LSUE inks Acadia Parish trio

CROWLEY – LSU-Eunice is actually in Acadia Parish, so it is no wonder that the school’s athletic teams snag as much of the local talent as they can.
In the case of the LSUE Lady Bengals’ basketball team, they recently made a strong push into the community by inking three local standouts.
On Tuesday, the Lady Bengals signed Iota’s Jillian Boone. On Thursday, they followed that up by signing one of Boone’s teammates, Taylor DeVille, as well as Notre Dame’s Madelyn LeJeune.
For all three players, it was a dream come true, but it was especially exceptional for Boone, who suffered an ACL tear in the first game of the season that sidelined her for the bulk of her senior year.
“I’ve always dreamed of playing college basketball, but once I got hurt, I kind of figured that doing that wouldn’t be an option anymore,” said Boone, who played sparingly with the injury once district began. “I worked hard in therapy and was able to get back on the court for a little while. I surprised myself, actually. And then LSUE wanted to talk to me and I am just so thankful for this opportunity.”
One person Boone didn’t surprise was her coach, Meghann LeJeune.
“Losing Jillian in the first game of the season really hurt us and when she came back, she wasn’t 100 percent. But she was still such an asset to the team in every way,” said LeJeune. “You just wish you had more players like that. Being that Jill has the attitude and the work ethic that she does, there’s no way she was going to let something stop her from playing her senior year. She’s very determined and she busted her butt to get back. She’s a true athlete and she gave us all that she could.
“I’ve very proud of her and excited that she is going to get to go on to the next level and maybe redeem herself from her senior year; because I know it was heartbreaking for her.”
Despite seeing very limited playing time, Boone averaged six points, two rebounds, two assists and one steal during her senior season.
DeVille, a 6-foot-0 forward, was a definite presence in the paint for the Lady Dogs.
Although her numbers - five points and three rebounds per game - weren’t eye popping, she created problems for opponents all season long.
“Taylor is such a presence inside on defense,” said LeJeune of DeVille. “She’s a very smart defender; she knows when to help and when not to help. People make adjustments when they are going up against her.
“And on offense, she has some of the best misdirection moves for a post player of her size and when she uses them appropriately, it’s dangerous because she can knock down the shot. Not only is she a threat on the inside, but if you sleep on her, she can shoot the three. She’s pretty well rounded and I think LSUE is a good place for her because she’s going to get stronger and faster.”
Getting stronger is DeVille’s main goal before entering LSUE in the fall.
“I have to get in the gym and put more weight on to be more aggressive in the paint because right now, I’m not too strong,” said DeVille. “But they (LSUE) are putting me on a weight program over the summer so I can be ready.”
Being closer to home was a factor in all three athlete’s decision to sign with LSUE and for DeVille, it was just an added bonus to play with two of her childhood friends, Boone and Madelyn LeJeune.
“I am just so excited because I get to continue doing what I love to do and I get to do it at the college level,” said DeVille. “And not only that, I get to play with two of my best friends.”
For Madelyn LeJeune, who was being courted by LSU-Alexandria and Central Baptist College in Arkansas, the close proximity to home was a huge factor in her decision.
“LSUE is only about 20 minutes from my house so that is nice,” said LeJeune. “And it’s exciting to know people there. It’s got like a homey feeling because you know people you’re going with and playing with. It’s going to be a lot of fun and I can’t wait.”
LeJeune was a major contributor during her prep days at Notre Dame, especially during her senior season after the team lost three starters to graduation.
“I knew that I had to step up and be more of a leader this year, which was difficult,” said LeJeune. “But we did a lot better than people expected and I couldn’t have asked for better teammates.”
Stepping up wasn’t a problem for the All-State forward/guard.
LeJeune averaged 17.1 points, eight rebounds, 2.89 assists and 3.67 steals per game in helping lead the Lady Pios to the District 6-3A championship and a second-round playoff appearance.
“When the other seniors left, and they had been playing together so long, she had a huge responsibility on her shoulders,” said ND coach Nolan Theriot of LeJeune. “But I think she knew that she was the offensive output for our team and you could see her evolve this year as a player and a leader. Her best attribute is being able to shoot the ball from anywhere on the floor. And she knows how to find open shots. You don’t have to get her open to get open, she sees the opening. 
“Her love for the game is evident if you’ve ever watched her play and we’re just happy that she is going to be playing somewhere close and we’re looking forward to seeing her play.”