IMPORTANT NOTES

• Varsity and Junior Varsity teams will play on the same day with the JV team playing one hour before the Varsity team.
• Varsity games will be two 20 minutes halves for a total of 40 minutes with the clock stopping on dead balls, free-throws, etc.
  (Note: due to KHSAA rules, the scoreboard will be erased at halftime.)
• The JV game will consist of two 20 minute halves for a total of 40 minutes but the clock will be running time in order for the JV players to join the varsity team by varsity tipoff time.
• 20 free T-shirts.
• MVP for a player for each team in the varsity game only.
• Gift for each varsity coach.
• Hospitality room.
• Over 2,000 colleges nationwide will be invited to attend.
• Coverage of this showcase in Rick Bolus' High Potential Basketball Recruiting Service newsletters that will go out to his college subscribers.
• Internet coverage (pre and post game coverage) by Ron Harrison at http://www.kyprephoops.com

Game coverage will be provided upon completion of the event.

PARTICIPATING TEAMS

Bullitt East

Coach Chris Stallings' Lady Chargers finished 23-9 last season and are one of the favorites to capture the 6th Region title.  5-10 Sr. guard Kayla Thacker is a versatile player with good court vision who scores off the dribble or with her jump shot.  5-11 Sr. frontliner Shelby Romine hits the boards well and has good range on her jump shot.  5-5 Jr. guard Jessica Philpott handles the ball, scores, and defends.  5-9 Sr. Jade Troutman is expected to be a valuable contributor and Coach Stallings has several other players expected to log quality minutes. 

Louisville Assumption

Coach Ron Ferch's Rockets had a 15-13 record last season but finished strong in a very strong 7th Region.  6-0 Sr. guard Molly Ernst averaged 17.5 ppg last season and is deadly from the perimeter.  5-9 Sr. Sara Minogue (8 ppg, 6 rpg) scores well inside and is a good defender.  5-7 Sr. Kayla McMahon is a strong, hard-nosed player who will move to the point this season.  5-9 Jr. guard Maggie Hartlage is a versatile performer who can play anywhere on the floor.  5-7 Sr. Paige Mullen is a high energy performer who scould be a double digit scorer this season.  Young players expected to make an impact this season include 5-10 So. forward Morgan Foley and 5-7 Fr. guard Dee Dee Sliter. 

DuPont Manual

Coach Stacy Pendleton's Lady Crimsons finished 24-7 last season and should contend for the 7th Region crown this season.  6-2 Sr. forward Zakiyah Martin is an aggressive defender who scores well inside and can step out to hit the jump shot.  5-10 Jr. forward Mechael Guess is very athletic, defends, and finishes at the rim.  5-7 So. April Wilson is an excellent guard and leader who displayed exceptional skills this summer.  5-10 So. guard Kara Wright is long and athletic and is an excellent finisher in the lane.  5-7 So. guard Lauren Bodine is deadly from the outside and has an excellent pullup jump shot off the dribble.  5-7 So. point guard LeAsia Wright is a jet quick guard and is a lock-down defender.  6-1 Fr. guard Kayla Styles has the complete package and has the skills to make a huge impact this season. 

Clay County

Coach James Burchell's Lady Tigers finished 25-10 last season and are favored to capture the 13th Region crown again this year.  6-1 Jr. center Whitney Belle Jackson is effective in the paint with power moves to the basket.  5-10 Sr. Jordan Phillips (11 ppg) is another inside scoring threat.  The Lady Tigers also have talent and experience in the backcourt with 5-9 Sr. Danielle Fox, 5-7 Jr. Kayla Smith, and 5-6 So. Alisha Mitchell. 

Christian Academy of Louisville

Coach Don Rice's Lady Centurions finished 25-5 last season and will be another strong contender for the 7th Region title.  6-2 Sr. guard Antonita Slaughter is a skilled player with excellent range on her jump shot.  5-10 Sr. guard Allison Karst and 5-11 Sr. forward Anna Hart are good returning veterans.  5-8 Fr. guard China Dow is strong, athletic, penetrates well, and can hit the jump shot.  Coach Rice has a nice mix of seasoned veterans and promising freshmen who should have an impact. 

