State Tournament: Day One Standout Performances
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The 2024 Mingua Beef Jerky/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16 kicked off on Wednesday with 4 games at Rupp Arena. If you are from outside of Kentucky, our state tournament set up is very unique. Rather than having classes or divisions, there…
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Continue ReadingThe 2024 Mingua Beef Jerky/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16 kicked off on Wednesday with 4 games at Rupp Arena. If you are from outside of Kentucky, our state tournament set up is very unique. Rather than having classes or divisions, there are 16 regions across the state and the winners from each of those regional tournaments earn a trip to the state tournament. Essentially, there is only one state champion crowned across the entire state each year. There is a blind draw to determine which region’s will face one another in the opening round of the tournament. Below you can read about some of the players that had standout performances on day one of the Sweet 16.
Bowling Green came into the game slightly undersized in the post, but Smiley made it clear she wasn’t giving them anything easy down low from the start of the game. She had some big blocks and threw some excellent passes to get her teammates open looks. After going 0-for-3 from the field in the first half, Smiley knocked down some big shots in the second half and finished with 12 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, 3 blocks, and a steal.
Highlights
Alexander can make a lot happen on the court. She has a nice shot and she can knock them down quickly off the dribble or catch inside or outside of the perimeter. She also handles the ball well and can draw help to create for her teammates. Despite getting sidelined by some foul trouble, she made some big plays for her team and finished the game with 12 points, 5 rebounds, and 2 steals.
Chloe Potter
Chloe Potter
Potter played a big role in the Purples win in the opening round of the Sweet 16. Not only did she make some tough plays defensively, but she also hit some shots that were critical in her team’s comeback victory. She scored eight points in the second half, finishing the game with 12 total points and 3 rebounds. Potter also committed 0 turnovers despite having the ball in her hands a lot offensively.
Smith is such a high IQ player who was doing all she could to try to will her young team to a victory. She handled the ball well, made some excellent passes, created off the bounce, and hit some big shots. Despite her team falling short, you never had to question her effort or heart. Smith finished with 14 points, 6 assists, 2 steals, and a rebound.
Highlights
Johnson proved why she is a Miss Kentucky Basketball candidate in her team’s first game of the Sweet 16, much like she has been doing all throughout her career at McCracken County. She has such a smooth game and she does a great job getting everyone on her team involved. She finished the game with 21 points, 7 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 steals, including going 12-for-15 at the free throw line.
Highlights
Hill came up big in the Mustangs opening round victory. She finished the game with a double-double after scoring 12 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. The effort and determination was evident every second she was on the floor. She was working hard to fight for rebounds and stayed with it even on misses on the offensive end. Hill also had 3 assists, 2 blocks, and a steal in the victory.
Russell standout, Steele, got in foul trouble pretty early on in both halves which really hindered how aggressive she could play offensively. Darnell really stepped things up to help fill some of that void. After only scoring 2 points in the first half, she made some big plays in the second half. She finished the game with 11 points, 3 rebounds, 3 steals, and an assist. Darnell proved that she is a player that will be ready to step up for Russell next year in the absence of their 2024 seniors.
White, a Kentucky WBB commit, was nearly unstoppable in the post for the Bearettes. Every time she got it down low, it felt like she was going to score 2 points. She was moving well to get good positioning in the post and also made sure nothing came easy around the basket for the opposing team. White finished with 16 points and 4 rebounds in 20 minutes of play.
Gober has hit multiple big shots for her team in the postseason and the opening round of the Sweet 16 was no exception. She went 3-for-5 from the 3-point line and was handling any pressure that was thrown at her. On top of hitting some big shots, she also distributed the ball well. Gober finished with 11 points, 4 assists, a rebound, and a steal.
Jenna Satterly
Jenna Satterly
Satterly really stepped up big for her team this year and she continued that in the opening round. She was a catalyst for her team on both sides of the ball. She played tough defense and she really fought from start to finish. Satterly finished the game with 17 points, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals. She went 1-for-1 from 3 and 2-for-2 at the free throw line.
Shropshire has grown her game a ton last off-season and this season. She uses her length to be disruptive defensively while showing she can score inside or out offensively. She caught the ball on the perimeter ready to shoot it and she knocked down some big 3-pointers in her team’s win. She stayed composed and ready to do whatever her team needed from her. Shropshire finished with 14 points and 4 rebounds. She went 3-for-5 from deep.
Highlights
Keyonna Taylor
Keyonna Taylor
Taylor really stepped up in a big way off the bench for the Flyers. She has always been a big part of her team’s success, but she left zero questions about her impact in the first round of the tournament. She was working to grab rebounds off the rim, including coming up with some big offensive rebounds. Taylor finished the game with 12 points, 6 rebounds, and 2 blocks.
Claybrook came off the bench for the Jaguars and made a big impact instantly. When her team was struggling to hit a field goal, she made some excellent drives to get into the paint or to the rim. She used her length to finish over defenders and while her outside shot wasn’t falling, she still showed her ability to extend out with deep range. Claybrook finished the game with 10 points, 4 rebounds, and an assist.