In the district semifinals, her dominant 25-point performance — fueled by five three-pointers and locked down by four steals — sent a clear message to the rest of the bracket. Then, when the lights shined brightest in the district championship, Ella reached another level entirely: 31 points, 6 assists, 4 deflections, and 6 three-pointers raining down in a virtuoso performance that sealed the title and left no doubt who owned the floor.

People know Ella for elite shooting and lighting it up offensively, but her defense is just as fierce. She competes with edge and intensity on every possession. Quick feet, strong hands, elite athleticism. She contests everything and refuses to give up clean looks. Ella does not just score, she locks in and locks people up.

Ella shot the ball well from deep, connecting on several triples throughout the game. She has a polished dribble pull-up game and is a high-IQ player who consistently makes the right decisions with the ball in her hands. A clear leader on the floor, she played unselfishly, looking to get her teammates involved and advance the ball in transition. She also displayed strong defensive instincts, jumping a passing lane for a steal she saw coming a mile away.

Ella is one of the best shooters and recruits in Kentucky in any class! She drilled 86 threes at nearly 36 percent, scored 18.9 points per game, and knocked down almost 84 percent of her free throws. She competes with an elite motor every night. Bardstown has reached back-to-back 5th Region finals, and Ella will be the force driving them to take the next step this season!

Bardstown star and top 2028 prospect Ella Buckman Ella Buckman 5'9" | CG/SG Bardstown | 2028 State KY announced she has received an offer from the University of Illinois-Chicago after a conversation with Coach John McCray. This marks the fourth Division I offer for Buckman.

Ella had her fingerprints all over the game, making impact plays on both ends. She grabbed a strong offensive rebound and finished with a putback, then knocked down multiple threes with a smooth shooting stroke. In the second half, she scored back-to-back buckets and consistently found herself in the right place at the right time. A smart, high-effort player who knows how to make winning plays.

With no surprise Ella Buckman Ella Buckman 5'9" | CG/SG Bardstown | 2028 State KY takes the top spot as the #1 freshman in Kentucky. The dynamic combo guard is a 3-level scorer with the ability to create her own shot from various spots on the floor. She does a terrific job getting others invoved and is no slouch on the defensive end either. Ella averaged 17.7 points a game, led Bardstown to a 22-7 record last season and already holds a D1 offer from Murray State University.

The stock on Buckman is all buy, buy and buy. She was part of a 2023-24 Bardstown rendition that concluded the season with a 22-7 record along with going 8-1 in their district. Buckman has ran on the grassroots circuit with Kentucky Premier and is a two-sport athlete. Whether it is on the basketball court or the soccer pitch, Buckman is one to watch. She has the ability to score the basketball at all three levels. Her 3-point shooting is definitely appropriate given she plays primarily as a two guard. Buckman’s floor running abilities and passing ability compliments her scoring proficiency. She averaged 17.7 points last season for the Tigers.

I said it once before that Ella Buckman Ella Buckman 5'9" | CG/SG Bardstown | 2028 State KY is the TRUTH and my opinion has not changed and probably never will. The game comes easy to Ella and it does not take long to realize that she is the best player on the floor. She can fill it up from all 3-levels all while making players around her better with her ability to distribute the ball. Her game is so next level it’s scary!