By Kyle Roberts
RUSTON, La. — LaShanda Cooper knows how to build winning programs.
Defense. Intensity. Culture.
Now, in year two at the helm of the Ruston High School Lady Bearcats, she’ll be looking for her squad to take the next step forward as the new season approaches and build off of last year’s 13-14 team that made the postseason.
“I’m feeling very confident and very excited,” Cooper said. “The girls have really been trying their best to buy in and embrace the hard work and strong defensive mentalisty that we’ve been trying to instill in them. They’re finally buying into it, and they’re locked in because it’s not part of program and who we are. The mentality is changing a lot. We saw a lot of it this summer, especially towards the end. I’m just so excited about the season starting.”
Ruston returns a core group of players, particularly at the guard position with seniors Angelica Green and Journi Douglas. The Lady ‘Cats will also be thrilled to have senior E.K. Jones back after an injury kept her sidelined last season.
“Angelica was our starting point guard and she had to step into an uncomfortable role of trying to run the offense and putting the team on her back,” Cooper said. “It’s been making her grow up in a sense of getting out of her comfort zone and stepping into that leadership role. It’s a learning process, but she’s really embracing it.
“Journi is really stepping up this year. She’s leading by her actions and we’re trying to get her more vocal. And we’ll be looking for E.K. to have that same mentality. They’re all learning how to climb over the wall and motivate each other when they’re are not at their best.”
Ruston will also welcome newcomer junior Kerra Wilson to the roster this season at the guard position.
Schedule-wise, the Lady ‘Cats will host a Jamboree alongside the boys on Tuesday, Nov. 11, at the main gym at Ruston High. The regular season will start on Tuesday, Nov. 17, in a home matchup against Benton. The team is also scheduled to make an out-of-state trip to El Dorado on Friday, Dec. 5.
District 2-5A will also tip off on Tuesday, Jan. 13, 2026, as Ruston High will travel to West Monroe. Cooper expects this year’s district to be very competitive across the board.
“This district is loaded, and I think we’ll see someone make a run all the way this year,” Cooper said.
With only days to go, Cooper’s excitement is contagious. She’s counting on that to spur the team and staff to great things this year.
“No matter what school I’ve been at, I’ve always wanted to make them believe,” Cooper said. “That’s the slogan. We’re truly stressing that to them everyday in practice. I don’t think they truly understand yet that they have an opportunity to make one of the biggest runs here at Ruston High School. We have a large depth of players that can get out there and play. They’re excited, and the chemistry looks really good. Not only are they playing hard, but they’re starting to understand the game of basketball more at a higher IQ level. That’s impressive to me.”
The Lady Bearcats open their 2025-26 regular season at home on Monday, Nov. 17, against Benton.
| #0 | Za’Meriah Jones | Guard | Soph. |
| #1 | Angelica Green | Guard | Jr. |
| #2 | Akeirah Jones | Guard | Sr. |
| #4 | Journi Douglas | Guard | Sr. |
| #5 | Dakota Powell | Guard | Fr. |
| #10 | Genesis Cooper | Guard | Sr. |
| #11 | Ella Jones | Forward | Sr. |
| #12 | Eden Dawsey | Guard | Soph. |
