ball,” Scotlandville coach Carlos Sample said. “His first option is to find the open teammate. This year he took his entire game to a higher level.”

Jordan (5-9) is a Tulane signee who was selected as the Outstanding Player on the girls squad after leading the Patriots to their fourth straight Division I title with averages of 23 points, 5.2 rebounds and 3.4 assists a game.

“Jerkaila isn’t a loud, vocal leader,” Curtis coach Barbara Farris said. “She leads by example and she has a quiet way to relate to her teammates. She finds a way to bring the very best out everybody.”

Lance Brasher, who led Alexandria to a 32-6 record and the first basketball crown in school history, was voted the boys Coach of the Year.

Benton’s Mary Lowry Ward garnered the Coach of the Year honor after leading her team to a 29-5 record and a title in the school’s first season in 5A.

Walker’s Jalen Cook (29.8 points, 3 assists, 3 steals per game), Latrell Holly of Alexandria (15.0 ppg, 4.6 reb, 3.5 ast), H.L. Bourgeois’ Deondre’ Buggage (26 ppg, 4.9 reb, 4.8 ast) and Jaron Pierre of St. Augustine (22 ppg, 6 reb, 3 ast) completed the first team.

Also picked for the girls first team were Ouachita’s Lafaedria Green (11.2 pts, 9.4 reb), Erica Lafayette of McKinley (19 pts, 8 reb, 6 ast), Benton’s Qua Chambers (20.1 pts, 8.5 stl, 4.4 ast) and Amoura Graves of Ponchatoula (23.5 pts. 12.2 rebs, 3.3 ast).

LSWA CLASS 5A ALL-STATE BASKETBALL CHARTS
BOYS
First team
Name Player Ht Cl Avg
Latrell Holly Alexandria 6-1 Sr. 15.0
Deondre’ Buggage H.L. Bourgeois 5-9 Sr. 26.0
Jaron Pierre St. Augustine 6-4 Sr. 22.0
Jalen Cook Walker 6-0 Sr. 29.5
Reece Beekman Scotlandville 6-3 Sr. 19.4

Second team
Name Player Ht Cl Avg
Jamal Davis Ouachita 5-9 Sr. 12.0
Cleveland Harris III Comeaux 6-2 Sr. 23.0
Will Allen Bonnabel 6-8 Jr. 14.6
Devonte Snow Natchitoches Central 6-0 Sr. 23.0
Tai’Reon Joseph Scotlandville 6-2 Sr. 19.8

OUTSTANDING PLAYER: REECE BEEKMAN, SCOTLANDVILLE
COACH OF THE YEAR: LANCE BRASHER, ALEXANDRIA

Honorable mention
Quez Owens, Ouachita; Desmond McQuain, Alexandria; Corey Dunning, Lafayette; Bentravin Phillips, Lafayette; Kyren Lacy, Thibodaux; Kaden Pierre, Hahnville; Claudell Harris Jr., Hahnville; T.J Small, Brother Martin; Tyron Williams, Bonnabel; Daniel Ortiz, Southwood; Kendall Coleman, Captain Shreve; John Mitchell, Captain Shreve; Devin Bilbo, Airline; Bryce Roberts, Parkway; Kentrell Garnett, Catholic; Jaquan Latula, New Iberia; Kendrick Delahoussaye, Lafayette; Chavez Brown, Terrebonne; Calvin Bullock, Destrehan; Carvell Teasett, Scotlandville; Chaun Moore, Zachary; Brian Thomas Jr., Walker; Camryn Carter, East Ascension; Hobert Grayson IV, East Ascension.

GIRLS
First team
Name Player Ht Cl Avg
Lafaedria Green Ouachita 6-0 Sr. 11.2
Erica Lafayette McKinley 5-10 Sr. 19.0
Qua Chambers Benton 5-7 Sr. 20.1
Jerkaila Jordan John Curtis 5-9 Sr. 23.0
Amoura Graves Ponchatoula 6-0 Jr. 23.5

Second team
Name Player Ht Cl Avg
Kate Thompson Denham Springs 6-2 Sr. 17.0
Mikaylah Manley Barbe 5-9 Fr. 28.0
Jada Anderson Benton 5-3 Jr. 19.0
Addison Martin Captain Shreve 6-1 Jr. 19.0
Junti Franklin Natchitoches Central 5-7 So. 18.0

OUTSTANDING PLAYER: JERKAILA JORDAN, JOHN CURTIS
COACH OF THE YEAR: MARY LOWRY WARD, BENTON

Honorable mention
Cambria Hargrove, Ouachita; Faith Robinson, West Monroe; Dezarae Stewart. West Monroe; Indiya Smith, Pineville; Dijone’ Flowers, Live Oak; Taralyn Sweeney, Haughton; Mikaylah Williams, Parkway; Jasmine Matthews, Natchitoches Central; Yelah Moses, Hahnville; Alanna Donaldson, Chalmette; Taylor Wilkins, Mount Carmel; Jaylee Womack, Ponchatoula; Kayla Hampton, Airline; Raven Johnson, Southwood; K.C. Sims, Byrd; Kourtne Lee, Central Lafourche; Aryana Peak, Thibodaux, Addie Tremie, Sulphur; Moe Patterson, Sulphur; Kori Joseph, Hahnville; Breion Richard, Destrehan; Ashia Ward, East St. John; Kenyal Perry, McKinley; Alania Bartie, Sam Houston; Osha Cummings, Zachary; Jahniya Brown, Lafayette.