Owensboro Catholic

Coach Ray Zuberer's Lady Aces finished 21-10 last season, graduated six seniors but still has enough talent returning to be very competitive in the 3rd Region wars this season.  5-11 Fr. Becca Greenwell is a versatile swing player who is a versatile scorer (18.2 ppg) and a good rebounder.  5-6 Sr. forward Kaley Robertson and 5-6 Sr. Kaitlyn Elder are returning veterans who will be expected to be key contributors this season.  Robertson added 10.4 ppg last season.  Coach Zuberer had several underclassmen who will be expected to contribute this season. 

Sacred Heart Academy

Coach Donna Moir's Valkyries finished 25-5 last season and will once again will be a force in the 7th Region race this season.  5-6 Sr. guard Autumn Miller averaged 13.5 ppg last season and has excellent range on her shot.  5-11 Sr. forward Jackie Hafele is very athletic and can score, rebound, and defend.  5-11 Jr. center Morgan Clemons scores inside, rebounds, and defends.  5-4 Jr. guard Maddie Peabody is quick in transition and leads the Valkyries in steals.  5-11 Jr. forward Annamarie Campbell is a good mid-range shooter and an excellent defender.  5-11 Jr. guard Monica McGreal is an excellent perimeter defender who has good range on her jump shot.  5-7 Sr. guard Leah Storch, 5-5 Jr. guard Hannah Washle, 5-5 Jr. guard Katie Bishop, and 5-9 Sr. forward Mary Gordon Stough are also expected to be key contributors. 

North Hardin

Coach James Slaven's Lady Trojans finished 24-6 last season but suffered a set-back over the summer when 5-4 Jr. guard RaeChaun Edwards moved to Virginia.  The Lady Trojans still have a lot of talent returning to challenge for the 5th Region crown.  5-11 Sr. forward Destiny Bramblett averaged 17 ppg and 11 rpg last season.  5-5 Sr. point guard Jennifer Smiley is a versatile performer who averaged 12 ppg last season.  5-8 Fr. forward Chanel Roberts averaged 8 ppg and 6 rpg.  5-3 Sr. guard Lexi Taft is also a key returnee. 

Mercy Academy

Coach Mark Evans' Mercy Jaguars finished 19-8 last season and the Jaguars will as usual contend for the 7th Region title.  5-9 Sr. guard Therese Montano is a multi-talented guard who is a versatile scorer and a tireless worker.  5-8 Sr. Malisa Cruz is a hard-nosed swing player with good range on her shot.  The Jaguars also have a very talented guard trio in 5-5 Jr. Lauren Faris, 5-8 Jr. Juliann Miller, and 5-8 Sr. Ellen Sholtes.  Mercy will always give a big effort and if they can stay healthy and rebound the ball could be an extremely dangerous foe.

Nelson County

Coach Kelly Wood's Lady Cardinals finished 27-6 last season and should be a factor in the 5th Region again this year.  6-3 Sr. center Samantha Drake is a mobile inside performer who puts up big numbers in scoring and rebounding.  5-8 Sr. guard Lacy Hagan is an excellent perimeter shooter and 5-5 Sr. Emily Hogan is also a key returnee. 

RESULTS

I will, for the sake of clarity, give scores for four quarters, both halves, and the combined score depending on how the individual game was portioned.   Any stats included are not official, but for the most part recorded by me personally.   I don't put a lot of stock in scrimmage scores as each coach approaches the scrimmages with different goals.   Please understand that these are scrimmages and coaches are experimenting with substitution rotations and using this event as a teaching tool and to prepare for the upcoming season.   Also, since the games are divided into quarters/halves with the score being erased after each period, the coaches treat each period as a new game for teaching purposes.  

Bullitt East vs. Assumption

Bullitt East Coach Chris Stallings started the following lineup:  5-10 Sr. Shelby Romine, 5-9 Sr. Jade Troutman, 5-10 Sr. Samantha Johnson, 5-6 Jr. Jessica Philpott, and 5-11 Sr. Kayla Thacker.  Assumption Coach Ron Ferch countered with 6-0 Sr. Molly Ernst, 5-9 Sr. Sara Minogue, 5-10 So. Morgan Foley, 5-7 Fr. Dee Dee Sliter, and 5-9 Jr. Maggie Hartlage. 

