1999-2000 All-River Parishes Girls’ Basketball team

Published 12:00 am Saturday, April 1, 2000

MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / April 1, 2000

A pair of East St. John Lady Cats lead off L’Observateur’s 1999-2000 All-River Parishes Girls’ Basketball team.

East St. John coach is the Coach of the Year after leading the Lady Cats toan unprecedented fourth consecutive district title and a fourth straight trip to the regional playoffs. A major part of those four teams has been seniorKavonna Reese, the River Parishes Player of the Year.

Kavonna Reese East St. JohnSenior Center Most Valuable Player

In 1996-97, Reese was a freshman just getting strated out in the sport.

Four years later, she would go down in school history as the first player to start and win 100 games.

Giordano said Reese was one of the players that the Lady Cats started building around four years ago. Over the last four years, the Lady Cats havewon four straight district titles for the first time in school history and made four straight appearances in the state regionals. She helped the team to 28straight wins in the 1997-98 season and to a school record 30 wins this season. Two of the team’s six losses this season came in games in whichReese did not play.

Reese was named second team all-District 7-5A in 1999-2000 after averaging 13 points and 12 rebounds a game. She also contributed threesteals and two blocks per contest in anchoring the middle for the Lady Cats.

She became a member of the school’s 1,000-point club during this past season.

Troy Giordano East St. JohnCoach of the Year

This was supposed to be the year that East St. John’s reign at the top ofDistrict 7-5A was supposed to end. After three years as district champions,the Lady Cats were supposed to come back to the pack in 1999-2000.

Instead, East St. John would claim a fourth-straight district title with itssecond undefeated record in district play in three years.

Giordano kept the ship righted through a difficult pre-district schedule that saw the Lady Cats play such teams as Dominican, Mt. Carmel and O.P.Walker. Once in district, Giordano guided the team through a 12-0 record,including wins on the road at Destrehan and Hahnville.

By winning the title, the Lady Cats became the first team in school history to capture four straight district titles. Its 30 wins were also a school record.And for the fourth straight season, East St. John advanced to the regionalplayoffs before falling at Airline.

“We had a successful season all year long,” Giordano said. “We would haveliked to have won state but I still feel we had a successful year.”

Ireon Bethancourt West St. JohnSenior

Bethancourt was the sparkplug for the Lady Rams this season. She was theteam’s leading scorer in being named to the all-District 9-2A team.

Liz Dufresne St. Charles CatholicSenior Guard

Dufresne had a memorable senior season in 1999-2000. She became thesecond player in school history to score 1,000 points in a career, passing the milestone at St. Thomas Aquinas in December. Dufresne went on to lead theteam in scoring for the third time in her career, averaging 13.8 points pergame. She was named to the all-District 9-3A team after helping the LadyComets to a second straight playoff appearance.

Jennifer Guidry Riverside Senior Forward

Guidry could play anywhere on the court for the Lady Rebels. She played bothguard and forward for Riverside this season as the Lady Rebels made a run to second place in District 9-2A.

“She was a well-rounded ballplayer,” Riverside coach Matt White said. “Shedid everything we asked of her and provided a lot of leadership as a senior.”Guidry led the team with 14.19 points per game in 1999-2000. The seniorforward also averaged six rebounds, two assists and three steals in being named first team all-District 9-2A.

Kinya Lennix East St. JohnJunior Forward

Giordano once again called Lennix “the best athlete I’ve ever coached” this season. Lennix made the District 7-5A first team for the second year in arow after averaging 17 points per game in 1999-2000.

Lennix also scored her 2,000th career point during the season and had a game-high 19 points in the Lady Cats’ victory over Slidell in the bi-district playoffs.

Ginina Louis East St. JohnSenior Guard

Louis was the top defender on the Lady Cats if not in the entire area. Thesenior guard used her quickness to average six steals a contest, including an amazing eight steals per game in district play.

“She was one of the best defensive players I’ve ever coached,” Giordano said.

Louis could get it done on the offensive end as well. She led the team with 18points per game, helping the Lady Cats win a team-record 30 games. She washonored with a first-team all-District 7-5A selection after the season.

Joevone Markey Destrehan Junior Center

Markey controlled the middle for the Lady Cats in 1999-2000, helping the team to a spot in the bi-district playoffs.

Because of the emergence of other players on the team, Markey’s scoring opportunities declined slightly this past season.

But Markey found other ways to help the team win, including grabbing 15 rebounds a game. And she did get it done on the offensive end, averaging 13points a contest.

“She was able to change her role,” Destrehan coach Ulysses Frontha said of Markey, who is being looked at by Tulane to play basketball. “She’s a greatshot blocker and rebounder.

Diamonique Pollard Destrehan Senior Forward

Pollard was another outstanding defensive player for the Lady Cats. She heldEast St. John’s Lennix to four points in the second meeting of the twoschools this season and was named the District 7-5A defensive MVP.

Pollard, a second-team all-District 7-5A selection, led the team in both steals and assists this season because of her quickness. She averaged five stealsper game to go with her 10 points per game average.

“She was a great team player who did what it took to help the team win,” Frontha said.

Toyelle Rickson Hahnville Sophomore Forward

Rickson definitely did not experience a sophomore jinx in 1999-2000. An all-River Parishes selection as a freshman, Rickson was selected as the District 7-5A MVP by the district coaches this past season after helping the Lady Tigers to a second straight playoff appearance.

Hahnville coach Earl Oestriecher said Rickson was a double threat, able to score equally well outside and inside. She did a good job of taking the ball tothe goal, averaging 16 points a game. Rickson also averaged 10 rebounds andfour assists per contest.

Crystal Rome Riverside Freshman Guard

Rome was Riverside’s go-to player on the offensive end. The freshman guardaveraged 14.10 points and two assists per game in helping the Lady Rebelsto a 17-14 record in 1999-2000.

Rome also played strong defense, leading the team with four steals a game.

She also added four rebounds a contest and especially stepped up her play when Guidry went down with an injury during the season.

Ashley Sentimore Destrehan Freshman Forward

Sentimore was one of the Lady Cats’ fab freshman this past season. A big,strong presence inside, Sentimore had a great outide shot for a big girl. Sheaveraged 11.5 points per game in district and 14.0 overall in being selectedto the District 7-5A second team.

“She played like every game was her last,” Frontha said.

Danielle Stemley East St. JohnSophomore Guard

Stemley was the sparkplug who kept the Lady Cats under control this past season. The honorable mention all-District 7-5A selection averaged a team-high five assists in 1999-2000 to go with her 10 point and four steals per game average.

Megan Stock Destrehan Freshman Guard

Stock was the second half of the Lady Cats’ outstanding freshman two- some. She led the team in scoring in district with 17 points per game andaveraged 12.5 points per game overall. Stock was especially dangersou from heind the 3-point line where she was one of the best shooters in the area. She also used her quickness to becomeone of the team’s leaders in both steals and in assists.

Kaneeka Taylor Lutcher Sophomore Guard

Lutcher coach Janie Ryland called Taylor the heart of the Lady Bulldogs’ team this season. The sophomore point guard controlled the tempo of theoffense and was an all-around player.

Taylor was named first team all-District 9-3A after averaging 12.7 pointsper game.

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