Louisiana high school boys basketball: Here are the top senior shooting/combo guards for the 2023-24 season
We’re taking a position-by-position look at some of the top players in Louisiana high school boys basketball.
Recently, we took a look at some of the top senior point guards in Louisiana. Now, we focus on several of the top senior shooting and combo guards in the state.
The list is not meant to be comprehensive. Please let us know of other senior shooting or combo guards who deserve recognition.
Kohen Rowbatham, 6-1, St. Thomas Aquinas
Rowbatham began his prep career at Northshore High in Slidell before transferring to St. Thomas Aquinas for his senior campaign. He made an instant impact as a freshman on the Class 5A level, helping the Panthers to a runner-up finish to Zachary in 2022 and quarterfinal berths in 2021 and 2023.
In the 200-pound range, Rowbatham has impressive physical strength with an all-around game. The LHSCA East All-Star has scholarship offers for basketball and football. Clifton Dixon of LouisianaHoops.com noted that Rowbatham "doesn't back down from anyone."
He scored 29 points in the Falcons' first home game of the year, an 82-62 win over Walker, and had 34 in a win over Isidore Newman at the STM Sunkist Shootout. St. Thomas Aquinas finished the regular season with an 18-10 record, a signature win over Liberty Magnet, and the No. 5 seed in the Division III select playoffs.
The Falcons have another standout senior guard in Kendrell Perry.
Jayce Depron, 6-5, Madison Prep
As a junior, Depron set a school record for points (41) and 3-pointers (9) in a 74-56 win over East Feliciana. The eight-time state champion Chargers have been the No. 1 seed in the playoffs every year of Depron's career.
Analyst Clifton Dixon wrote that Depron "exhibits exceptional athleticism and proficiency as a perimeter shooter," and "demonstrates the capacity to defend multiple positions effectively."
Depron led his team to a 23-2 record in the regular season.
Jordan Moore, 6-4, Hahnville
The Nick Network Prep Report wrote on X that Moore is "more than a human highlight" after he scored 42 points in a district win over Central Lafourche. Moore has tremendous vertical leaping ability and is known for high-flying dunks and blocked shots.
In another district win vs. Terrebonne, he posted a triple-double with 11 points, 13 rebounds and 10 blocks. Moore is an LHSCA West All-Star.
Jordan Comanche, 6-6, Wossman
Comanche was named Class 3A second-team all-state after averaging 14.1 points per game as a junior. The Tour Basketball wrote on X that Comanche "has all the tools, plays 1-5 (positions), is athletic and plays above the rim."
Comanche, who nailed the game-winning 3-pointer in a win over arch-rival Carroll, helped the top-seeded Wildcats advance to the 2023 Division II non-select semifinals. He then helped Wossman to its fourth state title as the Wildcats claimed the Division II non-select championship after finishing the regular season 30-4.
Broderick Brooks, 6-4, Zachary
Clifton Dixon writes that Brooks, an LHSCA East All-Star, is a "very unselfish player" and is "extremely active on and off the ball." He flashed quick hands in the Broncos' win over Iowa at the Charger Classic, forcing a turnover and finishing on the other end with a 3-point play.
Brooks, whose nickname is Beejay, scored 12 points with two 3-pointers in a win over Archbishop Hannan. His second 3, which came from well beyond the top of the key, put Zachary ahead, 44-43.
McKinnis Savoie, 6-2, North Central
As a junior, Savoie helped the fourth-seeded Hurricanes win their fourth state championship in five years. In the Division IV non-select semifinals, he scored 25 points with six rebounds, four steals and two blocks in a win over top-seeded East Feliciana.
He was named Class 1A second-team all-state after averaging 20.8 ppg. He also placed first in the long jump and triple jump at the regional track and field meet.
Kylan Billiot, 6-3, Terrebonne
The LSU football signee was named to the Class 5A honorable mention basketball team after averaging 14.3 points, four rebounds and 3.3 steals as a junior. He recently topped the 1,000-point mark.
Billiot is an outstanding all-around athlete, having been timed at 10.27 in the 100 meters and 20.39 in the 200. He is ranked as a four-star football prospect, the No. 4 player in Louisiana and No. 64 nationally by 247Sports.
Keith Jones Jr., 6-4, Edna Karr
Jones is another basketball/football dual-sport athlete. The 185-pounder played receiver on the Cougars' football team. On the hardwood, he was named to the Coaches All-District Catholic League first team as a junior and a senior.
In a win last year over Jesuit, Jones scored 26 of his team's 55 points. Karr won the Catholic League and landed a No. 5 seed in the Division I select playoffs. Jones averaged 16.2 points, six rebounds and three steals in league play.
Da'Shawn Ceaser, 6-3, Iowa
Ceaser began the new year with a flourish, averaging 32 ppg over a five-game span in January while shooting 60% from the field. He also ended the previous year on a high note, making the All-Tournament Team at the St. Thomas More Sunkist Shootout.
Xavier-Louisiana, LSU-Alexandria, Lee College and Blinn College are among the scholarship offers for Ceaser, who has led Iowa to wins over Madison Prep, Wossman, Dunham, Lafayette Christian and Lafayette High.