Bullitt East held a combined score advantage of 68-56 over Assumption.  

Kayla Thacker was named Game MVP for Bullitt East and led the Lady Chargers with 23 points and 12 rebounds.  Jade Troutman added 17 points including three three point baskets.  Shelby Romine recorded eight points and 13 rebounds.  Molly Ernst was named Game MVP for Assumption and led the Rockets with 13 points.  Maggie Hartlage added 12 points. 

duPont Manual vs. Clay County

Manual Coach Stacy Pendleton started the following lineup:  5-10 So. Kara Wright, 5-7 So. Lauren Bodine, 5-10 Jr. Mechael Guess, 5-4 Jr. Raven Hester, and 5-7 So. April Wilson.  Clay County Coach James Burchell countered with 5-10 Sr. Jordan Phillips, 5-9 Sr. Danielle Fox, 6-1 Jr. Whitney Belle Jackson, 5-7 Jr. Kayla Smith, and 5-5 So. Alisha Mitchell. 

Manual held a combined score advantage of 81-68 over Clay County.  

Mechael Guess was named Game MVP for Manual and led the Lady Crimsons with 19 points.  6-1 Fr. Kayla Styles added 17 points.  Kara Wright and 6-2 Sr. Zhakiyah Martin recorded 14 and 10 points respectively.   Alisha Mitchell was named Game MVP for Clay County and led the Lady Tigers with 22 points.  Kayla Smith and Danielle Fox added 15 and 13 points respectively.  

Christian Academy of Louisville vs. Owensboro Catholic

CAL Coach Don Rice started the following lineup:  5-10 Sr. Allison Karst, 5-11 Sr. Anna Hart, 6-2 Sr. Antonita Slaughter, 5-6 Jr. Emily Walden, and 5-8 Fr. China Dow.  Owensboro Catholic Coach Ray Zuberer countered with 5-11 Fr. Becca Greenwell, 5-5 Sr. Martina Riney, 5-11 So. Mary Kate Clemens, 5-6 Sr. Kaitlyn Elder, and 5-4 Fr. Leah Greathouse. 

CAL held a combined score advantage of 77-46 over Owensboro Catholic.  

The coaches in this game decided to play four 10 minute quarters instead of two 20 minute halves.   The score was a bit misleading as the coaches decided to play their younger players the entire third quarter and CAL held a 28-2 advantage.   The combined score of the other quarters showed CAL holding a 49-44 advantage.  

Allison Karst was named Game MVP for CAL and led the Lady Centurions with 17 points.  Antonita Slaughter and China Dow recorded 13 and 11 points respectively.   Becca Greenwell was named Game MVP for Owensboro Catholic and led the Lady Aces with 24 points.  Mary Kate Clemens added 11 points. 

Sacred Heart Academy vs. North Hardin

Sacred Heart Coach Donna Moir started the following lineup:  5-11 Sr. Jackie Hafele, 5-11 Jr. Annamarie Campbell, 5-11 Jr. Morgan Clemons, 5-5 Jr. Hannah Washle, and 5-6 Sr. Autumn Miller.  North Hardin Coach James Slaven countered with 5-11 Sr. Destiny Bramblett, 5-4 So. Brianna Woodson, 5-11 Jr. Tkeyah Chatman, 5-3 Sr. Lexi Taft, and 5-5 Sr. Jennifer Smiley. 

Sacred Heart held a combined score advantage of 72-44 over North Hardin.  

Morgan Clemons was named Game MVP for Sacred Heart and led the Valkyries with 17 points and 19 rebounds.  Jackie Hafele added 14 points and 10 rebounds.  5-9 Sr. Mary Gordon Stough chipped in with 11 points.  Annamarie Campbell recorded 11 points and 16 rebounds.  Autumn Miller went down early with a knee injury which was believed to be hyperextended. Jennifer Smiley was named Game MVP for North Hardin and led the Lady Trojans with 15 points.  Lexi Taft and 5-8 Fr. Chanel Roberts added eight points each.  

