Sunkist Shootout in 2022 features another deep, impressive field

In Lafayette the week after Christmas and before the New Year, several basketball tournaments have become staples in the Acadiana area.

There is the long standing Yuletide Classic hosted by Vermilion Catholic, now a girls only basketball tournament. Another tournament known as the Darrel Mitchell St Classic in St. Martinville has both a Boys and Girls bracket. North Vermilion High, a short drive just south of Lafayette, is having a tournament also.

The most well-known event in the area is the 40th annual Sunkist Shootout hosted by St. Thomas More.

This year’s Sunkist is a reunion of sorts with alums of past editions of the event and even teams from out of state are set to participate. The 14 Louisiana teams entered reach from Lake Charles to the Greater New Orleans Area and points in between.

“We have a very balanced field this year at the Sunkist,” said St. Thomas More Boys Basketball Head Coach Danny Broussard, also the tournament organizer. “We have some big name teams including us this year along with some Sunkist alumni coaches as well.”

Bishop Ireton from Alexandria, Virgina which is coached by Dwayne Bryant, an alumnus of De La Salle in New Orleans who starred at Georgetown. He is also a former Sunkist Mr. Basketball, the title given to the tournament’s MVP award.

“Brandon Mouton, who played for me and played at Texas, brings his team back from St John XXIII out of Katy, Texas,” noted Broussard.

The Newman Greenies, defending Division III state champions coached by former LSU star Randy Livingston, are a marquee team in the Sunkist this year as well.

“I have my district rivals Westgate from down the road in New Iberia in the field this year, and they have made waves in the playoffs,” said Broussard.

Most teams in the Sunkist have been well-tested all season.

“We are looking for another four days of great basketball this year here in the heart of Acadiana,” boasted Broussard.

The Sunkist Shootout starts on Tuesday morning and concludes Friday night with the championship game.

See below for the complete bracket and schedule.

Team previews

Opelousas Catholic

The Vikings are 7-3 on the year with a win over fellow Sunkist participant Ascension Episcopal, 72-61, and a loss to Baton Rouge Episcopal, 81-54.

Teurlings Catholic

The Rebels are 4-3 including a 55-45 defeat to Archbishop Rummel, the third place team in this past week’s Country Day Classic.

Barbe

The Bucs are 10-4, boasting two good wins over Lake Charles schools (Washington-Marion, 50-46, and St. Louis Catholic, 67-44). Two of the Bucs four losses are to consistently strong programs in Hahnville, 56-50, and Bossier, 67-54.

Ascension Episcopal

The Blue Gators coached by Eric Mouton are 11-3 with a win over Central Catholic, 54-53. AES has also played in the Erath and Northside Christian Tournaments.

Westgate

The Tigers, 2-5 on the year, have played Brother Martin this year

Iowa

The Yellow Jackets are a perfect 12-0. They had a dominant 8–49 victory over known Class B-C power Jehovah-Jirah and have competed in the Elton and Grand Lake events as well as their own tourney.

Ellender

The Patriots at 5-6 have defeated neighboring parish rival Thibodaux, 65-44, and suffered losses to Hamilton Christian, 59-58, and Hahnville, 74-54.

Newman

The Greenies at 12-2 defeated fellow Sunkist participant Lafayette Christian, 56-47, in March for their state title. The champions of the Newman Invitational Tournament (over LB Landry, 62-41) have also defeated Warren Easton, 82-51. The Greenies just competed in the City of Palms Tournament in Florida where they lost to national power Imhotep Charter from Pennsylvania, 73-49 and Vashon Missouri, 60-39 but defeated Charlotte High School from Punta Gorda, 68-52.

Hamilton Christian

The Warriors, 6-2, have hosted their own tournament, the Sunday Players Showdown in the Lake where STM played earlier this year. Hamilton defeated Woodlawn-BR, 49-35, and crosstown foe Washington-Marion, 69-59. Their two losses were in hard-fought games to Ruston, 50-43, and Mandeville, 50-44.

Carencro

The Bears, 7-2, have played in the Alexandria and Midland tournaments. They also defeated Class 4A Plaquemine, 58-46.

Southside

The Sharks are 6-5 this year under new head coach Todd Russ, no stranger to Acadiana Area basketball as the longtime coach at New Iberia. He was an assistant at Zachary last year. Southside has a win against St. Martinville, 43-31. Three of the Sharks’ five losses have come to known basketball powers: Carroll, 41-40, Zachary, 65-57, and Liberty, 57-54.

St. John XXIII

The Lions are 3-6 this year and compete in the TAPPS in Texas. Coached by STM and Texas Alum Brandon Mouton, this is the second year the program has come to the Sunkist.

St. Thomas Aquinas

The Falcons, 4-7 on the year, just competed at the Country Day Classic where they defeated Grace King and lost to Karr. STA has defeated East St John, 81-76, and Archbishop Hannan, 54-48.

St. Thomas More

The Cougars, 12-3, have been tested so far this year going into the Sunkist Shootout. They are coming off of perhaps the most thrilling game in Louisiana prep basketball so far this season. STM defeated Sophie B. Wright, 70-65, John Curtis, 80-75, and Rummel, 69-55, before falling to host Country Day in a wild four-overtime Championship game saired here on Crescent City Sports. Broussard said that was his fourth career 4OT game but the first one he’s lost.

Lafayette Christian

The Knights are 8-2 on the year. The runners up to Newman last year in the Division III state championship game have defeated pouseful St. Augustine, 70-50. LCA’s two losses are to Catholic-BR, 68-40, and this past Wednesday to Scotlandville, 46-33, in the EBR Red Stick Invitational.

Bishop Ireton

The Cardinals, 4-3, play in the Washington D.C. Area Catholic Athletic Conference and the Virginia Independent Schools Athletics Association led by the New Orleans native Bryant.

BRACKETS/SCHEDULE