2006-07 Girls Basketball Preview

[theguru]

15th Region

 

By Jerry Boggs

Appalachian News-Express

 

 

1. MAGOFFIN COUNTY — The loss of one Howard (Calloray) is softened by the return of two (Ashley Jade and Michaela) as the Lady Hornets seek to repeat as 15th Region Champions.

 

Ashley Jade Howard (19.5 points per game) is one of the top players in eastern Kentucky and teams with fellow senior Brittany Manns to give Magoffin one of the best backcourts anywhere. Finding a consistent scoring threat inside will be crucial for the Lady Hornets.

 

2. PIKE CENTRAL — The Lady Hawks came up just short against Magoffin in the regional finals last year and the two should battle for regional supremacy again.

 

Senior guard Haley Ratliff brings to the court a rare blend of athleticism and skill. Ratliff can score inside or outside and defend any position on the floor. Her 22 points and nine rebounds a game are ably supported by junior forward Kayla Lowe, who averaged over 16 points a game as a sophomore.

 

6. PAINTSVILLE — The Lady Tigers will miss Chelsee Jarrell’s scoring presence inside, but senior guard Kendra Carroll was Paintsville’s leading scorer last season at 16 points per game and has eclipsed the 1,000-point plateau for her career.

 

7. BETSY LAYNE — The Lady Bobcats were rebuilding last season after capturing the regional title in 2004. Betsy Layne was tremendously young as it managed just seven wins last season, but return a bunch of players who got experience under fire.

 

 

Top Players

 

1. Haley Ratliff, Pike Central — The competition between Ratliff and Magoffin star Ashley Jade Howard is fierce, but Ratliff’s size and speed make her a matchup nightmare for other teams.

 

2. Ashley Jade Howard, Magoffin County — It’s hard to argue with a regional title and a couple quadruple doubles in one season. Howard’s physical, fearless play belies her small stature. A deadly shooting stroke makes her a tremendous all-around player.

 

9. A.D. Slone, Pike Central — All Slone did was averaged a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds a game as a freshman at Phelps last season. Her eligibility is still in question after the transfer.

 

10. Sally Roberts, Shelby Valley — Roberts is another of the tireless defenders that keyed the Lady Wildcats’ stifling full-court defense last season. She is an effective shooter down low, who runs the floor great offensively.

 

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[theguru]

16th Region

 

By Russ Carter

Special to Bluegrasspreps.com

 

 

4. Raceland (14-14) also features a D-1 signee with 5-8 forward Whitney Seals giving a verbal commitment to Belmont.

 

Seals averaged 15.4 points and 5.4 rebounds and holds the school record for steals in a season. If she stays healthy, she should become the school’s all-time leading scorer this year.

 

Sharpshooter Paige Porter tied a school record with seven 3-pointers in a game last year, but the key could be how well Rachel Vanderhoof returns from a season-ending knee injury. The sophomore post player was the team’s leading scorer and rebounder before she was injured in late December.

 

5. West Carter (21-9) coasted to the 62nd Region title but endured some tough luck along the way.

 

Sisters Charla and Kristen Burchett both suffered season-ending ACL injuries three weeks apart in January and February. The sisters had combined to average 16.8 points, 6.6 rebounds and four assists a game before the injuries.

 

Charla Burchett was the team's leading shooter, hitting 56 percent from the field while Kristin Burchett shot 43 percent from 3-point range.

 

The return of the Burchetts, combined with 5-8 senior Erica Webb in the post, should help the Lady Comets overcome the loss of Brandi Rayburn and Audra Perry to graduation.

 

Top Players

 

6. Erica Webb (West Carter)

 

7. Megan Hughes (Rowan County)

 

8. Rachel Vanderhoof (Raceland)

 

9. Tawnee Tackett (East Carter)

 

10. Charla Burchett (West Carter)

 

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