Sweet 16 Notebook: Stars Shining at Rupp

Prep Girls Hoops Kentucky was in attendance for the Clark's Pump-N-Shop Sweet 16 as some of the state's best teams took the floor on the biggest stage in Kentucky girls basketball. Several players rose to the occasion under the bright lights at Rupp Arena. Here's a look at five standouts from the early games on Day 1 of the state tournament.    Ashlinn flexed her muscle today with a strong all-around performance. She asserted herself early on offense with a powerful drive that resulted in an and-one to start the game. Ashlinn showed good elevation on her pull-up jumpers and did a great job keeping her head up to find teammates running the floor in transition. She also dazzled with a reverse layup at the rim and displayed her range from deep, draining back-to-back triples to open the fourth quarter.   Stats: 22 PTS, 5 REB, 2 AST, 1 BLK, 1 STL     I really liked what I saw from Jaelee. She showed off some exquisite footwork on the block, using an up-and-under move to finish at the rim. She did a great job finding gaps in the defense to attack and finished well through contact. Defensively, she stayed active, turning steals into points on the other end. Jaelee also used her athleticism and length to her advantage on the glass and recorded a couple of monster blocks, imposing her will on both ends of the floor.   Stats: 15 PTS, 8 REB, 2 STL, 2 BLK, 1 AST     Atylia left it all on the floor in what was her final game for Henderson County. Her shot was feeling good early as she knocked down a three from the top of the key for her first bucket and did a nice job getting to her spot off the bounce for a pull-up jumper. She came out more aggressive in the second half, hitting another three and continuing to attack offensively. Atylia also crashed the boards, took care of the basketball well, and kept competing hard even as her team faced a large deficit, showing her heart and competitive spirit until the final buzzer.   Stats: 11 PTS, 8 REB, 2 BLK, 1 STL     Se'Rae showed no fear and stepped up in a big way in her first appearance in a state tournament game. She played lockdown defense on the perimeter and exuded confidence on the offensive end throughout the game. Her shot was on target from both the mid-range and beyond the arc, showing clear improvement as a shooter. She also had several strong finishes at the rim and displayed good court vision, including a nice penetration and dish for an assist late in the third quarter.   Stats: 18 PTS, 2 AST, 1 STL     Tamia showed flashes of what she did last season for Douglass on Day 1 of the Sweet 16 and looked comfortable on the big stage. She got things going early with a three that hit nothing but net for the first points of the game, then followed it up with another triple from the corner, always having her feet set and ready to fire. Tamia also showcased her playmaking ability with a nice assist and added another three in the fourth quarter, finishing the game with four made triples.   Stats: 12 PTS, 3 REB, 2 STL, 1 AST

Prep Girls Hoops Kentucky was in attendance for the Clark's Pump-N-Shop Sweet 16 as some of the state's best teams took the floor on the biggest stage in Kentucky girls basketball. Several players rose to the occasion under the bright lights at Rupp Arena. Here's a look at five standouts from the early games on Day 1 of the state tournament.