As a junior, he was named district MVP after averaging 25 points, 5.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists per game. Ceaser, an LHSCA West All-Star, led the Yellow Jackets to a 26-4 record and the No. 1 seed in the Division II non-select playoffs. Iowa lost in the championship game to Wossman.
Jaylin Johnson, 6-3, Alexandria
The 185-pounder is an elite finisher at the rim who topped the 1,000-point mark near the end of 2023. In the district opener, Johnson led the team with 16 points in a 68-37 win.
Johnson, whose nickname is "Duke," intercepted a pass in the No. 23 Trojans' 23-0 upset of No. 4 Brother Martin in the Division I select football playoffs. He blocked a punt, scooped up the ball and scored in a prior playoff game. The No. 8 Trojans (20-10) earned a first-round bye in the Division I select playoffs.
Michael Mouton, 6-5, St. Thomas More
Mouton, an LHSCA West All-Star, scored his 1,000th career point earlier this season for the Cougars, who posted a 26-1 record in the regular season and landed the Division I select No. 1 seed.
He was a Class 4A second-team all-state selection as a junior when he led STM to a state runner-up finish. Cougars' coach Danny Broussard raves about Mouton's ability to drive, dish and score with either hand.
Senior teammates Hays Regard (6-3) and Anthony Angelle (6-4) combine with Mouton to give St. Thomas More a triple-threat of sturdy guards who can shoot from the perimeter, guard at a high level and establish position down low.
Desa'Monte Gradney, 6-3, Iowa
Gradney's dunk on an opposing player in February 2023 went viral on the KPLC-TV Facebook page. He and teammate Da'Shawn Ceaser give the Yellow Jackets a pair of prolific scorers on a senior-laden team.
In a battle of league unbeatens, Gradney's 33 points paced Iowa to a win over Lake Charles College Prep. An LHSCA West All-Star, Gradney helped Iowa reach the Division II non-select title game.
Jyrin Sowell, 6-3, Captain Shreve
Another LHSCA West All-Star, Sowell averaged a team-high 14.8 points with 5.9 rebounds, two assists, two steals and more than one block through 32 games. He has a 4.0 grade point average, an offer to play at nearby Centenary College and is another powerfully built guard at 195 lbs.
Sowell is explosive, driving to the goal and finishing at the rim or dishing off to a teammate. He helped the Gators to a 27-5 record and a No. 3 seed in the Division I select playoffs.
Shreve boasts another top-notch guard in E'Joshua McDonald, the second-leading scorer (10.8) and rebounder (5). McDonald averaged a team-high 2.3 assists and 1.7 steals per game. The 6-foot-2 senior helped the Gators' football team to a 9-2 record and No. 2 playoff seed, racking up 40 tackles, five interceptions, two fumble recoveries, a blocked punt and 159 return yards.
Jeremiah Lewis, 6-2, Ponchatoula
Lewis helped lead the Green Wave to a 29-7 record and its first basketball state championship as a junior, scoring 13 points in the semifinal win over Ruston. He posted a team-high 26 points this season in a win over East Ascension and nailed five 3-pointers against Salmen.
With teammate Allen Graves not at 100%, Lewis put the team on his back with 25 points, four rebounds, three blocks, two steals and two assists in an overtime loss to Scotlandville. Lewis, who can also play point guard, is quick to create turnovers in the half-court game with his defensive lateral movement.
The Green Wave landed the No. 2 seed in the Division I non-select playoffs, and was able to repeat as state champions earlier in March.
Javon Johnson, 6-1, Bossier
Johnson was named the KTAL-TV Player of the Week in January after scoring 27 points against Wossman. He scored his 1,000th career point in December, has a 4.0 grade point average and led the Bearkats to the Division II non-select state title last year.
No. 4 Bossier (24-10) beat No. 1 Wossman and No. 3 Carroll in the Top 28 to claim its fifth crown. The Bearkats went 21-12 and landed a No. 6 playoff seed this season.
Krystian Lewis, 6-3, Wossman
Lewis is an all-around success story, overcoming serious injuries from a car accident in May 2022 to help the Wildcats to a No. 1 playoff seed in 2023 and No. 2 in 2024, not to mention winning a Division II non-select state title in March.
Baton Rouge Community College and Pearl River CC are among the programs to offer a scholarship to Lewis, an LHSCA East All-Star who led all scorers with 34 points in a 71-68 overtime win against Carroll.
Eli Pichon, 6-1, Brother Martin
In December, Pichon was named Most Valuable Player of the Tournament of Champions after leading the Crusaders to first place in the 16-team bracket at Sophie B.Wright.
The Crusaders went 29-4 over the summer, according to the school's official site. Coach Chris Biehl added that "Eli Pichon established himself as a legitimate college prospect." Pichon, an LHSCA East All-Star, also represented Brother Martin on the All-Tournament Team at St. Thomas More's Sunkist Shootout in December.
