Vote: Who should be SBLive's Louisiana High School Athlete of the Week? (1/15/2024)

Here are the candidates for SBLive’s Louisiana High School Athlete of the Week for Jan. 8-14. Read through the nominees and cast your vote. Voting will conclude Sunday at 11:59 p.m. If you would like to nominate an athlete, please email athleteoftheweek@scorebooklive.com or tag us on Twitter. 

Editor’s Note: Our Athlete of the Week feature and corresponding poll is intended to be fun, and we do not set limits on how many times a fan can vote during the competition. However, we do not allow votes that are generated by script, macro or other automated means. Athletes who receive votes generated by script, macro or other automated means will be disqualified. 

Note: Power ratings and records as of Monday, Jan. 15.

Ahmad Hudson, Ruston boys basketball

The 6-foot-7 freshman scored 28 points with 23 rebounds in the Bearcats' 80-61 win at Pineville in a District 2-5A game. Hudson helped power a 44-12 run in the game, according to Bret McCormick of the Ruston Daily Leader. Hudson also had five blocks, four steals and three assists for the Bearcats (11-7, 1-0 in 2-5A), who have won seven straight games and are thriving since the return of the football players from the state championship season on the gridiron.

Kinsley James, Southern Lab girls basketball

James scored a team-high 18 points with 13 rebounds as the Kittens handed Lafayette Christian its first loss, 53-48, in overtime. Southern Lab (14-5), which is No. 1 in the Division IV select power ratings, has won eight straight games, with its last two wins coming vs. Carencro and Wossman.

Cy Merrett, St. Augustine boys basketball

The 6-foot-4 junior led the Purple Knights with 21 points - all in the second half - in a 69-61 overtime win over Catholic League rival Archbishop Rummel. St. Augustine is 15-3 this season.

Antron Mason II, Wossman boys basketball

Mason, who finished with 28 points, four assists and four steals, drained the game-winning 3-pointer from way outside the arc in the Wildcats' 61-58 win over Bossier. Mason is one of the state's top players on one of the state's top teams. The Wildcats are 19-3 and No. 1 in the Division II non-select power ratings.

Maleigha James, Barbe girls basketball

James notched 18 points with five steals as the Lady Bucs rallied from behind to beat Acadiana, 42-40, in a District 3-5A game. Barbe is 14-6, 1-0 in league play.

Brewer Nitcher, Jesuit boys basketball

Nitcher, a 6-foot-5 junior center, led the Blue Jays to a 46-41 victory over Catholic League foe John Curtis Christian. Nitcher scored 20 points with 15 rebounds and two blocked shots for Jesuit, which has a sterling 18-2 overall record.

Micah Bryant, Brusly boys basketball

Bryant, a sophomore, came off the bench to score 28 points with seven 3-pointers in the Panthers' 73-41 rout of Lakeshore. Brusly is 17-0 and No. 3 in the Division II non-select power ratings.

Kate Guillory, St. Thomas More girls soccer

Guillory scored two goals in the Lady Cougars' 3-1 win over Lakeshore in a non-district battle of top Division II teams. STM is 20-0-1 and No. 1 in Division II.

Evyn Goree, Pineville boys basketball

Goree's 15 points paced Pineville to a 46-41 non-district win over Beau Chene. Pineville is 14-2 and No. 4 in the Division I select power ratings.

Cornelius Brown, John F. Kennedy boys basketball

Brown erupted for 45 points in a 65-63 win over Booker T. Washington-New Orleans. The senior guard added four rebounds and three steals in the overtime victory.

Shermal Booker, Mansfield boys basketball

Booker, a 6-foot-2 junior, had 30 points, six assists and five rebounds as the Wolverines improved to 2-0 in District 3-2A with a 67-51 win over Jonesboro-Hodge.

Rashad Mitchell, Peabody Magnet boys basketball

Mitchell posted 20 points with five rebounds in the Warhorses' 59-55 defeat of Neville in a District 2-4A game. The Warhorses are 17-2 overall. Mitchell, a junior, is averaging 10.6 points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals per game.

Damarion McClendon, Doyline boys basketball

The junior guard scored 15 points in a 52-37 non-district win over North DeSoto. Doyline is 17-2 and No. 6 in the Division V non-select power ratings. McClendon also scored 19 points in an 81-51 win over Forest.

Jordan Moore, Hahnville boys basketball

The 6-foot-4 senior had 18 points in a 64-62 win over Northshore. Hahnville is 13-8 on the season and No. 12 in the Division I non-select power ratings.

Jakaleb Modest, Simsboro boys basketball

Modest, a sophomore, totaled 16 points and seven rebounds in an 88-72 win over West Ouachita. Simsboro is 16-11 this season. 

La'Darrius Frierson, Booker T. Washington-Shreveport boys basketball

The Lions topped Minden, 61-46, as Frierson scored 25 points. The Lions have a 12-7 record.

Jalen Brown, Avoyelles Public Charter boys basketball

The 5-foot-9 junior had 26 points and six rebounds in a 64-39 win over Rapides. Brown is averaging 22 points, four rebounds, four steals and three assists per game for the defending Division V select state champions. Brown also had 15 points in a 69-18 win over Grace Christian.

Nate Sheppard, Mandeville boys basketball

The Skippers' star tailback in football, Sheppard is also a stalwart on the basketball court. The junior scored 20 points to help the Skippers beat St. Paul's, 60-55. The win broke a nine-year losing streak to the Wolves, according to nola.com's Joseph Halm.

Autrail Manning, John Curtis Christian boys basketball

Manning, a sophomore, poured in 22 points to pace the Patriots to a 63-59 win over St. Augustine in a Catholic League contest. John Curtis has an 11-5 record.

Daijon Leatherman, George Washington Carver boys basketball

The Rams' star post player scored 22 points with nine rebounds, three assists and two blocks in a 69-56 win over Scotlandville. The defending Division II select state champions are 11-5 on the year and No. 5 in the power ratings. Through the first half of the season, Leatherman averaged 20 points, 15 rebounds and two blocks per game.

Aries Lewis, Port Allen boys basketball

Lewis had a double-double with 25 points in a 78-68 loss to Walker.

Niles Bollinger, Mandeville boys soccer

Bollinger, a sophomore, scored three goals in an 8-0 District 5-I win over Slidell. The Skippers are 13-2-4 overall and No. 8 in the Division I power ratings.

Stella Zippert, Dominican girls soccer

Zippert provided the only goal in a 1-0 win over Sacred Heart-New Orleans. Dominican is 18-3-1 and No. 7 in the Division I power ratings.

Sara Daley, Brusly girls wrestling

Daley, who has a perfect 17-0 record, won the 138-pound division at the Louisiana Classic at the Lamar Dixon Expo Center in Gonzales.

Natalie Davis, Haughton girls wrestling

Davis took first place in the 126-pound division at the Louisiana Classic. 

Kay'len Alexander, Southside girls basketball

A 6-foot freshman, Alexander is already averaging double figures for her squad. In a game against Northside, she led her team in scoring with 18 points.