Holiday Hoopfest at E-town (part 1)
The inaugural Cochran Mechanical/Smith Realtors Holiday HoopFest and Elizabethtown High School was a very competitive field with some very good teams and full of talented players, especially in the frontcourt. I would recommend it to any team looking for a…
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Continue ReadingThe inaugural Cochran Mechanical/Smith Realtors Holiday HoopFest and Elizabethtown High School was a very competitive field with some very good teams and full of talented players, especially in the frontcourt. I would recommend it to any team looking for a high-level tournament and to coaches looking for players.
Riley Neal Riley Neal 5'11" | SF North Oldham | 2022 State KY – ’22 5’11″/SF – North Oldham
Neal is a great player and will be playing Division 1 Basketball next season. Over the three games of this tournament, she averaged 23.7 points, 9 rebounds, shot 57% from three-point range, and hit 93,7% of her free throws (missing only 1). In game two she tallied a double-double of 22 points, 10 rebounds, and scored 31 points in the third game.
I saw game one where she made one rebound putback in traffic that demonstrated her great athleticism, a tough catch-and-score 3-footer in transition, a rebound putback from running the floor, and wing drive to the baseline for a 5 footer and a great across the lane. They called a foul on the block but it looked clean to me and I reffed for twelve years.
Jarie Thomas Jarie Thomas 5'11" | PF Henderson County | 2023 State KY – ’23 5’11″/PF – Henderson County
Thomas averaged 11 points, 8 rebounds and made 80% of her free throws during the tournament. She got an assist feeding a flex cutter and stays after her shot on the boards. She scored off a lob when sealing off a fronting defender. made 15-footer to the left of the elbow, and a high post score on a dribble, turn-away turn back move,
Tamesha Dozier Tamesha Dozier 6'1" | C Butler | 2022 State KY – ’22 6’3″/C – Butler
Dozier averaged a double-double (12 points, 12 rebounds) during the tournament including a 29 points, 18 rebounds performance wherein she made 2 of 2 three-point shots. When I saw her play she made an assist from the high post to a cutting teammate and a push-ahead pass to another teammate running the floor in transition.
She only scored 2 points in the game I was watching but it was an impressive catch, then one dribble baby hook-shot. She really needs to get more than 6 shots in a game.
Destiny Jones – ’23 5’10″/PF – Central
Jones averaged 22 points, 8 rebounds throughout the tournament with two double-doubles. Her single-game totals were 12 points, 8 rebounds; 21 points, 10 rebounds; and 32 points, 15 rebounds while shooting 12/14 at the foul line.
She runs the floor like a deer scoring on layups from up-the-street passes and rebound putbacks on layups her teammates’ miss. Destiny is a player that you want in your transition attack. She also score on the dive cut to the hoop, hitting the glass and in the post on power layups. She would be a great interior post player on a Division 2 roster.
Kayleigh Huffines Kayleigh Huffines 6'0" | PF Breckinridge County | 2025 State KY – ’25 6’1″/C – Breckenridge County
Huffines is going to be a great player over the next few seasons. The Freshman averaged 3.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game during the tournament. At her height, she is very athletic and active with a strong and sturdy body. Her basketball future is as a Division 1 player.
She blocked 2 shots according to my count and dove on the floor for the ball. She scored on a standard catch, pivot-turn in the paint while I was there.
Kristen Ritchey – ’25 5’8″/C – Elizabethtown
Ritchey had a great game as a reserve when I was there with 23 points and 5 rebounds against a very good frontcourt. She scored through contact on a rebound putback and made the free throw. She made a baby hook, hit a 3-footer and a 4-footer, and a pivot-turn score on a post-up. She also scored running the floor on an up-the-street pass at the hoop.
Sarah Clark – ’23 5’9″/PF – Elizabethtown
Clark averaged a double-double during the tournament at 14 points, 13 rebounds and made 41.6% from three-point range, and made 83% of her free throws. Her best two games were 18 points, 15 rebounds; and 15 points, 15 rebounds.
Makayla Alexander – ’25 5’9″/PF – Butler
Alexander is an up-and-comer. She grabbed 15 rebounds in one game and has a multitude of developing skills. Depending on how tall she gets she could maybe be a future Division 1 player or if her skills vastly improve she could make it there at her size. As it stands right now I am seeing a high-level Division 2 Big, but she is only a Freshman. Wait and see.