Prospects at the Vanous Lloyd Tournament Pt.1

Warren Central hosted the Vanous Lloyd Christmas Tournament in the days before New Year's Eve and I was there on day one to cover the event. Below are some players from 1st place finisher George Rogers Clark and 2 other standouts. [player_tooltip player_id="106147" first="Amaya" last="Asher"] - ’23 5’4"/PG - Central Once Asher’s basketball career ends she ought to consider Women’s Football. Her up-the-street passes to sprinting teammates reminds me of an Option Quarterback in the Run-and-Shoot throwing Touchdown after Touchdown. Crisp, accurate passes up the court and across the court to teammates is her superpower. To be that accurate is a great skill to have in a Quarterback and a Point Guard. Asher scored on a rebound putback, a right corner three and a layup set up by a quick 1st step from the top. She made assists on a penetrate and dish, up-the-street passes, and a whip-armed pass across the court for a layup. Most impressive was a coast-to-coast drive sliding through traffic in the lane for a layup. She tallied 17 points, 5 rebounds in the game, and averaged 15.3 points, 4.7 rebounds in the tournament. On the season she is putting up 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds while operating as the primary ballhandler and facilitating a large portion of the offensive opportunities for her teammates. [player_tooltip player_id="311967" first="Ciara" last="Byars"] - ’25 5’8"/CG - George Rogers Clark George Rogers Clark is a serious contender in the Commonwealth this season with only one loss against a competitive schedule and the Byars sisters are a large part of that. [player_tooltip player_id="311967" first="Ciara" last="Byars"] put up 17 points, 10 rebounds, averaged 18 points, 7.3 rebounds, and made 40% of her three-pointers in the tournament. On the season she is tallying 14 points, 6.3 rebounds, and making 80.9% of her foul shots. She made a layup off a hand-off assist, threes from the left and right-wing, a couple of rebound putbacks, and scored in the post while keeping the ball high on a quick duck-in to split two defenders despite being fouled. She blocked 2 shots and went to the floor for the ball. [player_tooltip player_id="164386" first="Brianna" last="Byars"] - ’23 5’10"/PF - George Rogers Clark Brianna, the older sister, had a line of 13 points, 8 rebounds, on 4 for 4 free throws, and 1of 2 threes. In the tournament, she averaged 16 points, 7.3 rebounds leading GRC to the Championship and for the season she is averaging 19.1 points and 6.2 rebounds Byars could play either Forward spot on Division 2 teams and the 3 for Division 1 (too small for the 4 in D-1) but she has the skills you need for both roles. She made a right wing three 3 feet behind the line, a right elbow jumper, and a rebound putback. After a defensive rebound, she starts the break with the dribble and forced a foul on a breakaway layup making both fouls shot to follow. Kennedy Stamper - ’27 5’0"/PG - George Rogers Clark Stamper, a scrappy Point Guard, made 4/5 three points, and 1/1 free throws for 15 points, while doing a great job handling the ball for a great team. She made threes from all over the left side: the corner, top left. and deep wing. She stole the ball at mid-court and finished the layup through contact and made the free throw to follow. She is averaging 85.7% from the free-throw line on the season. [player_tooltip player_id="376763" first="Anaysia" last="Bagwell"] -’26 5’3"/CG - Christian County Bagwell has the handles to get penetration against the primary defender but is not ready for the help defense. She has a good crossover but needs the seasoning to adjust to the intricacies of the high school level of offenses and defenses. The good news for her is she is not yet in high school and has the time to adjust and has the potential to be an advanced Guard. She is averaging 9.9 points and 4.1 rebounds on the season and added 8 points, 6 rebounds in the game. She made a curling dribble for 6 footer on the opposite side of the lane, penetrated for an 8 footer, and drew the foul trying to squeeze a jumper through two defenders. She threw an inbound pass assist to a teammate on a dive cut for a 4 footer and scored on a 2 footer off short assist against the press.

