Kentucky Ice Part 1 – Victory Region Finals
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After a strong season on the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit, the Kentucky Ice ’23 had built up the top power ranking in their class. Amassing a record of 14 wins and 1 loss (by 1 point) they made it into…
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Continue ReadingAfter a strong season on the Prep Girls Hoops Circuit, the Kentucky Ice ’23 had built up the top power ranking in their class. Amassing a record of 14 wins and 1 loss (by 1 point) they made it into the Championship Game of the Victory Region Gold Championship, before losing to Wolverinas ’23 in a lopsided match.
As a team from my hometown, Kentucky Ice has been on my radar since the beginning of the season and it has been a pleasure to follow them throughout the season. Especially watching them play defense. Forcing opponents to put the ball on the floor so that they can trap them from everywhere and force a turnover.
I can’t wait to see what they have learned applied to all of their High School teams next season and wish them luck advancing to the next level. All of them deserve it.
Rachel Smith Rachel Smith 5'7" | SG Great Crossing | 2023 State KY – 5’7″ G – Great Crossing ’23
“Shooter” is what every team she faces calls Smith after a few possessions up the court. That is all it takes to know she is dangerous off the catch on the perimeter. She has what you might call “in the gym” range and that is the primary skill she uses that helped her to place on the Victory Region Finals First Team. But like every player on this team, Smith is so much more than one thing.
She keeps her eyes upcourt looking for and often finds a teammate sprinting ahead for a layup or transition three-pointer. She runs the floor, looking for the same passes to turn into easy buckets herself. She plays tight defense, crashes the glass to score and chases down long rebounds and loose balls.
Amy Thompson Amy Thompson 6'1" | SF Whitefield Academy | 2023 State KY – 6’0″ F – Whitefield Academy ’23
Thompson is a do it all Small Forward with great size and ball skills and the ability to score everywhere on the court. She is very effective defensively denying the pass across the middle of the defense and setting the trap from off the ball.
She can shoot threes without much space, sets up teammates by penetrating and kicking or tossing the ball back out, and executing the cross-post and dump down passes. Turning defense into offense and running the floor in transition are also strong aspects of her very complete game. She could fit into any type of team system used on the next level.
Camryn Poole Camryn Poole 5'7" | PG Whitefield Academy | 2023 State KY – 5’7″ G – Whitefield Academy ’23
Poole is a multi-talented Point Guard that can run the show offensively and is a great weakside defensive rebounder. that can start the break right off the boards and run the show as a Point Guard. She gets teammates involved in the offense and tallies multiple assists in doing so. She makes crisp passes with two-hand and fires the ball to its target with one-handed push bounce passes.
She can shoot the three, drive into the lane to score, and set up teammates. Her defense is solid and opportunistic. Her eyes are focused on the ball and the ballhandler’s waist without losing track of where screens are coming from. She packs a lot of power into a compact frame.
Ella Daniels Ella Daniels 5'10" | CG Christian Academy Louisville | 2024 State KY – 5’10 F – Christian Academy Louisville ’24
Daniels is fast and long and I suspect not finished growing. She is a great finisher around the rim, runs the floor like a deer, and can shoot the three when she gets an open look. She is perhaps the best rumrunner on a team loaded with players that run the floor to score.
She can put the ball on the floor and get to the rim or use the dribble to move the defense and open gaps for teammates to exploit. She has a high motor with a seemingly endless supply of energy.