The Allstate Sugar Bowl has recognized the top boys’ prep team from the Greater New Orleans area since 2013-14 – all high school teams based in the Greater New Orleans area are eligible for the honor. The honor is selected by the Greater New Orleans Sports Awards Committee, which has been existence since 1957. The Committee selected an overall prep team of the year, regardless of gender, from Louisiana from 2010-13; that followed an overall team of the year, which was presented in 2008 and 2009-2010. All of the
Sugar Bowl annual awards were presented on a calendar-year basis until 2009 when the Committee changed to an academic calendar (July-June). The annual awards banquet is typically held in late July or early August.
The
George Washington Carver basketball team, which won its second straight state championship, was selected as the Allstate Sugar Bowl’s
Greater New Orleans Boys’ Prep Team of the Year for 2022-23.
Carver advanced to its third straight LHSAA Division II basketball state championship game and won its second straight title in 2023. This year’s team entered the postseason as the No. 6 seed and then took down No. 3, No. 2 and No. 1 to win the championship. The Rams’ semifinal win came against No. 2 Peabody, a nine-time state champion, and in the championship, it took down No. 1 Madison Prep – a program that has won eight state titles in the past 10 years. The Rams won their second straight title despite graduating three Division I players from last year. The stars this time included senior Jaylon Hicks, who made the winning basket with little time remaining in the semifinal, and junior Laurence Nathan, the other returning starter from the championship team last season. Daijon Leatherman, a 6-9 sophomore, had 21 points, 32 rebounds and nine blocked shots in the semifinals and finals.
Outstanding Boys’ Prep Team, New Orleans