Dustin Welch, 6-4, Anacoco
The LHSCA West All-Star is a scoring machine for this small-school powerhouse, posting 21 points with 13 rebounds and five deflections in a 53-37 win over Piitkin in January. Less than a week earlier, he totaled 29 points, seven rebounds and five steals in a 65-36 win over Oak Hill.
As a sophomore, Welch was chosen as Most Valuable Player on The Leesville Leader's All-Vernon Parish team. He was a Class B first-team all-state selection that season, averaging 20 ppg.
As a junior, Welch was named second-team all-state. He helped the Indians (37-6) to a Division V non-select runner-up finish. Welch and the Indians (32-7) earned a No. 2 seed for the second straight season. Anacoco lost to Zwolle in the Division V non-select state title game.
Davonte Landry, 6-4, Sophie B. Wright
Landry was named Class 3A honorable mention all-state as a junior, averaging 15.3 points and six rebounds per game. He has a 3.8 grade point average and scored 26 on the ACT. This season, he is averaging 24 points and seven rebounds per game for Division III select No. 8 Wright, which completed the regular season with a 23-8 record (6-0 in District 9-3A).
Taj Jackson 6-2, Ponchatoula
Jackson - who helped the Green Wave win their second straight Division I non-select state title earlier in March - was on fire in his team's eye-opening 86-57 rout of Peabody, pouring in 19 points, four rebounds and three assists.
He is a threat to score in every manner, shooting mid-range jumpers from the baseline, posting up against bigs in the paint, converting on put-backs, draining the 3 and finishing in transition with lay-ups and dunks.
Noah Brookter, 6-3, Southside
Brookter shined in his team's 49-47 win over Lafayette High, scoring 20 points with five rebounds, three assists and a steal in a battle of District 3-5A unbeatens. Three days later, he totaled 21 points, seven rebounds and four steals as the Sharks claimed a 32-29 win at New Iberia.
Brookter, who wrote on X that he "enjoys working on his craft in his own time," has a 3.75 grade point average. He led the Sharks to the District 3-5A title and a No. 6 seed in the Division I non-select playoffs.
Jacob Vilar, 6-2, Episcopal School of Acadiana
Vilar began his career at Holy Savior Menard in Alexandria before transferring to ESA. As a freshman, he played a prominent role as Menard reached the Division III semifinals. In September, he became the eighth player in ESA history to score 1,000 points. Vilar shot 13 of 16 and finished with 30 points in a 72-52 win over Jehovah-Jireh.
ESA (23-9) landed the No. 3 seed in the Division V select playoff. Vilar's teammate, 6-foot-4, 205-pound guard/forward Miles Eble, is also a college prospect for coach Jason Fatheree.
Andre Sowell, 6-2, Lakeview
Sowell, who was named to the LHSCA West All-Star team, has been getting it done for the Gators since his freshman year when he was named to the Don Stahl Memorial All-Tournament team. Sowell has helped his team to two semifinal and one quarterfinal appearance.
The Gators landed the top seed in the Division IV non-select playoffs with a 24-6 record. Sowell had 34 points in a district win over Mansfield.
According to athletic.net, Sowell has the second-best time in school history in the 100 meters.
Konnor Cotton, 6-2, Calvary Baptist
Cotton had a double-double in an important playoff tune-up game against Division II non-select No. 5 Northwest, totaling 19 points, 12 rebounds and two assists in the 67-54 win. Cotton, who has a 3.7 grade point average, helped his team to a 22-6 record and the No. 4 seed in the Division III select playoffs.
The Cavaliers were runner-up to Isidore Newman in 2023.
De'Cavian Duncan, 6-3, Winnfield
Duncan helped Winnfield to a 26-5 record and a runner-up finish to Port Allen in the 2023 Division III non-select playoffs. As a senior, he leads the Tigers with 16 points, four rebounds, four assists and 2.3 steals per game. Winnfield (18-8) earned the No. 3 seed for the second straight season.
Jamadrion Lillard, 6-3, Ruston
Lillard had a stellar defensive performance in his team"s playoff tuneup win over Division III select No. 2 Dunham. Lillard and the Bearcats held the Tigers scoreless for more than five minutes in the fourth quarter. Matt Bellinson of The Ruston Daily Leader wrote that Lillard's "defensive presence including a late steal and score in the fourth, was crucial for Ruston in the win."
He had nine points and seven rebounds in a 2023 Division I non-select semifinal loss to Ponchatoula. Lillard and the No. 8 Bearcats (17-9) won 14 of their last 16 regular season games.
Josh Smith, 6-3, Madison Prep
Louisiana vs. All Y'all wrote on X that Smith had "a strong first half of a monster week for Madison Prep, including a hot-shooting second quarter and a late putback to help close a win vs. Catholic (Baton Rouge)."
Smith was named Class 3A first-team all-state after averaging 13 points per game for the Chargers, who finished as Division II select runner-up to George Washington Carver. Smith and teammate Jayce Depron were selected to the LHSCA West All-Star team.
Photo of Ponchatoula's Taj Jackson (5) by Rick Hickman, The Advocate
-- Mike Coppage | @SBLiveLA
