Kentucky’s Top Junior Free Throw Shooters

One of the most fundamental aspects of the game, the ability to make free-throws demonstrates vital basketball skills.  Not only does it showcase a good shooting stroke, it also represents a dedication to practicing that stroke over and over until it becomes a habit, as well as the ability to perform under pressure when everyone is focused on you.  These are all crucial skills for basketball players to have, making an examination of the upcoming juniors who were the best free-throw shooters in the state last season more than worthwhile. <strong>Kassidy Daugherty, Apollo- </strong>Daugherty was one of the top free-throw shooters in the state last year.  She converted 84.0% on 125 tries from the charity stripe, tops on this list by a significant margin.  It will be interesting to see if she can maintain this superb percentage with more attempts as her game continues to move forward. <strong>Kylie Jackson, Green County- </strong>Perhaps the most underrated prospect on this list, Jackson is nonetheless starting to draw some attention thanks to a well rounded overall game.  Part of this well-rounded game is of course her free-throw shooting, where Jackson shot 80.2% on 222 attempts.  These numbers represent both the second-highest volume and efficiency on this list, showing Jackson's foul shooting is as well-rounded as the rest of her games. <strong>Hayley Caudill, Hazard- </strong>Along with functioning as a playmaker, one of Caudill's strengths as her team's primary ball-handler is her ability to get to the rim and draw fouls.  She shot 79.6% on 98 attempts.  While her volume may not be as high as some others on this list, she was able to convert on a lot of and-one opportunities, making her foul shooting still a vital aspect of her game. <strong>Harley Paynter, Boyd County- </strong>Expected to be one of the top juniors in the state this season, free-throw shooting is a part of Paynter strong all-around game.  She shot 79.3% on 135 attempts, showing a good combination of volume and efficiency.  With the departure of Miss Basketball Savannah Wheeler, Paynter will step up as Boyd County's first option this season, making her ability to convert from the charity stripe all the more important. <strong>Mya Meredith, Scott- </strong>Another one of the top players in the state entering the 2019-20 season, it is no surprise to see Meredith prominently featured on another list detailing the state's statistical leaders.  Her 78.7% free throw shooting is especially important considering her ability to draw fouls inside, as evidenced by her 263 attempts, tops on this list.  This shows how important foul shooting is to one of the top scorers in the state.