St. Michael, Veal honored

• By ROBIN FAMBROUGH
• Published: Mar 23, 2008 - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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St. Michael the Archangel and Glen Oaks were among the state’s top Class 4A girls basketball teams all season.

After St. Michael garnered its first state title, the two teams are again in the spotlight, thanks to the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s Class 4A All-State teams.

Coach Tami Reynolds of St. Michael was voted Coach of the Year, while the Warriors’ Jasmine Scott and the late Shannon Veal of Glen Oaks were part of the first team.

Veal, who died during a regional-round playoff game against Helen Cox because of the heart defect hypertropic cardiomyopathy, averaged 14.6 points, 6.0 assists, 4.0 rebounds and 4.0 steals per game, was the District 6-4A MVP. GOHS advanced to the semifinals before losing to St. Michael.

Scott, the 7-4A MVP for St. Michael, averaged 14.4 points and 6.4 rebounds.

Jeanne Kenney of St. Michael (13.0 points, 4.2 steals, 3.3 assists) made the girls second team, while Ledrick Eackles (22 points, 10.6 rebounds) of Zachary was part of the boys second team.

Reynolds led St. Michael to a 36-4 record and a state title in the school’s first appearance in the Ladies’ Top 28 Tournament.

“This is a huge honor,” Reynolds said. “And it’s not just an honor for me, but for the team and our assistant coach, David Fleshman.

“We went through some things this year with injuries and only having eight players on our roster. They believed in what we were doing and never lost sight of their goals. They all knew and understood their roles.”

Glen Oaks coach Harold Boudreaux said he was pleased with the posthumous honor for Veal.

“The best thing about this is it wasn’t an honorary thing. … It was based on her talent and the things she did,” Boudreaux said. “And it’s proof that hard work and dedication do pay off.

“If Shannon was here, it’s not the sort of thing she would talk about. She wasn’t like that. But I’m happy for the family because other people realize what a talented player she was along with being a great person.”

Greg Monroe of Helen Cox and Deana Allen of Ellender netted Outstanding Player honors. Jamie Rollins of Opelousas was voted Coach of the Year for the boys team.