Titus Guilbeau (2) has developed into a college-caliber player for Franklin, his coach says. - Lee Ball / The Daily Iberian

In Franklin Senior High coach Todd Viator’s offense, every player has a chance to score for the Hornets and because of that, one or two players usually stand out.

It was that way when Viator was at Jeanerette: Derek Gray, who later played at Louisiana-Lafayette, was scoring 25 to 30 points per game in leading the Tigers to the Class 2A state championship game in 2004.

The latest player to take advantage of Viator’s offensive scheme is Franklin guard Titus Guilbeau, who is averaging just over 24 points per game for the Hornets, who start District 6-3A play tonight at E.D. White.

Guilbeau, usually the leading scorer in Franklin’s games, showed what he is capable of when he poured in a team-high 31 points in a losing effort against Westgate Friday.

“I’m kind of the designated scorer,” said Guilbeau. “I’ve prepared for this role on the team. It’s up to me to be the main scorer.”

Guilbeau, who’s deadly from two-point and three-point range, admits that the majority of his points usually come from the free throw line after his charged the lane for the easy bucket, commonly called the “and 1” because when the shooter is fouled and makes a basket, he is rewarded with a free throw in an attempt to convert a 3-point play.

“I like to drive the ball,” he said. “I can shoot the 3 from time to time but mostly I work on shooting for 2 points and getting fouled.”

Viator has seen marked improvement in his guard.

“Titus has really improved, especially as a scorer,” said Viator. “He’s shooting 49 percent from 3-point range. But he’s like every other high-scorer, he’s never seen a shot that he didn’t like.

“He’s made himself into a college basketball player.”

Guilbeau is putting up big numbers even though he is not the first scoring option in Viator’s system. The system is designed for everyone to see the ball and to concentrate on getting the ball into the hands of the player who’s hot that night.

More often than not, Guilbeau has the hot hand for the Hornets on any given night.

“I make the plays,” said Guilbeau, who plays both the point guard and shooting guard in Franklin’s offensive sets. “I like to take the ball and run it down the court and set the offense.”

His, and Franklin’s, success this year comes from the fact that everyone plays as a team for the Hornets.

“We all stay on the same page,” said Guilbeau, who would like to see the Hornets run the table and go undefeated in district play. “That’s why I think that we can make a move in the playoffs this year.”

Viator said that Guilbeau is not the only scorer on the team for the Hornets but he hopes that he can continue what he does on the court for the rest of the year.

“We’ve always had an open offense,” said Viator. “The ball’s going to be passed around and the guy that’s hot is going to get the basketball.

“But when Titus is hot, the kids know to give him the basketball.”

And if that holds for the rest of the year, the Hornets will continue lighting up the scoreboard.

“As long as we stay consistent, there’s no reason that we can’t keep scoring 60, 70 points per game,” said Guilbeau.