Cardinal Conference: 6 Under-The-Radar Players to Watch

As the seniors of 2020 prepare to leave their schools -- and in this case teams -- major holes appear in girls basketball rosters across West Virginia. But one player’s exit is another’s opportunity, meaning giant leaps in production are likely among returning underclassmen. The Cardinal Conference will move to nine teams next year as Mingo Central exits, but within the league are several dynamic scorers and teams with state-tournament aspirations in 2021. But also, there are several players with big potential that will be thrust into important roles next season. Here’s a look at five such players that would seem to have the goods to deliver. <strong><span style="color: #00ccff;">[player_tooltip player_id="153396" first="Abbie" last="Myers"] -- Logan -- 2022 -- PG</span></strong> I’ve harped on Myers in previous posts and I will continue to do so. The point guard will make her debut for the Wildcats next season after transferring over from Chapmanville after a handful of games this year. Myers is a fluid ballhandler and flashed scoring ability -- especially off drives to the rim -- from her reserve role with the Tigers over the past two seasons. Now, alongside Logan star <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153372" first="Peyton" last="Ilderton"] </strong>(2022), Myers will no longer have to fight for playing time and could find herself in the perfect situation. Ilderton is also very capable of running the point and ranked among the state’s leading scorers this season, meaning Myers could be the weapon to help keep defenses honest. The two together could create one of the state’s best backcourts and an absolute nightmare for opponents all season long. <strong><span style="color: #00ccff;">[player_tooltip player_id="153393" first="Hollie" last="Blair"] -- Chapmanville -- 2022 -- F/C</span></strong> Blair was surrounded by four seniors in the Tigers’ starting lineup this season, but slowly settled in and garnered her teammates trust, finishing the season in a big way. Blair averaged 10.6 points per game for a balanced offense, but showed big-time scoring potential, particularly in a 22-point outburst against Sherman and in 18-point games against Poca and Logan. At 6-foot, Blair was Chapmanville’s most dependable rebounder a year ago and now, she’ll have to be the Tigers’ most dependable scorer as well. Her production could fluctuate as young Chapmanville guards find their feet in terms of ball distribution, but if the Tigers can feed Blair regularly, expect the junior to rank among the Cardinal’s top scorers next season. <span style="color: #00ccff;"><strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153423" first="Taylor" last="Ray"] -- Herbert Hoover -- 2023 -- PG</strong></span> The Huskies had a big season this, winning 16 games, their second-highest total since the 1980s. Much of that was due to <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="153296" first="Allison" last="Dunbar"]</strong>, a senior who became the school’s all-time leading scorer this season. While Hoover put itself on the map this year, if it wants to stay there, it’s going to have to make up for Dunbar’s 22-points-per-game average. The Huskies have capable shooters on the outside, but to get open shots, Ray will likely have to get comfortable fast with driving into the lane and kicking. Ray had a nice debut season, averaging 10.2 points per game, second best on the team. She has a solid jumper, especially in the mid-range, and is also stocked with plenty of quickness and handles the ball well. Look for her to shake some typical freshman inconsistencies and emerge as the production leader for Hoover next year. <strong><span style="color: #00ccff;">[player_tooltip player_id="154951" first="Kennedy" last="Dean"] -- Winfield -- 2022 -- C</span></strong> Five of the Generals’ seven-player rotation will graduate this spring, including four starters, leaving major questions to answer next season. At 5-10 and with above-average strength and athleticism, Dean could develop into a major problem in the low post. Dean is receiving Division I interest in softball, but proved that her talents to end on the diamond as she developed into a key bench player for a Winfield team that advanced to the Class AA semifinals before the coronavirus brought a halt to the state tournament. Already blessed with size and with nice touch in finishing around the rim, Dean will now have plenty of opportunities as a focal point of the Winfield offense. With another year of development, Dean could become one of the most feared post players in the league and beyond. <strong><span style="color: #00ccff;">Danielle Ward/Patricia Ward -- Nitro -- 2022 -- G</span></strong> Twin sisters Danielle and Patricia Ward garnered more and more playing time throughout the season as the Wildcats advanced to the Class AA state tournament for the first time since 2007. Both Ward sisters need development, especially on the offensive end and in terms of ball handling, but their motors cannot be denied. The intangibles are all there in terms of both players and both also made pivotal shots at crunch time, including a 12-point outburst from Patricia Ward in the Wildcats’ overtime win over Lincoln County in a regional co-final. With point guard <strong>Haley Carroll</strong> and forward <strong>Olivia Collier</strong> both graduating, the Wards will have to increase their offensive production a bit. And the potential to do just that seems to be there. But, both are defensive stoppers and finding players anyway that play harder is a difficult if not near-impossible task. &nbsp;