5th Region

[luvthisgame34]

So, does anyone know about this region? Who will be some of the top teams and top players in this region? Did anyone lose any key players?

[KY Hoop Dirt]

Jaileyah Cotton from Bardstown High School is one of the top 5-10 freshman in the state. She averaged 9.8 points per game as an 8th grader last year.

[Nathaniel Bryan]

Elizabethtown's got Whitney Hay, who has multiple D-I offers. Lady Panthers also have Leikyn Walker in the post, although she is coming off an ACL injury. However, Bethlehem's Ellie Taylor transferred to Elizabethtown.

 

This region is E'town's by a country mile because of Hay/Taylor (and eventually Walker back).

 

Bardstown will be in top four, maybe top two, because of Cotton.

 

After that, throw everyone else in a hat.

[Nathaniel Bryan]

17th District runner-up behind E'town is up for grabs. John Hardin has Witherspoon in the post, an inconsistent but potentially lights out shooter in Graham and an athlete in Freeman, who is a whirling dirvish. Freeman is great in open court, but rarely shines in halfcourt games. Witherspoon is more athletic than her older brother, but doesn't have the hardwood IQ. New coach didn't have much time to work with them before summer ball began and it showed mightily.

 

North has Gregory and Sutton. Central has Bryant and Beger, who are good players bit are softball players first and foremost.

 

Once Walker gets back, no team in region will have size to deal with Taylor and Walker for E'town. Plus, E'town plays a loaded scheduled. Their younger and more inexperienced kids will be battle tested for 5th Region games, which will be the easy part of their schedule.

 

Until someone proves it can beat or play with E'town once in a blue moon, this region still belongs to E'town. I'd be shocked if E'town doesn't run the table in the region.

 

Bardstown and Bethlehem have some nice pieces but there are doubts (past history, coaching, scheduling, multiple key players) if they can put together a whole puzzle like E'town.

 

Last year was supposed to be a DOWN year for E'town after losing a D-I point guard and they still dominated plenty of folks in the region.

 

While they lost more starters than the yeae before, they actually return more experience/games played because of Hay and Walker (and Taylor has played plenty, too). Payne and Presta will get time and there will be a freshman who will make noise since teams will leave her open.

[Nathaniel Bryan]

Gattis, Knight and Murphy combined for a whopping 11 points amongst the 3 of them in the loss. Hay had 25 and Walker had 12.

 

Gattis, Knight and Murphy combined for 17 in the second meeting. Hay/Walker went 23/12. Hay and Walker outscored Bardstown's entire team in the region

 

 

Hay and Walker were 1-2 on the team in scoring, 1-2 in free throw percentage, 2-3 in field goal percentage (fg percentage leader Sydney Clark is also back after shooting 59 percent from the field and averaging 4.1 ppg), and Hay/Walker were 2-3 in rebounding.

 

Knight and Murphy were not in the top 2 in any category and Gattis was first in rebounding.

 

I think the addition of Taylor (led Bethlehem in scoring and rebounding) more than negates E'town losing its 3-4-5 options. Especially when returnees Evans and Clark played in every game last year.

 

That's a solid five and E'town rarely goes deep, rarely has multiple injuries and rarely gets into foul trouble (because it is one of the best zone teams in the state and has been for a while).

 

Not to mention, Caleb Smith (John Hardin's coach the past two seasons who led JH to the region final a few years ago) is now an Etown assistant. Between him and Swiney, that's a lot of experience.

[Nathaniel Bryan]

I'm not really sure how the Smith thing came about, but I can tell you NEITHER of his last two coaching opportunities (interim at JH after Todd resigned after start of season; and now E'town assistant) were planned. At all.

 

Right place. Right time. He didn't resign from JH to become an assistant at E'town.

 

As far as teams and players, my top ten teams and players would be laughable because there is so much parity after the top.

 

For players, you start with Hay. Cotton may end up a better player with more offers. Walker can put up double doubles, but is coming off that injury. Taylor is now facing way more challenging schedule and she won't be the focal point of the offense.

 

After that, I'm not sure how many truly great players there are in the region. Graduation took a toll. Walls and Peeples were D-I and Presley Brown was D-2. Love got a college scholarship.

 

As far as teams, it's E'town and Bardstown. Maybe Bethlehem rebuilds with the NC transfers. None of the three Hardins has a star. That 3-10 group will fluctuate.

 

IF E'town and Bardstown draw into same semi at region, you could be looking at Bethlehem/Nelson as your region runner-up. That's NOT good for what is supposed to be a decent region on a yearly basis.