George Rogers Clark has dominated the region for the last five years.  They capped off last season with a down-to-the-wire battle with Sacred Heart in the Sweet 16 State Championship. They lose several key pieces from last year’s team, but does Robbie Graham’s squad still have enough firepower to win the region for the fifth straight time and the tenth time in eleven years?

Watch the Girls Basketball Media Day video from Sunday here.

Below is a preview of each team ranked and in district order. After the previews are the team and player rankings

Team Previews

 37TH DISTRICT

Campbell County (18-10): The Lady Camels return all their starters from last year’s region finalist team.  Isabella Jayasuria led the team with 14.5 ppg, 7.8 rpg, and 47 made threes.  As a freshman last season, Kendall Augsback followed with 10.4 ppg and 45 made threes.  

Bishop Brossart (26-8): The Lady Mustangs are coming off a district championship and regional finals appearance.  They are now coached by long-time Ludlow coach Aaron Stamm.  They return Kylie Smith, who led the team with 14.6 ppg and 6.4 rpg as a freshman.   

Scott (13-13): The Lady Eagles’ leading scorer from last season, Nakiah Mejia (13.2 ppg), and fourth leading scorer, Kourtney Peterson (7.8 ppg), both transferred to Purcell Marian in Cincinnati.  Point guard Noelle Price returns after averaging 10.6 ppg as a freshman.  She also led the team in threes, making 50 at a 33.8% rate.      

38TH DISTRICT

Nicholas County (19-13): Maggie Simons led the state in scoring last year, putting up 30.4 points a game as a sophomore.  She also led the team in rebounds with 10.4 per game.  Sidney Sexton, a seventh grader last season, followed with 11.3 ppg and 6.8 rpg.  Loralee Orazen transferred in from Montgomery County, where she scored 4.8 ppg as a sophomore.  The Ladyjackets are also expected to get minutes from a couple of seventh graders.  

Pendleton County (13-16):  Lily Ashcraft returns for her senior year after scoring 12.9 ppg.  She has led the Ladycats in scoring the last two seasons.  Now junior Hannah Spauling followed with 10.6 ppg and led the team with 5.7 rpg.  Laci Tackett transferred from Augusta, where she scored 13.9 ppg as a junior.  The Wildcats are led by veteran 10th Region coach Patrick Kelsch in his fourth season in Falmouth. 

Harrison County (15-17): The Fillies return three starters from last season, including leading scorer Keylee Custard, who put up 10.7 ppg and grabbed 4.7 rpg.  As an eighth grader last year, Jersey Baker averaged 9.6 ppg and led the team in rebounds with 7.1 per game. However, Baker transferred to Simon Kenton.

Robertson County (7-18): The Black Devils lose four seniors off last year’s team.  The one returning starter is Peyton Jolly, who led the team with 7.8 points per game as a sophomore.  

39TH DISTRICT

Mason County (21-10): The Lady Royals return a veteran team with seven seniors, including all five starters who are now seniors. Point guard Amirah Reed led the team with 14.7 ppg. Lexie Young is a tall, athletic post player who is a multi-time state winner in track and field. Young led with 9.3 rebounds a game and was second in scoring with 11.2 ppg while shooting a little over 50% from the field. Rounding out the starters are Olivia Hughes, Carlee Buttery, and Addrinane Downs-Perry. They averaged 8.8, 6.1, and 5.7 ppg, respectively. Reed and Hughes made a combined 128 threes at 32% and averaged two threes a game each.

Bracken County (23-10): The Lady Bears are led by new coach Jonathan Nelson.  They lose leading scorer Nicole Archibald (15.1 ppg) and leading rebounder Brianna Bauer (9.3).  The return guard Kailey Sharp, who averaged 14 ppg as a freshman and led the team in threes.  The other returning starter is guard Kyndall Johnson and her 6.3 ppg.  Jonathan Nelson is the new head coach.

Augusta (11-17): The Lady Panthers lose leading scorer Laci Tackett, who transferred to Pendleton County.  They also lost two seniors who were second and third in scoring.  Their best returning player is Kalleigh Reynolds who averaged 4.8 ppg, but missed nine games when she quit but later rejoined the team.  Other returners are two freshmen, Kahghan Hinson and Aryanna Davis. Augusta alum Dana Bach is the new head coach. She played on Augusta’s last district title team in 1993.

St. Patrick (4-19): The Lady Saints lost three starters from last year’s team to graduation.  They return senior Lillian Klee, who averaged a double-double last season with 15.3 points and 10 rebounds per game.   

