Film Study: High Octane Hoopers In The Bluegrass

Over the next few months leading up to the season we will be participating in several film study sessions to look in depth into some of the conferences across Iowa and their top players to see what they might be able to accomplish this upcoming season.    Below we discuss five returning high octane hoopers from the Bluegrass Conference that should compete like First Team All Conference selections throughout the upcoming season.   (Make sure to check out The 2026 PGH Iowa Expo Showcase taking place in Des Moines on October 3rd from 10AM-2PM. Compete against some of the best prospects in the state and get in front of our scouts before the 2026-2027 High School season begins. More info is available at <a href="https://events.prepgirlshoops.com/e/2428/register/the-expo-iowa">https://events.prepgirlshoops.com/e/2428/register/the-expo-iowa</a>. Use code Jeremy26PGH25OFF for a discount at checkout!)   Thanks for tuning in and enjoy!    Maliya Berry is the headliner of this conference because of how much she is used by her Murray High School team. If you look at the stat sheets for last season for the Bluegrass Conference Berry is almost on top of every category. You name it, she seems to be within the Top Five, if not first or second each time, which is noteworthy. If we were to go back and look at the usage rates for players by possession, I'm sure that Berry was be #1. She is the motor and backbone for her team. She just happens to be a high level producer, as well as a leader. Berry will have two more Varsity seasons before moving onto the collegiate level. If she plays her cards right and continues to show off her efficiency as she continues to put up eye-opening numbers, who knows where it might leave her within this game.     Mormon Trail High School returns one of the best overall players out of the Bluegrass Conference this Winter in Ellie Poush. Poush is a younger prospect within the game as she is only moving into her Sophomore season but she faired so well during her Freshman year that if she can build off of the foundation she put in place, she is going to end up a First Team All-Conference type player sooner rather than later. Poush finished last season as her team's leader in PPG, she was second in RPG and third in APG overall. When you account that she was doing this during her first season on the Varsity floor, you start to see the promise and where she might be able to take things in the near future.     Havanna Dolbeare led the conference last season in total Rebounds with 223 in 21 contests, averaging out to right around 11.8 RPG. As a Freshman competing on the Varsity floor you have to have confidence if you want to succeed. You don't need to be loud or demonstrative but you need to have confidence in yourself that you CAN play at that level and you can be successful against older age-classes in competition. Dolbeare embodies that. She is willing to throw herself into the middle of the action and she isn't afraid of anyone stopping her or getting in her way while she is trying to succeed. She is relentless within her pursuit of the basketball every time she laces up her kicks and that motor/mentality is going to take her places if she sticks with it.     You haven't been able to mention the Bluegrass Conference over the last few years without mentioning Kelsey Reed of Melcher-Dallas. Reed has put up convincing numbers ever since she was a Freshman and she is looking to go out with a BANG over the next eight months for her Senior season. Reed dominates because she is more coordinated than most of her competition, she has a higher energy level than most of her competition, and she is more athletic than most of her competition - not to mention skilled. When you combined all that you are going to get a player that makes things happen at a high rate for your Varsity squad and that's what we have with Reed. Plain and simple, it might not be pretty but she is going to make somethings happen whenever she plays and that says something to evaluators/recruiters watching from afar.     The way that Haelyn Olson gets to the charity stripe is impressive to say the least. Olson is a 5'3 CG and she uses her smaller size to her advantage in a big way. She understands that if she stays aggressive and attacks her defenders physicality, they will end up fouling her in return. Which is is A-okay with because that usually puts her at the free throw line and she is a valid free throw shooter once she gets there. Olson shot the third most FTA last season within this Conference with over 100. She showed resilience in each game she played while always looking to get down hill and from there - it was a cake walk to get hit in someway when she was going up for an attempt. This Winter will be her Senior season but I don't expect her mentality to change at all so expect to see more fouls coming from whoever is competing against Lamoni High School within that week.

Over the next few months leading up to the season we will be participating in several film study sessions to look in depth into some of the conferences across Iowa and their top players to see what they might be able to accomplish this upcoming season.