Johnson repeats as Elite team's outstanding player

By Ron Brocato
Clarion Herald

Kameron Johnson may not get any taller with age, but the 5-foot, 9-inch point guard for the Archbishop Shaw Eagles continued to improve.

During the 2021-22 District 9-5A campaign, he was the best player in the Catholic League (District 9-5A). But a year later, Shaw dropped down a classification and joined a new district (10-4A). 

And although the Eagles had to settle for second place behind L.B. Landry, Johnson once again was the class of the league.

During his senior campaign, in which Shaw became a Select Division II semifinalist with a 24-6 record under the coaching of Wesley Laurendine, Johnson led the district in scoring with a 23.6 points-per-game scoring average while tallying an average of 5.5 assists and 3.5 steals.

For his fine performances, Johnson repeats as the Clarion Herald Elite Boys’ Basketball Team’s Most Outstanding Player.

Ten players who were most responsible for their respective teams’ success on the court were selected for recognition to the Clarion Herald’s 35th annual Elite team.

Six were selected to the District 9-5A Coaches’ Team. They include St. Augustine’s Turner Duncan, named that league’s MVP, and his teammate Cy Merritt; Devin Harris of Holy Cross, Josh Washington of Jesuit, Ja’Mard Jones Jr. of Archbishop Rummel and D.J. Fowler of Brother Martin.

Joining that six-pack are St. Paul’s Reece Seicshnaydre, Drew Timmons of Archbishop Hannan, St. Charles Catholic’s Davon Stirgus and Archbishop Shaw’s Christian Creppel.

Duncan, who averaged 17 points for the 20-12 Purple Knights, and Creppel, are juniors.

Three sophomores were also selected, including a repeater from the 1921-22 Elite Team: Hannan’s Timmons, whose efforts helped Coach Errol Gauff’s Hawks achieve a 23-6 record, the No. 3 seed in Division II and a quarterfinal-round finish to the season.

St. Augustine’s Merritt was the go-to guard for Coach Gerald Lewis’ district champions. He averaged 14 points and 5 assists in helping the Knights attain a 20-12 record.

Coach Scott Thompson’s Rummel squad lacked an individual star player, but the coaches were comfortable enough to tap Jones and his 10.1 scoring average for the All-District team. His work around the goal in producing points and rebounds led the Raiders to a 21-12 record, which included a run of eight consecutive wins over a three-week period midway through the season.

St. Charles Catholic’s key player was its top scorer and assist leader, Stirgus.

Honored as the top running back on the Comets’ Division III championship football team, Stirgus led Coach Zach Weber’s roundball team to a 20-8 record. His value was evident in a 28-25 playoff loss to Catholic of New Iberia when he found himself in early foul trouble from which the Comets could not recover.

The top senior on the Elite Team was another repeater from last year, Seicshnaydre, who led St. Paul’s in scoring with a 19.3 average. He also averaged 9.3 rebounds and 4.7 assists to end a brilliant career.

Coach Stephen Dale’s Wolves posted a 20-9 record and earned the No. 10 seed in select Division I. After defeating Lafayette, the Wolves were eliminated by Pineville, 65-61.

Senior Fowler’s 15.3 scoring average led Brother Martin’s 16-13 effort in a highly competitive district.

Congratulations go to Laurendine of Shaw; Mister Kirkwood, whose Holy Cross team went 19-8, and to all the coaches whose players were lauded as the best among schools in the Archdiocese of New Orleans.

The Clarion Herald Elite Boys Basketball Team was selected and photographed by Ron Brocato





(MVP) Kameron Johnson, Archbishop Shaw, 5-9, Senior









Christian Creppel, Archbishop Shaw, 6-5, Junior









Cy Merritt, St. Augustine, 6-3, Sophomore









D.J. Fowler, Brother Martin, 6-1,  Senior









Davon Stirgus, St. Charles Catholic, 5-10,  Senior









Devin Harris, Holy Cross, 6-0,  Senior









Ja’Mard Jones Jr., Archbishop Rummel, 6-3, Sophomore









Josh Washington, Jesuit, 6-5, Senior









Reece Seicshnaydre, St. Paul’s, 6-3, Senior









Turner Duncan, St. Augustine, 6-3, Junior










Drew Timmons, Archbishop Hannan, 6-6, Sophomore