"Way Too Early" 2023-24 NKY Girls' Basketball Top 16

[The Double Deuce]

With both of our NKY teams eliminated last night at the KHSAA Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena (great year Cooper & SK!!), I wanted to help soothe the pain by turning our attention to the 2023-24 season and a VERY early look at what our Top 16 will look like.  In a thread sure to cause consternation and angst from many around NKY, I will lay out the Top 16, share who they lose from this year (graduating seniors only, obviously), and what percentage of their total points and rebounds do they graduate.  Feel free to respectfully disagree and state your case, should make for a thread that has plenty of life over the next 7 months.

Also, I'm well aware that there are a number of "rumors" out there about who may move to where, but I'm not factoring any of that in at this point.  If a couple of the super talented 2027 girls do end up switching schools, that will be addressed in the first poll in the fall, but I'm not factoring that in here.  I've heard 3 of the 2027 girls that are "likely" to go here or there, and this is certainly the year to do it, but I believe all of that stuff when I see it happen fully.  So without further ado, buckle up, and enjoy this crystal ball deep-dive:

1.  Cooper (33rd District) -- they lose 39.4% of their points from this season and 40.4% of their rebounds.  They graduate Kay Friehofer, Whitney Lind, and Yamilet Rondon-Rivera.

2.  Notre Dame (35th District) -- they lose 32.4% of their points and 11.9% of their rebounds.  They graduate Noelle Hubert.

3.  Holy Cross (35th District) -- they lose 41.6% of their points and 33.5% of their rebounds.  They graduate Aleah Arlinghaus, Sarah Bottom, Nejai Lewis, and Elizabeth McCoy.

4.  Ryle (33rd District) -- they lose 43.1% of their points and 31.3% of their rebounds.  They graduate Emerson Fong, Anna Gregory, Abby Holtman, Austin Johnson, and Meredith Snider.

5.  Highlands (36th District) -- they lose 13.7% of their points and 12.6% of their rebounds.  They graduate Alyssa Harris.

6.  NewCath (36th District) -- they lose 7.2% of their points and 18.9% of their rebounds.  They graduate Natalie Haigis and Joelle Kinnett.

7.  Simon Kenton (32nd District) -- they lose 18.1% of their points and 25.3% of their rebounds.  They graduate Belle Bach, Edyn Chenot, Joyce Cooper, and Emilee Eggleston.

8.  Conner (33rd District) -- they lose 44.3% of their points and 52.8% of their rebounds.  They graduate Elaina Keller, Breanna Maidens, Emily McGraw, Juliet Strange, and Kelsee Simpson.

9.  Dixie (34th District) -- they lose 47.4% of their points and 27.9% of their rebounds.  They graduate Samantha Berman and Ella Steczynski.

10. St. Henry (34th District) -- they lose 21.1% of their points and 22.2% of their rebounds.  They graduate Jadyn Danbury and Chilota Iloegbunam.

11. Campbell County (37th District) -- they lose 36.0% of their points and 30.3% of their rebounds.  They graduate Sophia Beck, Julian Busam, Keauna Cullum, and Kennedy Johnson.

12. Grant County (32nd District) -- they lose 49.1% of their points and 48.3% of their rebounds.  They graduate Cecilia Gay, Emily Naranjo, Dakota Rowe, Sarah Scroggins, and Emily Wilcoxen.

13. Walton Verona (32nd District) -- they lose 53.6% of their points and 53.4% of their rebounds.  They graduate Grace Brewer, McKaila Hatton, and Jenna Rodgers.

14. Bishop Brossart (37th District) -- they lose 76.5% of their points and 82.7% of their rebounds.  They graduate Cora Bertsch, Claire Hummel, Molly Kramer, Olivia Lloyd, Jill Planeaux, and Bella Rowe.

15. Pendleton County (38th District) -- they lose 68.5% of their points and 76.6% of their rebounds.  They graduate Skylar Ashcraft, Emmie Dunn, Morgan Hart, Kennadi Mayer, Savannah Shinkowiak, Cara Stewart, and Saniah Thomas.

16. Scott (37th District) -- they lose 78.3% of their points and 80.5% of their rebounds.  They graduate Grace Braden, Ava Coleman, Francheska Deluna, Presley Grant, Kayla Overman, Kayla Peterson, Autumn Ponder, Raegan Scheper, Amberly Turner, and Madelyn Wilson.

Congrats to ALL of those young ladies listed on completing your careers!!  I know how much work you put in, during the season, and in the offseason, whether you'll never pick up a ball again, or you're off to a Division 1 University to play, you should be VERY proud of what you and your teammates accomplished.  You have so many great memories that you'll never forget, many of which seemed like small things when they happened, but they'll feel like huge things in 10 years when you're laughing about them with your teammates as you gather your families in the future.  Well done to all of you.

Off to 2023-24 for all of us fans....

[1992Rebel]

On to AAU!  It is fun to watch these girls battle in school ball and then play together in AAU.  Great season DD.  Look forward to your posts next season!

[The Double Deuce]

I was talking to someone, via text, this morning who was referencing this post (not knowing I was the author).  They pointed out, accurately, how impressive it was (for the player) that NDA lost nearly a third of their points from this season but only one player.  

Noelle should be very proud of her Career, and I know she has done with good old fashioned hard work and consistent effort.  

[GoBucks97]

Didn’t realize Hunt from HC was back, they could be real trouble next year.