Kentucky All-Star Tryouts

[WVFrank]

I attended the All-Star tryouts at Georgetown College yesterday to get to see some players I had not had the opportunity to see and to just watch how things went. There were 37 players on the invited list (Ryle's Jenna Crittendon was not on the list because of her operation) and could determine two no-shows. There may have been more because I could never get an accurate count, but the two I did identify as absent were Akex Botkin from Lexington Catholic and Kara Taulbee from Walton Verona.

 

The morning session opened with a series of station drills, rotating and fast paced and led by a number of state coaches. The purpose seemed to be two-fold, get the players loosened up and let the coaches see how they handled and executed the skills of the various drills. The players were then broken into 4-person teams and they played full court, 5:00 minute games for the rest of the morning session. This gave coaches the opportunity to see players in game like situations.

 

Kentucky head coach Stacy Pendleton of state champion Manual told the players prior to opening drills that coaches weren't looking for just abilty to score but how players worked together and particularly how hard and tough they played man-to-man defense.

 

The players broke for an hour and a half for lunch of chicken and rice (pretty good according to a report I got!) before resuming the afternoon session. After some fundamental passing drills with a lot of movement to loosen the players, the afternoon session was filled with 10:00 minute, officiated (loosely!) games between four teams reached by dividing up the players. This is where I should have gotten an accurate count on the number of players actually there but I was too interested in watching games.

 

After a number of games Coach Pendleton called the players together to thank them for their participation, congratulate them all on outstanding careers, and to tell them the announcement of the 12 player team to represent Kentucky in the two game series against the Indiana All-Stars would come about April 30.

 

I'm glad I don't have to pick that team. There was a lot of talent on display yesterday and getting that down to 12 players is a tough chore. With that said I'm going to give my thoughts on how the team might be composed. I think the four Miss Basketball candidates on hand will be on the team. That would be Sydney Moss, April Wilson, Jasmine Whitfield, and Kendall Noble. I thought each of those players demonsrated yesterday why they are candidates for the Miss Basketball award. I think Manual's Kara Wright had a very good day and will be a selection as well. I'd add Marion County's Bri Elder to that list also.

 

The further one goes down the list te tougher it gets as there are so many players whose abilities are so close. I suspect Owen County's Rianna Gayheart will get a nod. That's what, seven? From there on I'm not sure I could pick another 5 players definitively. From my personal perspective, and I'll admit I was watching one player most of the time as opposed to trying to evaluate all the players, I'd have to lump a number of players together as candidates for those final 5 spots. In that group I'd have Manual's Leasia Wright, the Roush twins from Mercy, Christy Soldo from Hopkinsville, Mykal Farris from Ashland, Kristen Jacob from Lexington Christian, and maybe Micah Jones from Green County.

 

I'm probably missing some others that may have impressed the coaches but I'm speaking from what I saw. Some players I hadn't seen before in that list include the Farris young lady who impressed me as I watched her go against Moss. Same for Jacob from Lexington Christian. She is a big body who banged hard with Moss in the post and showed some good post positioning during that battle. The Kentucky team is going to be short on size and that's why I see her as a candidate. I had seen a bit of Soldo at the Sweet Sixteen and liked her and thought she did well yesterday. She is long and again that's something the Kentucky team doesn't have in abundance. I really liked what I saw from Jones in drills, including the one-on-one sessions during the morning workouts.

 

Again, glad I don't have to pick. It will be interesting to see the make-up of the final 12. Coach Pendeleton is in a bit of a tough spot with 4 of his own players in the tryout group. I can definitely see two of his players on the team and maybe three. That would probably help the Kentucky team as his players would know his system and how he wanted things to run. It could also draw some criticism but his players are definitely legimate strong candidates, IMO.

 

I know there were some other BGP people there yesteday and I'd be interested in their inputs as well. Particularly as to players I haven't mentioned that they saw and liked.

 

One last comment. It was obvious that a lot of the players weren't in top condition. Probably understandable with Spring breaks and the tendency to not work nearly as hard in the off season. Makes one wonder if tryouts shouldn't occur shortly after the HS season is concluded.

[gold sunrise]

Thanks so much for the info. Really enjoyed reading your post!!! Hope someone will do the same for the boys tryouts today.

[sportslady]

WV Frank, It was good seeing you Saturday. I tried to pick 12 girls, also. Here is my try: 1. Sydney Moss 2. April Wilson 3. Jasmine Whitfield 4. Kendall Noble 5. Bre Elder 6. Kara Wright 7.LeAsia Wright 8.Caylan Bybee 9.Mykal Farris 10.Kristen Jacob 11. Christine Roush or Mackenzie Martinez 12. Micah Jones or Rianna Gayheart.

 

I know Stacy Pendelton would probably get some flack for having 3 girls from Manual, but Wilson, L. Wright and K. Wright are really good and should be there. There was a lot of talent at the tryouts and I am sure it will be hard to pick a team. The class of 2012 has an abundance of good guards and very few post players. I also thought that most of the girls were a little out of shape, there was puking and lots of missed layups. My daughter said she had no legs by the end of the day. It was really fun seeing the best players from around the state.

[WVFrank]

WV Frank, It was good seeing you Saturday. I tried to pick 12 girls, also. Here is my try: 1. Sydney Moss 2. April Wilson 3. Jasmine Whitfield 4. Kendall Noble 5. Bre Elder 6. Kara Wright 7.LeAsia Wright 8.Caylan Bybee 9.Mykal Farris 10.Kristen Jacob 11. Christine Roush or Mackenzie Martinez 12. Micah Jones or Rianna Gayheart.

 

I know Stacy Pendelton would probably get some flack for having 3 girls from Manual, but Wilson, L. Wright and K. Wright are really good and should be there. There was a lot of talent at the tryouts and I am sure it will be hard to pick a team. The class of 2012 has an abundance of good guards and very few post players. I also thought that most of the girls were a little out of shape, there was puking and lots of missed layups. My daughter said she had no legs by the end of the day. It was really fun seeing the best players from around the state.

 

Good to see you as well! Looks like your list and mine are not a lot different. Tough to look at that many players in that short time frame and pick 12. And, as I said before, particularly when one has a "vested interest" as we do and you're more focused on that than truly evaluating everyone.

 

I agree that the deficiency will be in post players and overall size. I know the Indiana team has 6-4, 6-3, 6-2 at least so the Kentucky team will have to scrap on the boards and try to press and play uptempo and score in transition. I agree with you on the three Manual players being deserving and would personally have no problem if Coach Pendleton chooses them in his mix.