HAMMOND — The Lafayette Christian Academy girls basketball team is heading back to the state championship after a dominant 62-37 victory over De La Salle in the Division III Select semifinals.
The Knights controlled the game from the opening tip, racing out to a commanding 17-1 lead in the first quarter and extending their advantage to 24 points by halftime.
Senior Kaliyah Samuels led the charge with a double-double, posting 20 points and 10 rebounds to power LCA’s offense.
This marks the ninth consecutive state championship appearance for the four-time defending champions. Head coach Errol Rogers believes his team is hitting its stride at the perfect time.
“First of all, look, it's just great to be back here,” Rogers said. “I felt like we came out with a purpose—the way we played, the way we executed, the way we played defense. Then we just got kind of lazy for a while. But if we can put a whole game together like that, we can be very dangerous. I'm just glad we won and are moving on to the finals.”
Lafayette Christian will face the Academy of Sacred Heart in New Orleans on Friday with the Division III Select title on the line. Tip-off is set for 2 p.m.
------------------------------------------------------------
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere.
To reach the newsroom or report a typo/correction, click HERE.
Sign up for newsletters emailed to your inbox. Select from these options: Breaking News, Evening News Headlines, Latest COVID-19 Headlines, Morning News Headlines, Special Offers