When the No. 6 seed Bossier Bearkats and No. 3 Carroll Bulldogs face off in the non-select Division II quarterfinals Friday night at 6:30 in Monroe, each team will know what to expect.
This is the fourth straight year the teams have met in the playoffs.
Last year, Bossier defeated Carroll 42-33 in the state championship game. In 2022, the Bearkats won 60-47 in the Class 3A quarterfinals. In 2021, the Bulldogs won 59-56 in the 3A quarterfinals.
In addition, the teams have played in the regular season three of the last four seasons. Bossier won this season’s game 56-52 at home on Nov. 18, the Bearkats’ second game..
Bossier brings a 22-12 record into Friday’s game. The Bearkats defeated No. 27 AJ Ellender 62-36 in the first round and No. 11 Opelousas 56-43 in the second.
Carroll (26-8) received a first-round bye then defeated Minden 64-48.
Friday’s winner gets a trip to next week’s state tournament, otherwise known as Boys’ Marsh Madness, in Lake Charles.
Bossier is looking for its 11th state tournament appearance in the last 15 years.
The Bearkats won state titles during that span in 2011, 2016, 2020 and 2023.
Senior Javon Johnson and junior Kerel Dean have been Bossier’s main scorers this season.
But the Bearkats got a big boost from sophomore Justin Slaid against Opelousas. He scored 20 points with 18 coming in the first half.
Carroll’s game against Minden was tight early in the third quarter. But the Bulldogs got hot from 3-point range and pulled away.
Carroll also used its speed and quickness to get some easy fast-break baskets.