Title hopes slim for local Catholic teams

     The LHSAA’s boys’ and girls’ basketball playoffs began on Monday with 15 local Catholic schools entered.
     In two weeks when the Top 28 tournaments tip off at Louisiana-Monroe’s Fant-Ewing Coliseum, that number may have been whittled down to zero.
     Of the nine boys’ teams that represent the Archdiocese of New Orleans, just three – Brother Martin and Jesuit in Class 5A, and St. Augustine in 4A – are top 10 seeds.
     Of the six girls’ teams entered, the highest seed was Mount Carmel at No. 14.
     The positioning of the schools will make it difficult to reach the Final Four in their respective classes.
     ➤ No. 5 Brother Martin would have to get past No. 4 East Ascension in the quarterfinals.
     ➤ No. 9 Jesuit would meet No. 1 Ouachita in the quarterfinals.
     ➤ No. 22 Rummel would get No. 6 New Iberia in the regional round if it gets past No. 11 Dutchtown.
     ➤ No. 31 St. Paul’s opened with No. 2 Scotlandville.
     ➤ In 4A, No. 7 St. Augustine will have No. 2 St. Thomas More in the quarterfinals.
     ➤ No. 22 Holy Cross would meet No. 3 Alexandria in the quarterfinals.
     ➤ De La Salle was seeded No. 31 in Class 3A, Pope John Paul II in 2A and Hannan in 1A were seeded No. 30.
     ➤ On the girls’ side, No. 14 Mount Carmel would meet No. 3 Ouachita; and No. 15 Dominican gets No. 2 Natchitoches Central in the regionals.
     ➤ No. 22 Ursuline would draw No. 6 Salmen in the 4A regional.
     ➤ In Class 3A, No. 18 De La Salle draws No. 2 Baker in the quarterfinals.
     ➤ No. 19 St. Mary’s Academy will face No. 3 Rayne in the regionals.
     No. 31 Xavier Prep opened with No. 2 Baker on the road.