By Malcolm Butler, Kyle Roberts and Scott Boatright
It was an impressive year of boys high school basketball in Lincoln Parish as all five teams earned postseason playoff berths while Lincoln Prep and Ruston High both made the state tournament in Lake Charles.
Selecting a 10-member all-Lincoln Parish Journal boys team was a difficult task, but we are proud to reveal the young men who earned a spot.
Ruston High guard Braylan McNeal is the Offensive MVP while Lincoln Prep guard Brayln Mayfield is the Defensive MVP on this year’s all-Lincoln Parish Journal squad. Lincoln Prep coach Antonio Hudson is the Coach of the Year after guiding the Panthers to the District 2-1A title and the Select School Division IV state title game.
McNeal averaged 15.9 points, 11.2 rebounds and 2.9 blocks per game for the Bearcats while leading Ruston to a record of 29 wins and only four losses. The Bearcats lost 62-55 to eventual Non-Select School Division I champion Ponchatoula in the semifinals.
Mayfield averaged 19.3 points, 11.2 rebounds, 2.5 steals and 1.3 blocks per game and was the ringleader for the Panthers all season on both ends of the floor leading Lincoln Prep to a record of 24 wins and 5 losses and the District 2-1A title. He guided the Panthers all the way to the state title game before falling 73-56 to Northwood-Lena.
In addition to McNeal and Mayfield, the all-LPJ team includes Ruston’s Aidan Anding and Lonnie Dimmer, Lincoln Prep’s Brandon Heard and Kobe Mack, Choudrant’s Parker Batterton and Mike Jones and Simsboro’s Kalep Wright.
All-LPJ Boys Team
Aidan Anding (Ruston)
Parker Batterton (Choudrant)
Lonnie Dimmer (Ruston)
Brandon Heard (Lincoln Prep)
Carter Hill (Cedar Creek)
Mike Jones (Choudrant)
Kobe Mack (Lincoln Prep)
Brayln Mayfield (Lincoln Prep)
Braylan McNeal (Ruston)
Kalep Wright (Simsboro)
Offensive Player of the Year: Braylan McNeal (Ruston)
Defensive Player of the Year: Brayln Mayfield (Lincoln Prep)
Coach of the Year: Antonio Hudson (Lincoln Prep)
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