By Kyle Roberts
The Louisiana High School Basketball Coaches’ Association made an outstanding choice by selecting Ruston High School head basketball coach Meredith Graf as the head coach for the East Roster in the East-West All-Star game slated for the middle of March.
“This is a big honor,” Graf said. “I’m very, very humbled by it. I was flattered, and I’m really looking forward to it. Last year was my first year involved with the All-Star game, and I was fortunate enough to be around some really good coaches and learn how the weekend works. It was a great experience.”
And the selection is even sweeter for Graf as she will be coaching against her longtime friend and former roommate Lyndzee McConathy, who is the head coach at Airline High School.
“From a personal standpoint, one of my best friends and former teammate from North Western State is the West head coach,”Graf said of McConathy. “So it just makes it even that much more fun to be around people that you have a close connection with.”
Graf added that this is the first year since COVID that the All-Star weekend will bring back all of the previous festivities for the players and coaches.
“It’ll be a longer time for you to be able to be with the kids,” Graf said. “We’ll be able to have a few practices and a banquet night.”
The girls will play at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 18, at Louisiana Christian University in Pineville, La.
Graf, the 2021-22 District 2-5A Coach of the Year, led an injury-depleted Ruston Lady Bearcat squad to an overall 14-14 record and a near upset of No. 8 Chalmette in the first round of the playoffs.
