Best Playmakers: Class of 2021

In recent months we have examined players who have excelled in particular statistical areas.  Unfortunately, Kentucky does not keep assists as an official stat, making it impossible to look at the leaders in one of basketball’s most important areas.  However, we can still look at some of the players who likely led the state in assists by discussing some of the state’s top playmakers.  We start today with the class of 2021, consisting of players who all look to lead their teams as seniors this upcoming season. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="31851" first="Hayley" last="Caudill"], Hazard- </strong>In the argument for the best traditional point guard in the state, Caudill has all the skills needed to run an offense.  She has the scoring ability to keep things honest, but is always looking to make great passes and has a knack for setting up her teammates in the best positions possible. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="88422" first="Alexa" last="Smiddy"], Southwestern- </strong>Another true point guard, Smiddy is in many ways the key piece that makes an elite Southwestern team go.  She does a great job setting up the many talented players around her and increases their scoring opportunities with her top-notch passing.  While this has resulted in Smiddy being underrated by many, she has piled up plenty of assists to be sure. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="88426" first="Kelci" last="Blair"], Johnson Central- </strong>Continuing the trend of elite point guards, Blair possesses many of the traits already listed as part of a well-rounded game.  She is a consummate floor general, setting up others for plenty of shots while keeping teams honest with her strong shooting.  She has also shown the ability to create buckets in transition, adding another key element to her game. <strong>[player_tooltip player_id="88421" first="Brie" last="Crittendon"], Ryle- </strong>It is well documented by this point that Crittendon has excelled over the last few years as a secondary player next to Miss Basketball [player_tooltip player_id="31803" first="Maddie" last="Scherr"].  What this meant is that while Crittendon was not as much of an on-ball playmaker as others on this list, she was key in setting up Scherr and her other talented teammates, likely picking up plenty of assists along the way.  As the primary option this season, Crittendon will hopefully be able to keep the ball moving for the Lady Raiders. <b>[player_tooltip player_id="31846" first="Brooklynn" last="Miles"], Franklin County- </b>Widely regarded as the top player in the state going into this year, Miles’s well-rounded game includes plenty of playmaking.  As such a great player, it would be easy for her to be ball-dominant, but instead she does a good job keeping the ball moving, improving her team’s offense in the process.  This is one of the traits that separates her as an elite player.