Guards Round-up - Week 3 Standouts

I am already a day late with this article at the point that I am writing this (and the whole article is still left to be finished. /homealonescream). I told you this would happen. Couldn't be helped. I created the schedule before I truly realized how INSANE the week before Christmas was going to be. I've seen so much basketball this week that I had no time to finish writing about last week But these Guards need to be covered. They need their exposure before I dip into the massive amount of notes I have from Christmas Tournaments. So onward. These are the Guards of Week 3.   [player_tooltip player_id="228143" first="Carlie" last="Thurmond"] - ’24 5’7"/PG - Bethlehem Thurmond has a quick first step off of the catch and is so fast with the ball she leans forward increasing her speed s she pushes it upcourt and finds a seam to slash through the zone to finish through contact and completes the "and 1" free-throw. She stole the uphill pass for a lay-up and made a quick drive u the left side of the lane for a layup that tied the score right before the buzzer at the end of the third quarter. She tallied 17 points, 3 assists and 4 steals on the outing. Made all three of her free-throw and 2 of 3 of her three-point attempts. She is averaging a steady 9.8 points per game and shoots 42.8% from three-point range on the season. I was shocked to discover she was not currently ranked on our site. This is something I will certainly have to remedy near the season's end.   [player_tooltip player_id="206009" first="Kasey" last="Spalding"] - ’22 5’8"/SF - Bethlehem In a tough road win, Spalding contributed 9 points, 3 assists and 4 steals including a steal that she drove to mid-court to seal the game. On the season she is shooting 33% from three point range and 87.5% from the free-throw line.   [player_tooltip player_id="157947" first="Monica" last="Lindsey"] - ’22 5’5"/PG - Central Hardin Lindsey is averaging 17.6 points and 6 rebounds per game and making 40% of her three-point shots. She demonstrated her quick first step on a drive from the elbow off of curl cut, made a layup through contact in transition and the free-throw to follow it., and sprinted down after an opponent's breakaway drive to block a shot from across the lane. She appears so effortless making lightning-fast crossover while at a sprint, blocking a three-point shot, and setting up a teammate to score from a lob pass with her dribbling skills.   [player_tooltip player_id="251740" first="Paityn" last="Isom"] - ’24 5’4"/PG - North Hardin Isom scored 12 points, a made all 4 other free throws in a losing effort through the first 4 games of the season shooting 100% from the foul line. She is averaging just over 16 pints and 4 rebounds per game and making 44% of her three-point goals. She picked up a loose ball batted away by a teammate on defense and converted with a slashing layup in seconds, made a couple of threes from the wing, and demonstrated her skills to penetrate and dish for assists, and even scored on a weakside rebound putback.   Ashlee Blair - '23 5'6"/SF - North Bullitt Blair pitched in 12 points and 5 rebounds on a road win. She was dangerous on drives from the elbow on both sides of the lane. Made a 2 bounce floater from about 6 feet, drew a charge, and scored on a 1 bunce turnaround in the paint.

I am already a day late with this article at the point that I am writing this (and the whole article is still left to be finished. /homealonescream).

I told you this would happen. Couldn't be helped. I created the schedule before I truly realized how INSANE the week before Christmas was going to be. I've seen so much basketball this week that I had no time to finish writing about last week

But these Guards need to be covered. They need their exposure before I dip into the massive amount of notes I have from Christmas Tournaments. So onward. These are the Guards of Week 3.

Carlie Thurmond Carlie Thurmond 5'7" | PG Bethlehem | 2024 State KY - ’24 5’7"/PG - Bethlehem

Thurmond has a quick first step off of the catch and is so fast with the ball she leans forward increasing her speed s she pushes it upcourt and finds a seam to slash through the zone to finish through contact and completes the "and 1" free-throw. She stole the uphill pass for a lay-up and made a quick drive u the left side of the lane for a layup that tied the score right before the buzzer at the end of the third quarter.

She tallied 17 points, 3 assists and 4 steals on the outing. Made all three of her free-throw and 2 of 3 of her three-point attempts. She is averaging a steady 9.8 points per game and shoots 42.8% from three-point range on the season.

I was shocked to discover she was not currently ranked on our site. This is something I will certainly have to remedy near the season's end.

Kasey Spalding Kasey Spalding 5'8" | SF Bethlehem | 2022 State KY - ’22 5’8"/SF - Bethlehem

In a tough road win, Spalding contributed 9 points, 3 assists and 4 steals including a steal that she drove to mid-court to seal the game. On the season she is shooting 33% from three point range and 87.5% from the free-throw line.

Monica Lindsey Monica Lindsey 5'5" | CG Central Hardin | 2022 State KY - ’22 5’5"/PG - Central Hardin

Lindsey is averaging 17.6 points and 6 rebounds per game and making 40% of her three-point shots.

She demonstrated her quick first step on a drive from the elbow off of curl cut, made a layup through contact in transition and the free-throw to follow it., and sprinted down after an opponent's breakaway drive to block a shot from across the lane. She appears so effortless making lightning-fast crossover while at a sprint, blocking a three-point shot, and setting up a teammate to score from a lob pass with her dribbling skills.

Paityn Isom Paityn Isom 5'6" | PG North Hardin | 2024 State KY - ’24 5’4"/PG - North Hardin

Isom scored 12 points, a made all 4 other free throws in a losing effort through the first 4 games of the season shooting 100% from the foul line. She is averaging just over 16 pints and 4 rebounds per game and making 44% of her three-point goals.

She picked up a loose ball batted away by a teammate on defense and converted with a slashing layup in seconds, made a couple of threes from the wing, and demonstrated her skills to penetrate and dish for assists, and even scored on a weakside rebound putback.

Ashlee Blair - '23 5'6"/SF - North Bullitt

Blair pitched in 12 points and 5 rebounds on a road win. She was dangerous on drives from the elbow on both sides of the lane. Made a 2 bounce floater from about 6 feet, drew a charge, and scored on a 1 bunce turnaround in the paint.