Anna Kate has had a long and decorated career for the Lady Titans and capped it off with a big Senior season that earned her the regional player of the year award. In this final update, Drakeford climbed from 31st overall to 21st and she could make an instant impact at the college level next season.

I recently shined a spotlight on Drakeford as a possible breakout candidate for this season and I have high expectations for AK moving into her Senior season and having to replace the production lost with Timberlynn (Buffalo) and Teigh (GRC) Yeast both leaving Mercer County over the summer. Anna Kate is a big time scorer and a good shooter. She’ll have to shoulder a massive burden this season but I think she’s capable.

Anna Kate has been playing varsity basketball for what seems like a decade or longer and she’s going to have more on her plate than ever this season. Already the leading scorer for Mercer County last year at 16 points per game, AK lost her second leading scorer when Teigh Yeast Teigh Yeast 5'6" | CG George Rogers Clark | 2026 State KY transferred to GRC. For Mercer to maintain being a top program in the region, Drakeford will need to be one of the best players in the region this season.

Crafty floor general who did a great job controlling pace and tempo offensively. She attacked the gaps and made smart drives to the hoop. Had some really tough finishes. Knocked down shots. Did a great job using hesitations to get a step on her defender.

Drakeford is a player I have gotten to watch live and I have always walked away extremely impressed by her abilities. She is a true playmaker and facilitator, but she also has the ability to score in many different ways. She brings intensity on both ends of the court and is just as strong defensively as she is offensively.

2022-23 Season Stats: 16.8 PPG, 5.6 RPG, 48.9% FG (overall), 31.7% 3pt FG, 69.9% FT

Talk about stepping up when your team needs you the most: insert Anna Drakeford. After Mercer County lost their returning star to a knee injury, Drakeford stepped up and led the Titans to the state tournament, a feat many doubted they could do with D-I commit, Timberlynn Yeast Timberlynn Yeast 5'8" | SF Mercer County | 2023 State KY , playing. Drakeford has all of the point guard and shooting guard skills that you could want along with extreme toughness. I mean, she was coming off a serious knee injury herself going into this season. She can do it all and she’s just as tough defensively as she is offensively. I can guarantee you Drakeford is just going to continue opening more and more eyes because she is extremely talented.

Drakeford has been excellent all year long. She had a great game in the 2A opener and an even better game in Mercer County’s 2nd round matchup. She makes great fakes and strong drives to the basket. She can score tough shots around the rim, but she can also knock down shots from deep. Drakeford is a 3-level scorer and a really solid floor general. She was beating the press with ease and creating shots for both herself and her team. She finished the 1st game with 10 points, 5 rebounds, 4 assists, a steal, and a block. In the 2nd game, Drakeford had 18 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals.

While I believe Drakeford would’ve had a big season for Mercer County regardless, it has been really impressive to see her take on such a big role in the absence of top 2023 player, Timberlynn Yeast Timberlynn Yeast 5'8" | SF Mercer County | 2023 State KY . She has excellent ball handling skills and is a 3 level scorer. She can create space, especially with her step-backs, but she doesn’t need much room to get her shot off. Drakeford can finish at the basket or anywhere in between as well. The way she changes speeds is really impressive and allows her to get a step on the defense whenever she wants. Drakeford was a disruptive defender also.

Drakeford was really the bright light for Mercer County. She’s an excellent floor general and her handles are strong. She can knock down outside shots or drive to the rim, and when her team needed to score, she was who they relied on. She made some great drives through traffic and was really impressive inside and out. Drakeford also crashed the boards well.