| #13 | Qustin Starr | Forward | Jr. |
| #15 | Kerra Wilson | Guard | Jr. |
| #20 | Brionna Knox | Guard | Jr. |
| #23 | Bailee Harrison | Forward | Jr. |
| #24 | Adrianna Robinson | Forward | Soph. |
| #25 | Ali-Claire Palmer | Guard | Sr. |
| #35 | Jayleen Spann | Guard | Soph. |
| Date | Opponent | Team | Location | Time |
| Oct 18, 2025 | LHSOA Scrimmage Clinic | VG,VB | Home | TBD |
| October 21, 2025 | Carroll Scrimmage | VG ONLY | Home | 6:00 |
| October 28, 2025 | North Caddo Scrimmage | VB ONLY | Away | TBD |
| Nov 4, 2025 | Union Scrimmage | VB | Away | TBD |
| Nov 6, 2025 | Tioga Scrimmage | JVG, VG | Away | 5:00 |
| Nov 11, 2025 | Sterlington (Jamboree) | JVG, VG, VB | Home | 5:00 |
| Nov 17, 2025 | Neville | FB, JVB | Away | 5:30 |
| Nov 17, 2025 | Benton | JVG, VG | Home | 5:00 |
| Nov 18, 2025 | Bastrop | JVG, VG | Away | 5:00 |
| Nov 19, 2025 | Red River | FB, JVB | Home | 5:30 |
| Nov 20, 2025 | Peabody | JVG, VG | Home | 5:00 |
| Nov 29, 2025 | Origin Bank Girls Basketball Invitational |
VG ONLY | Away | TBD |
| Dec 1, 2025 | Huntington | JVG ONLY | Away | 5:00 |
| Dec, 4, 2025 | Red River | FB, JVB | Away | 5:30 |
| Dec 5, 2025 | Eldorado, Ark | VG, VB | Away | 6:00 |
| Dec 8, 2025 | Neville | FB, JVB | Home | 5:30 |
| Dec 8, 2025 | Neville | JVG | Away | 5:00 |
| Dec 9, 2025 | Arcadia | VG ONLY | Away | 6:00 |
| Dec 10, 2025 | Rayville | FB/JVB | Away | 5:30 |
| Dec 11, 2025 | Richwood | JVG, VG | Home | 5:00, 6:00 |
| Dec 12-13, 2025 | Remington Butler Tournament | VB ONLY | Home | TBD |
| Dec, 15, 2025 | Wossman | FB, JVB | Home | 5:00 |
| Dec 16, 2025 | Airline | JVG, VG, VB | Away | 5:00 PM |
| Dec 17, 2025 | Huntington | JVG ONLY | Home | 5:00 |
| Dec 19, 2025 | Istrouma | JVG, VG | Home | 5:30 |
| Dec 18-23, 2025 | Out of State Classic | VB ONLY | Away | TBD |
| Dec 27-31, 2025 (29-30) |
Alexandria Tournament | VG ONLY | Away | TBD |
| Jan 1-3, 2026 | Bossier Tournament | VB ONLY | Away | TBD |
| Jan 6, 2026 | Calvary | JV, VB | Away | 5:00 PM |
| Jan 7, 2026 | Wossman | JVG, VG | Home | 5:00 PM |
| Jan 8, 2026 | Rayville | FB/JVB | Home | 5:00 PM |
| Jan 9, 2026 | Sterlington | JVG, VG | Home | 5:30 PM |
| Jan 10, 2026 | Choudrant Classic | FB ONLY | Away | TBD |
| Jan 10, 2026 | Simsboro Classic | VB ONLY | Away | TBD |
| Jan 12, 2026 | Wossman | FB/JVB | Away | 5:00 PM |
| Jan 12, 2026 | Logansport | VG ONLY | Home | 6:00 PM |
| Jan 13, 2026 | West Monroe* | VG, VB | Away | 5:30 |
| Jan 16, 2026 | Pineville* | VG, VB | Away | 5:30, 6:00 |
| Jan 17, 2026 | Choudrant Tournament | JVG ONLY | Away | TBD |
| Jan 17, 2026 | Lincoln Prep Classic | VB ONLY | Away | TBD |
| Jan 18-19, 2026 | MLK Tournament@ Southern University |
JVG, VG | Away | TBD |
| Jan 20, 2026 | Marksville | VG, VB | Home | 5:30, 6:30 |
| Jan 23, 2026 | Neville* | VG, VB | Home | 5:30, 7:00 |
| Jan 27, 2026 | Gibsland- Coleman | VG, VB | Away | 6:00, 7:00 |
| Jan 30, 2026 | Ouachita* | VG/VB | Away | 5:30, 7:00 |
| Jan 31, 2026 | Homer Classic | VB | Away | TBD |
| Feb 3, 2026 | Winnfield | VG, VB | Home | 6:00 |
| Feb 6, 2026 | ASH* | VG/VB | Home | 5:30, 6:30 |
| Feb 10, 2026 | Ouachita | VG/VB | Home | 5:30 7:00 |
| Feb 13, 2026 | West Monroe | VG/VB | Home | 5:30, 7:00 |
| Feb 14, 2026 | Battle on the Hardwood @Woodlawn (Bossier) |
VB ONLY | Away | TBD |
| Feb 17, 2026 | Union Parish | VB | Away | 6:30 |
| Feb 21, 2026 | Red River | VB | Away | TBD |