Warren Central hosted the Vanous Lloyd Christmas Tournament in the days before New Year's Eve and I was there on day one to cover the event. Below are some players from 1st place finisher George Rogers Clark and 2 other standouts.

Amaya Asher Amaya Asher 5'7" | PG Central | 2023 State KY - ’23 5’4"/PG - Central

Once Asher’s basketball career ends she ought to consider Women’s Football. Her up-the-street passes to sprinting teammates reminds me of an Option Quarterback in the Run-and-Shoot throwing Touchdown after Touchdown. Crisp, accurate passes up the court and across the court to teammates is her superpower. To be that accurate is a great skill to have in a Quarterback and a Point Guard.

Asher scored on a rebound putback, a right corner three and a layup set up by a quick 1st step from the top. She made assists on a penetrate and dish, up-the-street passes, and a whip-armed pass across the court for a layup. Most impressive was a coast-to-coast drive sliding through traffic in the lane for a layup.

She tallied 17 points, 5 rebounds in the game, and averaged 15.3 points, 4.7 rebounds in the tournament. On the season she is putting up 11.2 points, 5.4 rebounds while operating as the primary ballhandler and facilitating a large portion of the offensive opportunities for her teammates.

Ciara Byars Ciara Byars 6'2" | SF George Rogers Clark | 2025 State KY - ’25 5’8"/CG - George Rogers Clark

George Rogers Clark is a serious contender in the Commonwealth this season with only one loss against a competitive schedule and the Byars sisters are a large part of that. Ciara Byars Ciara Byars 6'2" | SF George Rogers Clark | 2025 State KY put up 17 points, 10 rebounds, averaged 18 points, 7.3 rebounds, and made 40% of her three-pointers in the tournament. On the season she is tallying 14 points, 6.3 rebounds, and making 80.9% of her foul shots.

She made a layup off a hand-off assist, threes from the left and right-wing, a couple of rebound putbacks, and scored in the post while keeping the ball high on a quick duck-in to split two defenders despite being fouled. She blocked 2 shots and went to the floor for the ball.

Brianna Byars Brianna Byars 5'11" | PF George Rogers Clark | 2023 State KY - ’23 5’10"/PF - George Rogers Clark

Brianna, the older sister, had a line of 13 points, 8 rebounds, on 4 for 4 free throws, and 1of 2 threes. In the tournament, she averaged 16 points, 7.3 rebounds leading GRC to the Championship and for the season she is averaging 19.1 points and 6.2 rebounds

Byars could play either Forward spot on Division 2 teams and the 3 for Division 1 (too small for the 4 in D-1) but she has the skills you need for both roles. She made a right wing three 3 feet behind the line, a right elbow jumper, and a rebound putback. After a defensive rebound, she starts the break with the dribble and forced a foul on a breakaway layup making both fouls shot to follow.

Kennedy Stamper - ’27 5’0"/PG - George Rogers Clark

Stamper, a scrappy Point Guard, made 4/5 three points, and 1/1 free throws for 15 points, while doing a great job handling the ball for a great team. She made threes from all over the left side: the corner, top left. and deep wing.

She stole the ball at mid-court and finished the layup through contact and made the free throw to follow. She is averaging 85.7% from the free-throw line on the season.

Anaysia Bagwell Anaysia Bagwell 5'7" | CG Christian County | 2026 State KY -’26 5’3"/CG - Christian County

Bagwell has the handles to get penetration against the primary defender but is not ready for the help defense. She has a good crossover but needs the seasoning to adjust to the intricacies of the high school level of offenses and defenses. The good news for her is she is not yet in high school and has the time to adjust and has the potential to be an advanced Guard.

She is averaging 9.9 points and 4.1 rebounds on the season and added 8 points, 6 rebounds in the game. She made a curling dribble for 6 footer on the opposite side of the lane, penetrated for an 8 footer, and drew the foul trying to squeeze a jumper through two defenders. She threw an inbound pass assist to a teammate on a dive cut for a 4 footer and scored on a 2 footer off short assist against the press.