Southern Lab star Asia Patin won her third straight basketball state championship in March as a McNeese State signee.
But Georgia’s hiring away of coach Ayla Guzzardo the first week of April shook up the circumstances in Lake Charles where that relationship had played a major role in Patin’s initial college decision.
The 5-foot-8 two-way floor general, one of Louisiana’s top players at any level the past few years, called the past month a rollercoaster of uncertainty and stress, but this week she found some relief and a new home with a signing Friday with Coastal Carolina.
“Winning state was one of the highest moments of my life — it always will be,” she said. “Just pure excitement, pride and soaking in everything we worked for finally paying off. But not long after that, everything really shifted. When I found out coach Ayla was leaving, it honestly caught me off-guard. For a minute it felt like my future could be on the line because that was such a big part of why I was comfortable and confident in my path… But I wasn’t going through it alone at all. I leaned on my parents and God the most. My and my parents had a lot of real conversations about my future — not just basketball, but life too. They kept me grounded and reminded me to trust myself and trust God through it.
“My support system really showed up for me, whether that was my family, teammates, coaches or people just checking in. That meant a lot to me. Looking back now, I feel like that whole situation helped me grow up a little. It forced me to make a decision for myself and really understand what I want moving forward. It also forced me to not be comfortable in one situation and always have a backup plan. So even though it was stressful in the moment, I’m grateful for it because it led me to where I am now.”
Patin said she understands the business side of college sports and wishes McNeese State under new coach Ashton Feldhaus and Guzzardo and the staff at Georgia “nothing but the best.”
But during a couple weeks of introspection and reevaluation, she feels she’s found the best path for her future given all the changed landscape of options.
“What stood out to me about Coastal was just the overall environment,” she said. “The coaches made it feel real comfortable, like they actually care about you as a person and not just a player. I loved their connection with God most importantly. I loved how they see my potential and have a clear plan for how I can grow in their system. The opportunity there feels genuine, and I can see myself developing on and off the court. It just feels like a place where I can come in, work and really become the best version of myself.”
Patin said veteran coach Kevin Pederson and staff in Myrtle Beach, S.C., emphasized their interest in what she brings to the program not only with her talent and skillset, but the intangibles she’s already shown as a leader and consistent winner for one of Louisiana’s proudest girls’ basketball programs.
“They said what caught their attention most (from a basketball standpoint) was my ability to penetrate and score, along with my overall production and impact on winning,” she said. “They also value my unselfishness as the point guard position, my ability to create for others and my defensive presence. They feel like I fit well into what they want to do because they need a point guard who can lead, make good decisions, push the pace and get teammates involved.
“They see me bringing leadership, energy and a winning mindset to the team and being someone my teammates can trust on both ends of the floor.”
Southern Lab guard Asia Patin headlines the LSWA’s 2026 Class 1A all-state girls basketball team as this year’s Outstanding Player selection. (Photo: Jerit Roser, Louisiana vs. All Y’all)
Patin was recently announced as an LSWA Class 1A all-state first-team selection for the third straight year, as well as this time the Outstanding Player for the classification.
Even with already impressive production throughout her career, her scoring and rebounding numbers took major leaps in her final prep season.
She averaged 19.8 points, 7.6 steals, 6.7 rebounds and 4.8 assists per contest in her last campaign for the Lady Kittens.
And while she is excited for her opportunity at the next level, this spring is also bittersweet as she has to close one chapter in Baton Rouge to begin the next.
“Everything we’ve accomplished — state championships, the relationships, the growth — it really means something because I’ve seen the work that went into it every single day,” she said. “It didn’t just happen overnight. I’m really proud of how I’ve grown not just as a player, but as a person. Coming in, I had talent, but over the years I’ve learned how to lead, how to stay disciplined and how to push through adversity. I feel like each season shaped me into a better version of myself, and that’s something I’ll always carry with me.
“As far as legacy, I don’t hope — I know — we left a standard. Not jut winning, but how to work, how to compete and how to carry yourself on and off the court. I want the younger girls to look at what we did and feel like they have to match that energy or even take it further. If they remember us as a group that gave everything we had and stayed connected as a team, then I feel like we did our job.”
Southern Lab star Asia Patin signed Friday, April 17, 2026, with Coastal Carolina. (Photo: Coastal Carolina recruiting photo)
