1st Region Girls Basketball Preview: Top 5 Teams

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The 1st Region should once again be one of the more competitive regions in Kentucky. There are several teams with returning production, talented veterans and young players ready to take another step. The race to Rupp Arena could come down to which teams are able to fill their biggest holes and which returning players are ready to take on expanded roles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Here are five teams we expect to be right in the mix for the 1st Region championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>1. McCracken County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The returning 2nd District champions enter the season ready to prove they are the best team in the region. The Lady Mustangs came within just one point of winning the region championship last season and return their top three scorers in [player_tooltip player_id='978239' first='Ava' last='Hughes'], Mason Clements and [player_tooltip player_id='913397' first='LeZharia' last='Bolen'].</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>There are some significant holes to fill, especially inside and on the glass following the loss of Reagan Hill. Replacing that rebounding and interior presence will be one of the biggest questions surrounding McCracken County heading into the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='978239' first='Ava' last='Hughes'] could be one of the most vital players in the entire region. Her combination of scoring, setting up the offense and making plays defensively allows her to impact the game in so many different ways. If McCracken County can find the right pieces around its returning stars, Hughes has the ability to be the player who helps lead them back to the regional championship game and potentially another trip to Rupp Arena.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>2. Marshall County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Marshall County has the pieces to be favored in the 4th District and make a serious run at winning the region title. The Lady Marshals bring back the majority of their scoring, led by perimeter players [player_tooltip player_id='743669' first='Kenzlee' last='Terry'] and Rylan Darnell.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='743669' first='Kenzlee' last='Terry'] is a dynamic shooter and scorer who averaged a team-high 15.7 points per game last season while knocking down 70 three-pointers at an impressive 37.2% clip. That combination of volume and efficiency makes her one of the region's most dangerous perimeter weapons.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Heading into her senior season, Terry will likely see plenty of defensive attention, but her ability to stretch the floor can open opportunities for the rest of the Marshall County offense. If the Lady Marshals continue to get production around Terry and Darnell, they have the pieces to make a deep postseason run.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>3. Carlisle County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>The returning 1st District champions look to continue taking the next step this season. Carlisle County brings back its top four scorers and top five rebounders, giving the Lady Comets a strong foundation of returning production.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That experience could be extremely valuable when postseason basketball arrives. Seniors [player_tooltip player_id='1239005' first='Macee' last='Hogancamp'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1192413' first='Gracyn' last='Edging'] will provide leadership for a team that already knows what it takes to win its district.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1239005' first='Macee' last='Hogancamp'] is a force inside, averaging 17.3 points and 10.6 rebounds per game last season. She is a true double-double threat who can control the paint on both ends of the floor. Her ability to draw attention from multiple defenders also benefits her teammates by creating open looks on the perimeter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>With so much production returning, Carlisle County has an opportunity to turn another district championship into a legitimate region championship push.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>4. Calloway County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Calloway County wasn't just the story of the 1st Region last season. The Lady Lakers were one of the best teams in the state, winning 33 games and capturing the region championship.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>But this year's team will look much different without Sayler Lowe and Jaidan Koch. Losing that level of production creates a major opportunity for key returners [player_tooltip player_id='1841127' first='Angie' last='Emery'], [player_tooltip player_id='1242646' first='Josie' last='Haynes'] and [player_tooltip player_id='1827843' first='Kallie' last='Franklin'] to expand their roles.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Senior [player_tooltip player_id='1841127' first='Angie' last='Emery'] knocked down 50 three-pointers last season at a 38%+ clip while averaging 8 points per game. Her ability to stretch the defense will remain extremely important, but she will likely be asked to take a significant step forward in scoring and leadership.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Calloway County has already shown it knows how to win at a high level. The question now becomes who will emerge as the next group of leaders capable of keeping the Lady Lakers near the top of the region.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>5. Graves County</strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>We expect Graves County to take another nice step forward after finishing as the 3rd District runner-up last season. The Eagles return the majority of their production from a deep team, including several young players who gained valuable experience throughout last season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>That depth could become a major advantage as the season progresses. Having multiple players who have already experienced meaningful varsity minutes gives Graves County a strong starting point heading into this season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:acf/evaluation-block {"name":"acf/evaluation-block","data":{"player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":["not_in_db"],"_player_evaluations_0_not_in_database":"field_62aba48cecf2d","player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_selected_featured_image":"field_62cca28ffa4e7","player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"Carli Goatley","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_player_name":"field_62aba4c9ecf2f","player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"2029","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_graduating_class":"field_62aba4ddecf30","player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"null","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_height":"field_62aba4e8ecf31","player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"12122","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_position":"field_62aba4f0ecf32","player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"Graves County","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_school":"field_62aba4fdecf33","player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details_club_program":"field_62d20e723441a","player_evaluations_0_player_details":"","_player_evaluations_0_player_details":"field_62aba4afecf2e","player_evaluations":1,"_player_evaluations":"field_62aba7547dc44"},"alignText":"left","anchor":"acf-block-6aad4ca64405a"} --> <!-- wp:paragraph {"placeholder":"Add evaluation here...","className":"text-gray-700"} --> <p class="text-gray-700">Sophomore Carli Goatley led the team in scoring last season and also leads all returning players in rebounds. She showed the ability to score in a variety of ways while also proving to be a reliable three-point shooter.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- /wp:acf/evaluation-block --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>After an impressive freshman campaign, we expect Goatley to take another big jump this season. If she continues to develop while the Eagles get continued production from their experienced roster, Graves County could be a team that makes plenty of noise in the postseason.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->