Grayson and Carter make All-State team

Ascension Parish has had plenty of talent in high-school basketball over the years, but very few players have elevated themselves to the ranks of the elite.

It’s common for standouts from the area to earn all-district and even All-Metro honors, but it’s been quite rare for them to be named to the All-State team.

This season, two special players from East Ascension earned this accomplishment as both senior guard Hobert Grayson and junior guard Camryn Carter were named to the Louisiana Sports Writers Association’s All-State squad.

This duo was tremendous for the Spartans all season long as they helped guide them to more than 20 wins and a playoff berth.

It was their first full season playing under head coach Tyler Turner. Turner was a long-time assistant coach for the Spartans, but in the middle of last season, head coach Barry Whittington, Jr. resigned in order to become the new Assistant Principal at Dutchtown High School.

Turner took over as the interim head coach and led East Ascension to the second round of the playoffs. At the end of the season, he was promoted to the Spartans’ full-time coach.

This year, East Ascension had a terrific regular season as they finished 22-8. This included a perfect 4-0 record against parish rivals St. Amant and Dutchtown.

The Spartans finished as the District 5-5A runner-up, and they earned the No. 13 seeding for the Class 5A playoffs.

They hosted a matchup against No. 20 Parkway in the opening round.

After the game got tight in the second half, East Ascension used a 17-4 third-quarter rally to run away with a 66-51 victory. That marked the fifth straight season in which they won at least one playoff game.

In the second round, the Spartans had to go on the road to face fourth-seeded Bonnabel. East Ascension lost a tight one, 58-53. Bonnabel went on to lose to Alexandria in the 5A state title game by one point.

Both Grayson and Carter were the driving forces behind the Spartans' successful run. Now, they are both honorable-mention selections on the LSWA’s All-State team.

In the Spartans’ playoff victory, the duo led the team in scoring. Carter netted 20, and Grayson was right behind with 19.

Both players were also recently named first-team All-District 5-5A. Grayson earned the title of District 5-5A Co-Defensive MVP, along with Catholic’s Caleb Warner.

"Hobert is an impact player for us. He does a little bit of everything on offense and defense," Turner said. "He has a high basketball IQ and a high motor. He doesn't force the game; he allows it to come to him.”

Grayson and Carter are the first East Ascension players to make the All-State team since Le’Aaron Cain made the squad in 2017.

The LSWA named Scotlandville’s Reece Beekman their Class 5A Outstanding Player. The Virginia signee led Scotlandville to its fourth straight state championship (Division-I) this past season.

Lance Brasher was named the Coach of the Year. Brasher led his Alexandria squad to the Class 5A state title.