Players to Watch: Bluegrass Conference

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Today, we shift our attention to the Bluegrass Conference. Last season, Lamoni won the conference and went undefeated in conference play. Let's look at some of the talented players in the Bluegrass.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>[player_tooltip player_id='246124' first='Mia' last='Shanks']</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The rising junior from Mormon Trail scored in bunches last season. Shanks finished second in the conference with nearly 15 points per game. The Saint also contributed to every aspect of the contest last season, averaging four and a half rebounds per game, two assists, and two and a half steals in her sophomore season. Shanks also shot well from the 3-point line last season, shooting 35% from last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Addison Waddle</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Melcher-Dallas rising sophomore scored over 13 points per game as a freshman and did it relatively effectively. She shot nearly 70% from the 3-point line and a respectable 32.3%. Shooting close to 70% from the free-throw line shows that she is a capable shooter with room to improve. Waddle was the main focus of the offense and helped her team win games as a freshman. The Saints finished last season with a 6-4 record in conference and will look to improve on that record this coming season in the Bluegrass.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Arianna Howard</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Last season, the forward averaged a double-double as a freshman with 13 points and 12 rebounds per game. The Moulton-Udell rising sophomore also accumulated two steals and over a block per game. Her rebounding was even on both ends of the floor. She grabbed over five offensive rebounds per game. That level of rebounding on the offensive end of the court is game-changing and has value anywhere she'll play. The 6-foot forward has the tools to change the game due to how often she creates extra possessions for her team. The Eagle's size and skill around the basket will be challenging to compete with in the Bluegrass.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Taylor Lumbard</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Diagonal rising senior averaged a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds last season. The Maroon also averaged over two and a half steals and close to one block per game. She also shot well from the field at 48.7% and shot well from the free-throw line at 68%. She showed that she could shoot the ball efficiently. The Maroon also was the main reason why the Maroons had a competitive season. Her consistent and reliable production helped the Maroons to an 8-2 record in the Bluegrass and a 14-7 overall record.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->