Mercy Academy vs. Nelson County

Mercy Academy Coach Mark Evans started the following lineup:  5-10 So. Christine Roush, 5-8 Sr. Malisa Cruz, 5-11 So. Courtney Roush, 5-8 Jr. Emily Goetz, and 5-8 Sr. Ellen Sholtes.  Nelson County Coach Kelly Wood countered with 5-7 Sr. Lacy Hagan, 5-9 Sr. Charity Watson, 5-8 Fr. A. J. Lewis, 5-7 So. Paige Clark, and 5-5 Sr. Emily Hogan. 

Note: 6-3 Sr. Samantha Drake (Nelson County) did not play, recovering from illness, and 5-9 Sr. Therese Montano (Mercy) was out with an injury.  

Mercy held a combined score advantage of 84-50 over Nelson County.   Mercy captured the first half with a 53-17 score as their press created problems for Nelson County.   Mercy played a zone for most of the second half and Nelson County held a 33-31 advantage.  

Courtney Roush was named Game MVP for Mercy and led the Jaguars with 19 points.  Ellen Sholtes added 15 points.  5-8 Jr. Juliann Miller, Emily Goetz, and Christine Roush also reached double figures with 11, 10, and 10 points respectively.   A. J. Lewis was named Game MVP for Nelson County and led the Lady Cardinals with 13 points.  Lacy Hagan added nine points on three three point baskets. 

Conclusion

This was an excellent day of pre-season basketball, with both JV and varsity squads playing today.  There was some excellent talent on display today both veteran and underclassmen.  Also remember several of the teams were missing key players today for various reasons.  Some of the key players missing included Lindey Young (Bullitt East), Kaley Robertson (Owensboro Catholic), Maddie Peabody (Sacred Heart), Samantha Drake (Nelson County), and Therese Montano (Mercy).  

Kayla Thacker (Bullitt East) played well today, recording a double-double (scoring and rebounding).   Jade Troutman (Bullitt East) shot the ball well from the perimeter.   Shelby Romine (Bullitt East) is a capable scorer and excellent rebounder.   Molly Ernst (Assumption) can stroke the outside jumper.   Mechael Guess (Manual) is a high energy performer who is tremendously athletic.   Manual has tremendous talent and 6-1 Fr. Kayla Styles is destined for stardom.   Danielle Fox , Alisha Mitchell , and Kayla Smith shot the ball well for Clay County.   Whitney Belle Jackson gives Clay County a presence in the paint.  

Becca Greenwell (Owensboro Catholic) is as good as advertised.   Mary Kate Clemens (Owensboro Catholic) is a promising young frontliner.   CAL has some excellent veteran talent in Antonita Slaughter , Allison Karst , and Anna Hart , plus an excellent freshman in China Dow .   Keep an eye on this team.   Slaughter will be a strong contender for Miss Basketball.  

Destiny Bramblett and Jennifer Smiley give Coach Slaven (North Hardin) two excellent scoring options.   Sacred Heart got excellent inside play today from Morgan Clemons , Jackie Hafele , and Annamarie Campbell .   A. J. Lewis had a good game for Nelson County and Lacy Hagan can shoot the ball from outside.   Courtney Roush and Ellen Sholtes played well for Mercy today and Juliann Miller gave Coach Evans a lot of energy coming off the bench.   Mercy has an excellent guard rotation and Courtney Roush provided the inside game today.  

Several of these teams, if they can get everyone healthy and stay healthy could make a deep run in tourney play. 

Acknowledgements

A special thanks to Rick Bolus and Chris Stallings for all their hard work in making this event work.  I would highly recommend this event for any team looking for a quality pre-season event to prepare their team for the regular season.  Any coach wishing to inquire about next year's event may contact Rick Bolus at 502-543-7308 or by email at bolus@insightbb.com.

Team capsules and game results are ©2009 by Ron Harrison. 

Please direct your comments to Ron Harrison at prephoops@yahoo.com.

Ron Harrison’s reports on this and other basketball events appear on http://www.kyprephoops.com.