There was no need to make a quarterfinal road trip against a higher seed for the Midland Rebels in this year’s girls high school basketball playoffs.
A year after winning at Merryville in the quarterfinals to reach the state tournament as a No. 5 seed (where the Rebels lost to No. 1 Lakeview), Midland is the top seed heading into Monday’s 6:15 p.m. semifinal game vs. No. 5 East Feliciana at Hammond’s University Center in the Division IV nonselect playoffs.
“I know we’re happy to be back,” said Rebels coach Christi Daigle, who enjoyed wins by 39 and 43-point margins in home playoff games against No. 17 Jonesboro-Hodge and No. 8 White Castle. “It’s definitely time to take home the trophy, but I’m proud no matter what.”
Midland (27-7) has won 11 of its last 13 games with losses to Division I nonselect No. 1 Zachary and Division II select No. 1 Madison Prep. Four prior losses were to Division I select No.1 John Curtis, Division I nonselect No. 3 Prairieville, Division IV select No. 1 Southern Lab and Zachary again.
“We’re locked in,” said Daigle, whose Rebels hold wins over tournament teams Fairview, Rosepine, North Vermilion, J.S. Clark, Simpson, LaGrange (twice) and Lafayette Christian (twice). “Our chemistry is great. The girls want it bad and plan to let nothing get in the way.”
Midland won at LCA for the first time ever, and the Rebels did it without injured senior post Tora Savoy, one of three players averaging double figures with guards Camri Primeaux and Molli Thibodeaux.
“That was a great win for us,” Daigle said. “Our senior post leader, who is out, sat with us and helped coach. We told Tora afterward, ‘Are you sure about not wanting to coach in the future? You did great tonight.'”
East Feliciana (19-10) eliminated last year’s state champion No. 28 Lakeview in the opening round before securing wins over No. 12 Jeanerette and No. 13 Logansport, which it defeated in overtime 55-53.
“They like to push the ball up the court,” Daigle said of the Tigers. “They have quick girls and a little bit of height. It’s going to be the same approach we always take, starting with tough defense to set the tone of the game.”
Other projected starters for Midland are sophomore Ahmiree Smith (second in rebounds, blocks and field goal percentage) and senior Makhila McZeal (second in assists, third in steals).
Thibodeaux averages 18 ppg. Primeaux (13 ppg) leads in assists and steals, while Savoy averages eight rebounds and three blocks. Sophomore Addalyn Prejean is third in shooting percentage. Aniyah McZeal and Sage Cormier have played significant minutes.
Savoy has returned since missing both games against LCA, the No. 1 seed in Division III select.
“We’ve never gone into LCA and been able to beat them,” Daigle said. “Our players refused to lose. We saw growth that night.”
No. 2 Merryville (25-8) and No. 3 Arcadia (24-6), which finished as runner-up last year, will meet in the other Division IV semifinal at 1:00 p.m. on Monday.
“Tora has played in all of the playoff games,” Daigle said. “It’s gotten a little better each game. She fractured her patella and played several games before she realized what was going on.. She’s tough.”
