Lafayette Christian girls hoops battles back, wins fourth straight state championship
HAMMOND — Every season since 2016-17, the Lafayette Christian Academy Lady Knights have competed for a state title. LCA has won six in that span, but winning four in a row has eluded the Lady Knights. Early against Madison Prep, it looked as if LCA could get over that hump.
The Lady Knights took an 11-point lead in the first quarter, but everything changed in the second. LCA couldn't get going on offense, but the defense managed to keep the lead heading into halftime.
By the third, though, the offense had lost all of its momentum. Shots weren't falling for the Lady Knights, and by the end of the quarter, MPA had the lead.
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The fourth quarter was a much more competitive affair. Madison Prep ran its lead to five points with less than four minutes remaining, but senior Jada Richard made a three, drew a foul on another, and sunk all but one of her free throw attempts down the stretch as LCA (31-1) defeated MPA (25-11) for the Division II select championship, 43-38.
Rest disadvantage plays a role
Lafayette Christian had to play in the semifinals on Thursday night, but Madison Prep didn't.
Due to an academically ineligible player on Vandebilt Catholic — MPA's scheduled semifinal opponent — the Lady Chargers advanced to the title game via forfeit. Despite a slow start, the nine days between MPA's quarterfinal and Saturday's state championship began to show in the second half as Madison Prep appeared much less tired than Lafayette Christian.
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Defensive changes cause some trouble
After taking a 7-0 lead in the first quarter, LCA's offense encountered its toughest test of the postseason.
Madison Prep switched to a 2-2-1 half-court press defense, and for a few possessions, the Lady Knights' offense was helpless. Three straight turnovers led to six Lady Chargers points. Still, Lafayette Christian found a way around it for the rest of the quarter — until MPA switched the defense back to a 2-3 zone, which contributed to the slow second and third quarters.
As a result, LCA's 43 points were the lowest in any game this season.
D1-bound teammates' final sendoff
Two Lady Knights will play Division I basketball next season, but for Jada Richard and Eve Alexander, Saturday was a near-perfect cap to their high school careers.
Alexander, a Florida A&M commit, finished with eight points and a game-high 11 rebounds, including 10 on the defensive end despite battling a thumb injury. For Richard, an LSU signee, she finished her career with 18 points and the Marsh Madness Most Outstanding Player award.
This article originally appeared on The Courier: LCA girls basketball battles back, wins fourth straight title
