'24 Rankings Update - Point Guards

It is that time again when we revise our Rankings and Alyx and I have traded positions a little to write about some players the other Scout covered last time. This time I am going to tackle the Point Guards from the Class of 24 and what an impressive cadre of floor generals, showrunners, and pacesetters we have here in this class. It is 11/11 today... so what better day to write about the 1's, right? I can't wait to see these players again heading up their offenses and marshaling the defenses of their respective school teams. The only thing I am more eager to witness is a few of these players that I was not been able to see last season. Starting with a player I did not see until the summer at a travel basketball event in Louisville.     [player_tooltip player_id='167102' first='Carly' last='Smith'] - 5'6" - PG - Owsley County - Artic Rush '24 To say that Smith can shoot would be an understatement. If you check last season's Girls Basketball Stats Leaders on the khsaa.org website and you check stats you would see that she was just outside the Top 50 (which is as high as the list goes) in every shooting category and she potentially shot the best percentage from Three-point Range if the State were compiled in a different way. If was 1,3% below 50th in Free Throw Shooting, 0.6% below 50th in Field Goal Shooting, and if she had just made 0.1 more Three -Pointers per game (or 3 more made Three-pointers on the season) she would have been on the Top 50 list in that category as well. She made 49.5% of her three-point shots and the top 2 players on that Top 50 list made 48.8% and 48.7%, but the KHSAA list is based on Made Three Pointers per game average. She made an impressive 75.8% of her Free Throws and 53.3% of her Field Goals. Smith is the leading returning scorer on her team averaging 15.9 points per game last year (which for the record put her at 1.6 points per game away from cracking that Top 50 list as well). Smith is sure to inherit the attempts in the offense to secure a spot in all of four those Top 50 lists this winter. For one, many of those players were Seniors who have moved on. Plus, being so close last season, I would bet she gets a few more shots and free throws without doing anything above what she normally does now. The question is how far up the lists she is going to finish and who the new players are that will join her on the list. I'll guess she hits somewhere around 35th on all of them. That isn't too high or too low of a guess.     Carly Thurmond - 5'7" - PG - Bethlehem - [program_tooltip program_id='712592' first='Kentucky' last='Premier'] U15 Thurmond's speed with the ball and how low she keeps it on the dribble are so impressive. She is faster with the ball than many players are without it and was a key contributor in helping her team make the state tournament. Her athleticism is off the charts. She can leap very well, but you might not get to see it in a game because she is usually so focused o handling her business low to the floor. She is adept at dribbling around defenders in transition like they are cones with only minor deviations off her path to the basket. She doesn't play flashy, but she executes what is needed over and over again at a fast pace. If you are looking for a Point Guard on a team that is going to run, this is one you need to see. She was her team's leading scorer last season at 13.3 points per game, made 44% of her three-pointers, and 72,5% of her Free Throws. She scored 111 points at the Free Throw Line last year, so don't foul her, and don't be trailing late because you will be forced to foul her. You can catch Thurmond at the Queen of the Commonwealth for 4 days before the Christmas Holiday and likely see her at the All "A" Classic in late January. But you probably can't catch her as she streaks down the court to score or drop off a dime assist to a teammate. I highly recommend that you see her play before she finishes her career and moves on to some currently undecided college program of her choosing. Or make the trip to Bardstown and see the historical beauty of that region before watching a game that evening.     Shaelynn Steele - 5'5" - PG - Russell - West Virginia Thunder   Steele passes the eye test soon after the 1st Quarter begins with her excellent speed, high IQ play, and hustle all over the court. She is clearly listening to her coach and acting as an extension of her on the court. Her leadership skills are off the charts both through verbal communication and by example. I haven't seen her play more than maybe three times but I am always impressed with her poise, her skill, and her sportsmanship. If you are looking for a leader to run your team this is a player you need to see. But I will certainly see her again this season at the Queen of the Commonwealth, a 4-day, 16-team tournament at Bullitt East High School (which is a must-see event if you have the time and love Kentucky Girls High School Basketball).   Last season, Steele was the 11th leading scorer in the Commonwealth and led her team in scoring and rebounding, averaging 21.9 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. She made 243 Field Goals last season, grabbed 232 Rebounds, and made 150 Free Throws. Her shooting percentages were as follows: 45.8% Field Goals, 36.9% Three-pointers, and 66.1% at the Free Throw Line. She is such a force on the court that at times she can be the only player you are watching because she seems to be everywhere. I had to purposefully try to make myself look away just to be sure I was able to cover the rest of the players in the games. She doesn't ever appear to be tired or unable to burst forward and cause havoc on defense and her ball-handling abilities are outstanding. There is little doubt that she belongs at or around the top of our Rankings in her class.     [player_tooltip player_id='167106' first='Trinity' last='Rowe'] - 5'7" - PG - Pikeville - FBC Reign Rowe is another impressive Point Guard and has several different D1 and D2 offers. She is extremely adept at handling the ball and making passes that at times can be a bit flashy but are executed so perfectly that they tend to come off as routine. Her routine is one you should really see if you get the chance. The footwork is outstanding and the way she can use misdirection and sleight of hand to baffle defenders and set up teammates for open shots is worth buying your popcorn early, so you don't have to miss any of it. She was 12th in the State last season in making 2.7 three-point shots per game at 48.7%, only beaten by 1 player on that list whose shooting percentage was 0.1% higher. She was 1.6 points per game away from cracking the Top 50 Leading Scorers List as compiled by the KHSAA by scoring 15.9 points per game. And could have made 2 other Top 50 lists with just a tiny improvement, possibly just by making 1 more field goal and 1 more free throw she could have cracked both of those Top 50s. She was 0.2% away from being 50th in Free Throws when she averaged 76.9% from the Free Throw Line and 0.7% shy of making the Field Goals list by averaging 52.2% from the floor. Knowing what I know about Rowe from a brief discussion with her parents at the All "A" Classic she will use that last paragraph as motivation. She knows how to find a chip to put on her shoulder that she can use to make herself better. And to the coaches that have to face her now... I'm sorry. But to the Coach that signs her on the next level and her current Coach, you're welcome. When it comes to work ethic I doubt there are many players you are ever going to meet who are driven to be the best in the way she is driven. If you want to see her play this season I recommend catching her at the Queen of the Commonwealth right before Christmas. Have I made the impression on you that if you need a Point Guard in the 2024 class you need to be at that Tournament yet Coach? I swear they are NOT paying me to promote it. But I wish I had contacted them to see if I could get a couple of bucks now that I mention it. Oh well, too late. There will be more great Point Guards than these three there in multiple classes and more.     [player_tooltip player_id='304632' first='Paige' last='Medley'] -5'6" - PG - Meade County - [program_tooltip program_id='712926' first='Team' last='Firstep'] 24   I just saw Medley yesterday at practice but didn't realize I would be writing about her today until I started writing this article. By the way, guess where you can see her play this season right before the Holidays. That's right, the Queen of the Commonwealth tournament. Just to make sure I keep with the theme of this article I didn't realize I would be working into the article when it began. Like the rest of her team Medley is a scrapper who plays tough on-ball defense and looks to create havoc with her defense. She is an excellent shooter and ballhandling and made 31.8% of her threes last season and 77.2% of her foul shots. As the current 4th option on her team, she averages 7.4 points per game in a scoring-by-committee effort that was employed to advance the team into the 2nd Round of the State Tournament. Her shooting form is excellent and she plays with a clear enjoyment of the game on display. Odds are this team is going to be back in Rupp Arena to finish their season again this year based on how they defend and share the ball on offense.     [player_tooltip player_id='251740' first='Paityn' last='Isom'] - 5'6" - PB - North Hardin - ETA Thunder Isom's father moves up from an Assitant's position to take over the reins as Head Coach this year and his daughter will continue to be a key contributor to the teams' success. Last season she averaged 12.3 points per game and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 34% from three-point range and 63.9% at the foul line. She is an excellent ball handler that can penetrate against most defenders and has a great eye to find a teammate to receive the pass. She is an adept spot-up shooter, especially on the wings, and clearly understands how to create space and find her windows to receive the ball. She has an excellent first step, and the wisdom to know when the driving lane is open and when it is best to pull the ball back out if a pass cannot be found. I don't have stats to back this up, nor did I see her play enough to be certain I am right, but I suspect she rarely turns the ball over due to exceptional decision-making. That certainly rings true from what I was able to see. A good place to see her play this year is the Century Bank Holiday Classic right after Christmas at Anderson County   .

It is that time again when we revise our Rankings and Alyx and I have traded positions a little to write about some players the other Scout covered last time. This time I am going to tackle the Point Guards from the Class of 24 and what an impressive cadre of floor generals, showrunners, and pacesetters we have here in this class. It is 11/11 today... so what better day to write about the 1's, right?
I can't wait to see these players again heading up their offenses and marshaling the defenses of their respective school teams. The only thing I am more eager to witness is a few of these players that I was not been able to see last season. Starting with a player I did not see until the summer at a travel basketball event in Louisville.