Working for the stretch run

It is hard to believe, but the halfway point is upon us for the 2016-17 basketball season.
Normally, the Christmas holidays allow high school basketball teams to reflect on the progress made so far this season and the improvements needed before the push toward a district championship.
For a number of parish teams, the mid-season report card is filled with above average grades, while others have a lot of work to do to get the desired marks needed in the final half of the season.
One of the early indicators for a team and their progress is how they stand in the power rankings. With the first set of rankings coming out this past Tuesday, Evangeline Parish has several teams in post-season position.
Starting in Class 3A, the Ville Platte Bulldogs sit at the No. 4 spot according to the LHSAA. The Bulldogs have impressed so far this season and look to continue their winning ways.
Along with the Bulldogs, the Pine Prairie Panthers have worked their way to the No. 26 ranking after facing some rather tough competition.
For the Class 3A girls, the Ville Platte Lady Bulldogs have overcome a lack of depth and found their way to the No. 5 position in the rankings.
The Pine Prairie Lady Panthers have already won as many games so far this season as they did all last year and that has allowed them to reside at the No. 14 ranking.
In Class 2A, the Mamou Demons and the Lady Demons both are having productive seasons up to this point. The Demons currently hold the No. 11 spot in the rankings, while the Lady Demons are currently occupying the No. 3 spot in the power ratings.
The Basile Bearcats and Lady Bearcats also break into playoff contention after the release of the first power rankings. The Bearcats hold the No. 22 position, while the Lady Bearcats come in at No. 16.
As far as the Sacred Heart Trojans and the Lady Trojans are concerned, as of right now getting into the Division III playoffs will not be a problem due to the fact that all all teams in that division will make the post-season.
The Trojans are currently No. 23 in the power ratings, while the Lady Trojans hold the No. 10 slot. The Lady Trojans have had to battle several key injuries this season and are hopeful to get those players back before district play.
Here is the mid-season report card for the parish teams.

Ville Platte (B)
Record: 11-4
Overview: The Bulldogs seem to have put together the right chemistry so far this season. With wins over North Central, Jennings, Lakeview and Alexandria, Ville Platte has put themselves position for a top seed in the playoffs.
Positives: The play of the guards has really boosted the overall team offensive attack. Turnovers have been kept to a minimum, which has in turn resulted in a team average of 62 points per game.
Improvements: Cleaning up the little things will be a priority for Ville Platte in the next few weeks. Also, the Bulldogs will need to find a way to get started faster and not wait till the end to make a run.

Ville Platte (G)
Record: 11-5
Overview: It had been an up and down season for the Lady Bulldogs this year. Ville Platte started off hot, winning four in a row to start the year. The Lady Bulldogs then went 3-5 in the next eight games before going on another four game win streak.
Positives: With only a few bench players available, the Lady Bulldog have been getting a number of players involved. That has resulted in the overall play of the team becoming better and better with each game.
Improvements: One of the underlying themes of the season for Ville Platte has been team chemistry. At times that chemistry has not been what it should. Improvement in this area will definitely be a factor in the Lady Bulldogs attempt at staying in the top tier of the power ratings.

Sacred Heart (B)
Record: 1-10
Overview: The Trojans have not fared well on the court, picking up their only win against St. Ed’s. However, Sacred Heart has had to face some tough teams in their non-district schedule. The Trojans will look to get things going once district starts.
Positives: The play of Sacred Heart has been improving as the season has progressed. They are definitely playing better at this point in the season as compared to first five games.
Improvements: There is a lot of area of improvement for Sacred Heart. The main area that the Trojans need to focus on is to continue to learn the system and play within that system.

Sacred Heart (G)
Record: 6-7
Overview: Injuries have been the name of the game for the Lady Trojans in 2016-17. Sacred Heart started the season by winning the five of their first six games. Since then the Lady Trojans are 1-6, which coincides with several key injuries to starters.
Positives: One of the improvements Sacred Heart has made from last year has been on the defensive side of the floor. The Lady Trojan defense is getting better as the season progresses thanks in large part to the play of the younger athletes.
Improvements: Patience on offense has been the Achilles’s heel for the Lady Trojans this season. The lack of patience has produced too many turnovers, which at times has led to quick points by their opponents.

Pine Prairie (B)
Record: 9-4
Overview: The change over in the head coaching position has not seemed to bother the Panthers. Pine Prairie began the year 5-1 and have competed in every game so far this year. The Panthers have shown that they belong in the thick of the district race coming up in the next few weeks.
Positives: Offensively, Pine Prairie has been able to put up the points necessary to win games. The Panthers average 66 points a game and have scored 80 or more points twice this season.
Improvements: Defensively, Pine Prairie is learning how to play more man-to-man and has not quite nailed down the concept. The Panthers will look to improve on that area, especially on the help side of the defense if they hope to break into the district championship race.

Pine Prairie (G)
Record: 6-4
Overview: The Lady Panthers have been the most improved team over the last two seasons. Pine Prairie has not had this many wins at this point in the season since the 2011-2012 season. And, considering the tough schedule they have faced up to this point, that is a huge accomplishment.
Positives: The defensive side of the floor has been the biggest reason why the Lady Panthers are where they are at this point in the year. Pine Prairie only gives up 37.2 points per game and has held their opponents to 35 points or less in six games.
Improvements: Although Pine Prairie has had great success defensively, the Lady Panthers have struggled on their offensive execution. Pine Prairie has only scored over 50 points in one game this year. If the Lady Panthers want to be a force in District 5-3A, they must find a way to improve in that area.

Mamou (B)
Record: 7-6
Overview: The Mamou Demons have thus far weathered the storm of a hard-fought non-district schedule up to this point. Mamou has picked up the intensity the last four games, winning three of those four.
Positives: Depth has played a huge role in the success of the Demons thus far. Mamou has eight or nine guys that can contribute at any time in the game. That has led more balance on the floor between guard and post play.
Improvements: There is no doubt the Demons have the post play to make a run for the district championship. The problem this season has been the inability to get it into the post. Whether it has been the guards not finding the post players or the post players not making themselves more available, both areas need improvement.

Mamou (G)
Record: 10-3
Overview: So far it looks as if the Lady Demons are on their way to another superb season. Mamou has a number of huge wins on their resume, including a victory over Ville Platte in the parish championship game. If they continue playing the way they are now, a district title is almost a certainty.
Positives: With only two seniors in the line-up the last few games because of injuries, the younger players have really stepped it up for the Lady Demons. The experience that those younger players are receiving will only help Mamou down the stretch.
Improvements: The Lady Demons are an up-tempo team and sometimes has trouble keeping up the pace. There are times when the intensity level drops and Mamou becomes lax, especially on the offensive side of the ball.