Top 2028 Prospects in Kentucky (Part 2)

<p>The future of Kentucky girls basketball is in good hands. There are so many talented young players across the Bluegrass state. Class of 2028 means these players are still in middle school, but these 8th graders are players that are expected to make a big impact at the Varsity level this season. Here's a look into some of those players <em>(ordered alphabetically by last name)</em>. If you missed part 1, be sure to <a href="http://top-2028-prospects-in-kentucky-part-1">check it out h</a><a href="https://prepgirlshoops.com/2023/10/top-2028-prospects-in-kentucky-part-1/">ere</a>. </p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='963033' first='Lindsay' last='Baldwin'] <em>(Shelby Valley)</em></h2>   <p>The Lady Cats graduated their only double figure scorer from last season, but they were an extremely young group and Baldwin was a player who really showed her potential throughout her 7th grade season. She played in every single game, averaging 1.5 PPG, and will be ready to take another step up this season. Baldwin has good size for a 2-guard and will continue getting stronger. While I haven't gotten the chance to watch her play yet, a coach I trust told me she excels in the mid-range game and shoots it well from 3, while having good court vision as well.</p>   <p><strong>Link to highlights:</strong> <a href="https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19296056/64fb2b7464deb9057cdc1bf4">https://www.hudl.com/video/3/19296056/64fb2b7464deb9057cdc1bf4</a></p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='963031' first='Kelbie' last='Ford'] <em>(Rowan County)</em></h2>   <p>Ford is a familiar last name in GBB across the Bluegrass as Haven Ford was named 2023 Miss Kentucky Basketball. Well now it's her younger sister, Kelbie, who is ready to start sketching her own legacy at Rowan County. She played in a good chunk of the Lady Vikings' games last season, so this is not going to be her first season getting Varsity experience, but she will be asked to play a much bigger role this season as there are big holes to fill in the absence of the 2023 senior class. Like Haven, Kelbie can play any guard position effectively. She can score inside or outside of the perimeter and it'll be exciting to watch another Ford making their mark in the 16th Region. </p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='913668' first='Chloe' last='Fortner'] <em>(Green County)</em></h2>   <p>Fortner will be playing for a different high school this year, but Green County should be a perfect fit for her with the other young talent they have in their program. One thing that will stand out when you watch her play is that she's a true 2-way player. She can apply a lot of pressure and gets into the passing lanes for steals defensively. Has strong guard skills but also can create mismatches with her length. Has great moves she can utilize inside and can finish over or through defenders at the rim. Fortner can knock down shots off of the dribble or catch. Very versatile and is definitely a name to watch in the 2028 class.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/2028LVE/status/1682570223180828672 </div></figure>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='782512' first='Breigh' last='Jones'] <em>(Grayson County)</em></h2>   <p>Jones is a player whose name I received multiple times when asking for top 2028 players across the state. It seems like she is going to put a lot of people on notice this season, but she's also coming into this season with a lot of Varsity experience already as she was a part of Grayson County's regular rotation as a 7th grader. Jones excels at getting into the paint and to the rim. She is a tough and crafty finisher. She also does a great job of recognizing when to pull up for a floater versus when to take it all the way to the hoop. Quick release on her outside shot. Tough player overall.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/2028LVE/status/1682523915371917312 </div></figure>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='961263' first='Anna' last='Miller'] <em>(McLean County)</em></h2>   <p>McLean County graduated 2 of their top 3 leading scorers from last season and Miller will certainly be a player they can rely on to step up in their absence. Last season, she averaged 3.7 PPG and 1.6 RPG in the 12 games she played in. At the middle school level, she eclipsed the 1,000 point mark as a 7th grader and will be looking to do something similar for her high school Varsity career. The fact Miller is a name that got sent to me by at least 4 different people when I asked for top 2028 players speaks volumes. She can really put the ball in the basket and has great speed. As good as she is on the offensive end, she also is a disruptive defender and is certainly a player you should watch for this season.</p>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='913673' first='Sophia' last='Newby'] <em>(Hancock County)</em></h2>   <p>Hancock County had 3 players that averaged double figures a year ago and while they return 2 of the 3, they did graduate a player that averaged 13+ PPG and will need some players to step up on the offensive end this season. To put it simply, Newby is a difference maker and is a player that I see being able to take a huge step up this season. She has excellent shooting form and a great left hand that allows her to finish tough shots inside of the perimeter. She makes great decisions with the ball and can make passes that create good looks for her teammates. What I found most impressive about Sophia's game was her rebounding and shot blocking skills for a guard. She times her blocks so well and grabs rebounds strong off the rim. Granted she only averaged 1 attempt per game, she had the Lady Hornets highest FG percentage last season as a 7th grader (54.4%). </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/2028LVE/status/1682532858173308928 </div></figure>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='982092' first='Karsyn' last='Smith'] <em>(Campbellsville)</em></h2>   <p>Smith played in almost every game for an extremely young Campbellsville team last season. When I say extremely young, I mean that 7 players on their roster were only in the 7th grade. That being said, Karsyn was the 7th grader that contributed the most for the Lady Eagles and is their 5th leading returning scorer going into this season. She has a quick first step and good speed overall. She does a great job recognizing when to pull up on her floaters and she finishes well. Smith can score off the bounce or knock down shots off the catch. She can also finish in some creative ways around the basket. </p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/2028LVE/status/1682565229312344064 </div></figure>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='903481' first='Victoria' last='Spiegl'] <em>(Eminence)</em></h2>   <p>Not many players can say they were their Varsity team's leading scorer as a 7th grader, but Spiegl can. She averaged 9.5 PPG and 4.5 RPG last season and after a strong summer showing, you should see increases in both of those numbers as she starts her 2nd Varsity season. What is really impressive about Spiegl is that despite being one of the youngest players on the court, she consistently plays fearless. She has a quick release and good range on her outside shot, but she can score at all 3 levels. She has a good mid-range game and can finish on both sides of the rim. While Spiegl was her team's scoring leader, she is a team player who makes good passes to create looks for her teammates. She also does a great job of coming up with steals and deflections defensively.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-video is-provider-youtube wp-block-embed-youtube wp-embed-aspect-16-9 wp-has-aspect-ratio"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z0a3syIKhTo </div></figure>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <h2 class="wp-block-heading">[player_tooltip player_id='785374' first='Addison' last='Yates'] <em>(Boyle County)</em></h2>   <p>After graduating 2 of their top 3 leading scorers, Boyle County will be looking for players to step up this season. While they will have a lot of talented upperclassmen leading the way, they also have a key young player in Yates who got good Varsity experience last season as a 7<sup>th</sup> grader. I got the chance to watch her play this summer at the Battle of the Bridges and her scoring ability was on full display in that game. Runs the floor well and has deep range on her shot. She's very capable of putting up big numbers in any given game and I'd expect her to play a huge role for the Lady Rebels this season.</p>   <figure class="wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter"><div class="wp-block-embed__wrapper"> https://x.com/riseupsports1/status/1687882939281854464 </div></figure>   <hr class="wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity" />   <p><em>If any of the information above is incorrect, please send an email with any corrections to alyxwhitegraphics@gmail.com.</em></p>

The future of Kentucky girls basketball is in good hands. There are so many talented young players across the Bluegrass state. Class of 2028 means these players are still in middle school, but these 8th graders are players that are expected to make a big impact at the Varsity level this season. Here's a look into some of those players (ordered alphabetically by last name). If you missed part 1, be sure to check it out h ere.