A rough start has left Westgate chasing a playoff spot, but the return of several key seniors and the excellent form of sophomore guard Jaboree Antoine (pictured) might be enough to see the Tigers into the postseason. 

As the boys basketball season begins to wind down, several Teche-area teams are already looking ahead to the postseason.

Changes to the LHSAA playoff system resulted in a new format this year. On the Non-Select side, classes have been replaced with five divisions, which will each send the top-32 teams to the playoffs. Select schools, who already were broken up into five divisions, will send their best 28 teams to the playoffs.

Several local schools sit at the top of their respective divisions, which will end them a home contest in the first round. The regular season ends on Feb. 18, and teams will have until Feb. 24 to play their first-round games.

Below is a list of all Teche-area teams, along with their current record and where they sit in the power rankings according to GeauxPreps.com.

Non-Select

Division I

Team: New Iberia Senior High

Record: 25-1

PR Standing: No. 1

The Yellow Jackets have been flying this year, sitting in the No. 1 spot for months and only losing once all season. NISH struggled with injuries earlier in the season, but the team is ready to clinch another district title now that their roster is fully healed once again. The matchup with Southside will see NISH face off against longtime head coach Todd Russ for the first time since his departure to Zachary, but the Yellow Jackets will feel no love lost as they look to pick up another important district victory on Friday.

Team: Westgate

Record: 6-18

PR Standing: No. 34

Following yet another impressive season of football, the Tigers have had a slow start to the basketball season. Now that Westgate has most of their players back from the fall sports break, the Tigers are looking much improved and might still be able to sneak into the playoffs. The addition of assistant coach Brad Boyd to the coaching staff this season has already paid dividends in on-court performances, but the team still has some work to do to be the best version of themselves.

Division II

Team: St. Martinville

Record: 19-11

PR Standing: No. 6

The Tigers are currently on an 11-game winning streak, leading up to their district contest against Crowley on Friday. The win will seal another district title for St. Martinville, who have picked up impressive wins all season and look capable of making a deep run in the playoffs.

Team: Erath

Record: 15-11

PR Standing: No. 26

The Bobcats have put together several important wins this season, but have struggled to find a consistent run of form this year. Now that their district schedule is complete, Erath will be waiting to see where they will line up in the playoff bracket.

Division III

Team: Loreauville

Record: 10-8

PR Standing: No. 19

The Tigers are fielding one of the youngest starting squads in the state this year, leaning heavily on a sophomore class that already found quite a bit of success on the football field. With impressive wins over Highland, Delcambre and ARCA, Loreauville has shown themselves to be a tough team to beat.

Team: West St. Mary

Record: 10-8

PR Standing: No. 21

The Wolfpack has shown once again that they aren’t a team to overlook or underestimate. District wins over ARCA, Delcambre and Catholic High have been offset by several early-season losses, but West St. Mary seems to be settling into the season at just the right time.

Division IV

Team: Franklin

Record: 16-4

PR Standing: No. 3

Franklin Senior High lost several key seniors last season, but that hasn’t seemed to slow them down in the slightest. Sitting in the No. 2 spot in district and the No. 3 spot in their division, the Hornets are on a six-game win streak and looking to add a seventh win when they host Ascension Episcopal on Thursday.

Team: Jeanerette

Record: 8-15

PR Standing: No. 28

Things could be going a bit better for the Tigers, but don’t let their record fool you. Despite suffering a few injuries to important players this season, the Tigers have managed to fight their way to victory against several tough teams. Their PR spot will see them face off against one of the better teams in the state, but a playoff appearance will be a good way to end the season.

Team: Delcambre

Record: 7-18

PR Standing: No. 32

Barely holding on at the bottom of the playoff limit is Delcambre, who has struggled with consistency this season. A district win against ARCA was their last victory since December, but the Panthers can still end the season on a good note if they can secure a playoff appearance this year.

Team: Centerville

Record: 4-14

PR Standing: No. 38

It would take a miracle for Centerville to make the jump to a playoff spot, but with four games left in the season there is still a chance they can make it in. The Bulldogs will have to pick up wins against several tough teams, including Highland Baptist and Covenant Christian, before the season ends.

Select

Division III

Team: Catholic High

Record: 15-7

PR Standing: No. 8

The Panthers have been on a roll this season, led by star sophomores Jaiden Mitchell and Tristan Lewis. With an 8-1 district record, Catholic High is leading the hunt for a hotly-contested District 8-2A championship. Head coach Casey McGrew has his team playing exactly like he wants as the season winds down to a close, so fans can expect the Panthers to make a big splash in the playoffs this year.

Division IV

Team: Hanson Memorial

Record: 11-17

PR Standing: No. 28

Sitting at the cutoff spot in their division, the Tigers will need to make sure they come away with results in their final two games of the season. Facing off against Central Catholic on Friday, Hanson Memorial can jump up a spot or two with a win since they trail the No. 27 team, St. Edmund, by just .03 of a point.

Team: Highland Baptist

Record: 3-22

PR Standing: No. 33

This season has been rough for the Bears, who haven’t picked up back to back wins all season. A 66-23 district win over Covenant Christian should give the team a boost as they head into their Friday contest with Jeanerette, but it’s pretty much impossible for Highland to move into a playoff spot this late in the season, regardless of how their final games play out.

Division V

Team: ESA

Record: 16-15

PR Standing: No. 7

The Falcons are nearly balanced in their record this season, but don’t let that fool you as to their quality on the court. ESA has faced off against some tough opposition this season, picking up wins against 3A opponents Erath and Port Barre. Their 54-48 loss to 5A Sulphur shows that the Falcons can ball with anyone, and may end up surprising several teams in this year’s playoffs.