40TH DISTRICT

George Rogers Clark (28-8): The Lady Cardinals are coming off an injury-ridden fourth straight regional title and state finalist season.  They lose Ciara Byars, who put up 10 ppg and led the team with 5.5 rpg.  She missed the first 14 games of the season recovering from a knee injury. Another senior was Khania Jones (2.7 ppg, 4.5 rpg), who missed 15 games and played very limited minutes because of health issues.  Anaya Chestnut was supposed to be a big piece for the Cards, but played in only 11 games her junior year.  She returns from injury after averaging 4.4 ppg.  Her sister, Kyleigh Chestnut, was fourth on the team in scoring as a junior with 7.2 ppg.  Teigh Yeast was tied for second in scoring with 10.1 ppg and third in rebounds with 3.6 per game. Yeast played in the KY-IN Junior All-Star Game this summer and is a track and field state champion with a commitment to DI Robert Morris.  Because of all the injuries, younger players were thrust into important roles to maintain GRC’s regional dominance.  Although they averaged only 4 ppg, now junior Kyleigh Stakelin and 8th grader E’Liyah Strode will take on bigger roles.  Other returnees are seniors Annette Miller and Jaylyn Goodwin, who played in over 30 games. They also added Franklin County transfer Logan Kennedy. Kennedy, a senior, averaged 10.1 ppg and 5.9 rpg for the 2A State Champion Flyers. She tore her ACL in March, but should return in the middle of the season. Tying the team together is point guard and Cincinnati commit Kennedy Stamper. Stamper (Jr.) 12 ppg and shot 43.5 % from three. GRC is coached by Robbie Graham in his 14th season.

Montgomery County (20-13): The Lady Indians return leading scorer Addison Terry (14.1 ppg) for her season year.  Second in scoring and tied for second in rebounds last season with Terry is Baylee Warner (12.7 ppg, 5.8 rpg), who is now a junior. No longer in middle school is Raegan Mays, who was a starting guard that scored 5.8 ppg and led the team in 3-point percentage at 32.3. Returning to basketball is junior Elaine Purvis hasn’t played since her 8th grade year, where she started and scored 5.3 ppg.

Bourbon County (14-17): Kendal Hardin was a 7th grader last year who led the Lady Colonels in scoring with 9.6 ppg. Another returning starter is senior Regan Ring and her 7.7 ppg. She led the team in field goal percentage at 44.5%. Bourbon County did lose second second-leading scorer (9.3 ppg) and leading rebounder (11.5 rpg), Morgan Howell.

Paris (24-7): The Ladyhounds will have to replace their leading scorer and rebounder, Brooklyn White, who averaged 15.4 rpg and 10.3 rpg. Another loss is Tori Dumphord (10.6 ppg). Molly Mason returns after scoring 10.6 ppg as a sophomore.  She was also second in the team in rebounds with 7.3 per game. Jamyah Bell is a senior and put up 9.2 ppg last year. 

Team Rankings

1. George Rogers Clark
2. Campbell County
3. Montgomery County
4. Nicholas County
5. Bishop Brossart
6. Mason County
7. Pendleton County
8. Scott
9. Bourbon County
10. Paris
11. Harrison County
12. Bracken County
13. Augusta
14. St. Patrick
15. Robertson County

Player Rankings

1. Kennedy Stamper
George Rogers Clark | Jr. | 5-5 | Point guard for the last four years, she led GRC with 12 ppg and shot 43.5% from three, Cincinnati commit.

2. Teigh Yeast
George Rogers Clark | Sr. | 5-8 | Averaged 10.1 ppg last season, Robert Morris commit, track and field state champion.

3. Maggie Simons
Nicholas County | Jr. | 5-10 | Led the state in scoring with 30.4 ppg last season, had 10.4 rpg.

4. Isabella Jayasuria
Campbell County | Sr. | 5-10 | Led the Lady Camels with 14.5 ppg and 7.8 rpg, shot 42% from the floor.

5. Logan Kennedy
George Rogers Clark | Sr. | 5-10 | Transfer from Franklin County, who tore her ACL in March, averaged 10.1 ppg and 5.9 rpg.

6. Kylie Smith
Bishop Brossart | So. | 5-9 | Led the Lady Mustangs in scoring with 14.6 ppg as a freshman.

7. Addison Terry
Montgomery County | Sr. | 5-7 | Averaged 14.1 ppg and 5.8 rpg, made 77 threes, holds offers from Pikeville and Midway.

8. Baylee Warner
Montgomery County | Jr. | 6-0 | Scored 12.7 ppg and grabbed 5.8 rpg last season.

9. Amirah Reed
Mason County | Sr. | 5-5 | Led the Lady Royals in scoring with 14.7 ppg as the point guard

10. Noelle Price
Scott | So. | 5-5 | Holds a DI offer from Bellermine, averaged 10.6 ppg last season