Lincoln Prep destroys Haynesville in prep basketball doubleheader
Lincoln Prep guard Trumarion Smith (11) filled up the stat sheet for the Panthers in their win over Haynesville on Friday. Photo by Tony Valentino
GRAMBLING – When the Lincoln Prep Panthers (6-7) are at full strength, they’ve not just beaten teams. They’ve dominated.
That was true once again as Prep defeated No. 8 (Division IV Nonselect) Haynesville 55-15 Friday to secure three straight wins holding opponents under 30 points. With a complete roster finally playing at the same time with each other, Prep is starting to feel the process turning the corner from scrappy team back into the state championship contender from last season.
“I was talking to the coaches the other day and I realized that based on things that have happened internally that we haven’t played with a full roster much this year,” Prep head coach Antonio Hudson said. “Even when we played Arcadia we didn’t play with a full roster. Union Parish is one of the first games we played. We were at Lafayette and we didn’t play with a full roster and Richwood. We’re still in the stages of just trying to put it together. And it sucks we’re in January trying to do that but I think in the long run we hold our kids accountable and we hold them to a higher standard and that’s where we are.”
Prep came out of the gates a bit sluggish, leading a modest 9- 4 over the Tornadoes with two minutes left in the first quarter. But after a timeout, the Panthers went on a three-point barrage and turned Haynesville mistakes into easy offense and wide- open looks from beyond the arc to end the quarter on a 15-0 run to lead 24-4.
The second quarter wasn’t as explosive with 14 combined points, but the Panthers still led comfortably 33-9 at half-time. The third quarter was the nail in the coffin for Haynesville as Prep blew by the Tornadoes with a 16-0 frame before Hudson emptied the bench and let reserves close the game.
Trey Spann scored 16 points while grabbing 8 rebounds and dishing out 3 assists. Stephen Burks added 16 points as well, while delivering 2 assists. Amarjae Young put up 8 points and 4 rebounds, while Trumarion Smith tallied 5 points, 6 assists, 5 rebounds, and took three charges.
Hudson said Friday was another example that his team doesn’t need to replicate onefor- one the talent of last season’s run to the state championship game. All the Panthers of 2023-24 need to do is deliver in their respective roles and let the rest take care of itself.
“People think that learning new positions or replacing Bralyn or replacing Brandon is based off scoring. It’s not how that works,” Hudson said. “It’s a leadership role. It’s trusting each other. It’s doing all of the small things as well — the intangibles. So, what you’re starting to see now, and I don’t want to speak too soon, is we’re starting to trust each other and starting to trust the actual process.”
The Panthers turn things around with one of their toughest tests yet on the road against No. 1 (Division II Select) Madison Prep (13-5) tonight at 7 p.m. — a perennial state championship contender.
Hudson said it’s a chance for the Panthers to carry over their recent success and prove to themselves they can operate effectively in a hostile environment.
“Madison is a scrappy team,” Hudson said. “I think they’ve got 12 wins. So, going into their place we’re going to be on the bus for an hour and a half. But that’s what I’m talking about. When we’re on the road in an environment like that, being able to tone out the crowd and not being able to feed into the crowd and doing things out of character.”
GIRLS Lincoln Prep …….........… 55
Haynesville ………............. 2
Earlier in the evening, the Lincoln Prep Lady Panthers (6- 11) put a historic beatdown on Haynesville with a 55-2 win — the largest margin of victory in program history.
Prep has won three in a row and four of its last five with the win, getting smarter looks on the offensive end and sharing the ball at a higher rate than the early goings of the season.
Synniah Spann led with 14 points, while Asijah Wright scored 12 points. Shedreana Green scored 11 points and Jayleen Spann scored 8 points as well.
“We’re finally getting together and trusting one another and getting the ball where we need to,” Lincoln Prep girls basketball coach Fred Hearn said. “These are the types of games we need to going forward that are going to give us a challenge.”
The Lady Panthers face No. 3 (Division II Select) Madison Prep (12-9) tonight at 6 p.m.
