Coach Q’s Way Too Early Season Preview: Top 5 Teams

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We are approximately 6 weeks away from the start of practice on October 15th but there is a lot to be excited about this season in KHSAA basketball. I'll periodically fire off a few season preview pieces over the next month or so. I'll get started today with my Top 5 Teams.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">1. Sacred Heart</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The Valkyries are a powerhouse. Hard to discount the back-to-back-to-back-to-back State Champions. They still have Zakiyah Johnson but Reagan Bender and Angelina Pelayo will be missed big time. Do they still have weapons? Of course they do. [player_tooltip player_id='747640' first='Amirah' last='Jordan'] is ready to step up. [player_tooltip player_id='470573' first='Morgan' last='Frey'] has been waiting for a bigger role. And the SHA JV and freshman teams are always loaded with players who would have started varsity at most schools. They are expected to be the favorite for a 5th straight state title.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">2. George Rogers Clark</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>GRC has been unable to get over the SHA hump in the last few seasons but this could be the year. Assuming [player_tooltip player_id='311967' first='Ciara' last='Byars'] is back to 100%, the lineup of Byars, [player_tooltip player_id='739686' first='Kennedy' last='Stamper'], [player_tooltip player_id='376806' first='Teigh' last='Yeast'], Jaileen Green and [player_tooltip player_id='376804' first='Anaya' last='Chestnut'] is probably the best that coach Robbie Graham has ever had. That's a lot of firepower and they have depth on the bench too. If anyone is going to stop Sacred Heart, the early money is on the Lady Cardinals of Win City.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">3. Assumption</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>No team in Kentucky benefited more from the transfer portal this summer than the Rockets did. [player_tooltip player_id='502133' first='Kyleigh' last='Hall'] and Lauren Campisano are both double digit scorers who return for their Senior season. Assumption added our top ranked 2026 player in [player_tooltip player_id='376789' first='Ashlinn' last='James'], number 19 [player_tooltip player_id='493156' first='Ava' last='Moore'], number 22 [player_tooltip player_id='493159' first='Jaida' last='Allen'] and 16th ranked Senior [player_tooltip player_id='326295' first='Bailee' last='Duck']. There are women's college teams who didn't do as well as Assumption did in the portal this summer.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">4. Franklin County</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Franklin County is loaded every year and 2025 will be no different. [player_tooltip player_id='471746' first='Leia' last='Hogan'] and Julianna Frazee lead a veteran group that only lost Rachel Shropshire from the rotation from last year. Returning 14 of their 16 woman roster from last season is almost unprecedented for Coach Thacker and this group is going to be DEEP and very talented. The 11th region is in trouble and the Lady Flyers are in the mix for a state title for sure.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:list --> <ul class="wp-block-list"></ul> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:list {"ordered":true} --> <ol class="wp-block-list"></ol> <!-- /wp:list --> <!-- wp:heading --> <h2 class="wp-block-heading">5. Bethlehem</h2> <!-- /wp:heading --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are several teams who could take this spot. Cooper, Notre Dame and Franklin-Simpson all could make a claim. But none of those teams has [player_tooltip player_id='254279' first='Leah' last='Macy']. Leah is the ultimate tiebreaker when talking about this logjam in the top 10 of the state. [player_tooltip player_id='1059182' first='Tessa' last='Miles'] is back too. Along with Sophomores [player_tooltip player_id='743671' first='Loren' last='Macy'], [player_tooltip player_id='913417' first='Zoe' last='Thurmond'] and [player_tooltip player_id='747689' first='Kaylee' last='McElroy'] all eager to prove themselves in their second year of varsity play. And having a top 25 player in America who averages 25 and 14 per game is a big help.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->