MICHAEL KIRAL / L’Observateur / May 9, 2000

RESERVE – The 12-year-old St. John Parish Warriors continued to make localbiddy basketball history.

As nine-year-olds, the team went undefeated and won the state championship under coach Timmy Byrd. As 10- and 11-year olds, theWarriors won the Division A national championship with Eric Rogers as their coach. And this season, playing under coach Kevin Branch, the Warriorsbecame the first St. John Parish all-star team to make it to the nationalfinals in the AA Division, falling to New Orleans, 53-50, in the title game.

The Warriors entered the national tournament in Wichita, Kan., off the healsof a fourth-place finish in regionals. At the 18-team national tournament,the Warriors opened with a 52-42 victory over Dunham of Baton Rouge. St.John then defeated Wichita East, 63-53, before losing to New Orleans, 53- 44. The Warriors stayed alive with a 44-42 victory over Glan Park, Indiana,to advance to the championship game.

Not bad for a team that not only had to move up a division because it had won back-to-back championships, but also had to overcome the loss of its best player due to size restrictions.

“Hard work,” Branch said of the key to the team’s success. “The kids werewilling to understand my system.”Because the team did not finish either first or second at regionals, it had to go to the parish council to ask for funding to make the trip to Wichita. Thecouncil approved the funding and Branch told his players to show that was the right decision.

“I told the kids, the council did us a great favor and let’s show them a great fight,” Branch said. “I told them to leave it all on the floor and they did agreat job.”Three Warriors were named All-Americans – Lacorido Joseph, Denarold Anderson and Demond Carter. Ryan Stipe won the free throw contest at thetournament while Dana Stipe was second in the hot shot contest.

Team members were Darryl Morris, Demond Carter, Ryan Stipe, Lacorido Joseph, Timothy Byrd, Jarvis Sanders, Jamal Breaux, Denarold Anderson, Kendall Diggs, Dana Stipe, Jason Jones and R. J. Porter. The team wascoached by Branch who was assisted by Tim Byrd.

Branch and Byrd are also putting together a local AAU program, the River Parishes Pros. The 13-year-olds will be playing in the state tournament atthe Alario Center in two weeks while the 15-year-olds have a tournament in three weeks.

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