CAL4ALL

The February 16 Villa Madonna at Christian Academy-Louisville game was cancelled due to the snow. As it was a game added after an earlier game had been cancelled due to snow, I'd be surprised if it is rescheduled this late in the season. It has already been removed from the schedule on the KHSAA site as if it never existed.

"No wonder Highlands lost they didn't have one rebound." Sorry, but when I wrote the summary I only had team (not individual player) rebounds for Highlands :ohbrother:. As I recall, the team rebounds were close. I can check to be sure if it's important to you.

Mercy 69 CAL 47 After CAL played one of its best games of the season to defeat a talented Highlands team in Friday night’s LIT (Louisville Invitational Tournament) quarterfinals, wintry weather delayed the semifinals until Sunday. The snow may have been cleared from the roads outside, but inside Bellarmine University’s Knights’ Hall the Lady Centurions appeared to be tromping through slush as Mercy Academy’s Jaguars pounced early and often, utilizing their depth and intensity to avenge a January 12th home loss to CAL and advance to the LIT championship versus Manual. When Mercy scored the first basket immediately after tip-off, China Dow answered with a short jumper on the other end. It was the game’s only tie as the Jaguars sprinted to a 19-10 1st-quarter lead and never looked back. Allison Karst scored 9 of her 16 points in the opening half, but the Lady Centurions turned the ball over a dozen times before the intermission and paid the price as the Jaguars scored 14 points off turnovers. Outrebounding the Lady Centurions by nearly a two-to-one ratio (including a 9-1 offensive rebounding edge), Mercy also won the 2nd-chance scoring battle 7-0 and CAL trailed at halftime 35-22. Mercy erased hope of a comeback in the 3rd quarter by pouring in 20 more points while CAL saw the game slip away, producing only 7 points as the gap increased to 55-29. Mercy substituted in waves throughout the game and continued to apply pressure in the 4th quarter. Instead of quitting with the game out of reach, CAL battled to the finish and found some bench support in freshman Kate Joss who hit a 3-pointer and converted in or near the paint for 6 additional points. The pace never slowed until Mercy dribbled out the final minute with a 22-point win. Sideline notes Depth: Mercy’s depth was a decisive factor with 8 players in the scoring column by halftime and 10 players by game’s end with remarkable balance. Although CAL had 8 players score, including a welcome season-high 9 points by Joss on 4 of 6 field goals, the points off the bench still favored the Jaguars 32-13. Katie Shaheen subbed to spark the defense as CAL was without two starters. Emily Walden was unavailable for play and her ability to drive the left side of the lane to break down the defense was sorely missed. Anna Hart’s interior physical presence and rebounding made the difference in the earlier encounter of the two squads, but on this occasion Mercy’s veteran guards paved a path to the basket for lay-ups in transition and half-court play. Intensity: Coach Mark Evans’ Lady Jaguars were hungry and on the prowl, likely playing their best game of the season thus far. Focused from start to finish, they created offense off their defense and reaped the rewards. Slaughter shot the ball only 6 times, a tribute to the Jaguars’ strategy and to CAL’s inability to get the ball in the right hands. However, the key statistic revealing effort might be the Lady Jaguars’ 40-23 rebounding advantage. Attitude: Instead of rolling over in the 2nd half, CAL showed some spirit in the 4th quarter. They minimized the turnover gap; Karst dove for loose balls; Slaughter fought for rebounds; Marshall drove for a lay-up. In spite of the loss, it should not be overlooked that the Lady Centurions advanced to the semifinals of the LIT. The season is far from over as the team enters the last month of the regular season in defense of their 7th region title. Game scoring by quarter CAL 10 12 7 18 47 Mercy 19 16 20 14 69 Player statistics CAL: Allison Karst (16 points), Antonita Slaughter (9 points 8 rebounds), Kate Joss (9 points), China Dow (4 points), Casey Marshall (3 points), Paige Gardner (2 points, 5 rebounds), Makenzie Dale (2 points), Katie Shaheen (2 points) Mercy: Juliann Miller (13 points), Malisa Cruz (12 points), Christine Roush (11 points), Lauren Faris (8 points), Ellen Sholtes (6 points), Catherine Dircksen (5 points), Courtney Roush (4 points), Whitney Hartlage (4 points), Therese Montano (3 points), Emily Goetz (3 points)

CAL 57 Highlands 37 CAL’s Lady Centurions successfully completed this mission by diverting the flight plans of Highlands’ Lady Bluebirds (or just LadyBirds, if you prefer) throughout the contest. Katie Allen displayed impressive body control and talent, scoring 12 points inside and out during the 1st half , but Antonita Slaughter responded with 10 opening-half points, well on her way to another statistical double-double. Another positive sign for the Lady Centurions was offensive balance as freshman guard China Dow and senior Allison Karst chipped in 8 points apiece before the break for a 32-22 CAL advantage. Defensive adjustments in the 2nd half forced Highlands to look for another scorer with Katie Allen limited to zero points and they struggled, scoring only 3 points in the 3rd quarter. In contrast, Karst added 8 to raise her point total to 16 in the same period CAL’s Emily Walden broke down the opponents’ defense with her drives, likely putting the game out of reach at 46-25. Coach Rice and Highlands’ Coach Walz-Richey substituted freely in the closing half, though their intentions may have differed. Off the bench, Makenzie Dale, Abbie Erickson, and Kate Joss contributed to the scoring and rebounding effort for the final result. Sideline notes --With eight players in the scoring column and double-digit steals, a balanced team effort was evident, as was the winning result. --Highlands had one of those nights. It is clear that Allen and Bekah Towles possess the skills to play with anyone in the state, but the lack of consistency with the team shooting about 30% for the game spelled defeat. Vanessa Fisse ignited a scoring spark off the bench with 6 points and may earn/deserve more playing time. Game scoring by quarter CAL 17 15 14 11 57 Highlands 11 11 3 12 37 Player statistics CAL: Allison Karst (16 points, 4 rebounds, 3 steals), Antonita Slaughter (14 points, 10 rebounds), China Dow (12 points, 9 rebounds), Emily Walden (6 points), Abbie Erickson (3 points, 2 rebounds), Makenzie Dale (2 points, 2 rebounds), Casey Marshall (2 points), Kate Joss (2 points) Highlands: Katie Allen (12 points), Bekah Towles (7 points), Vanessa Fisse (6 points), Hope Cutter (4 points), Jesse Daley (2 points), Kelsey Dunn (2 points), Sydney Watson (2 points), Ava Abner (2 points)

CAL 46 Ballard 37 In a case of role reversal, the Lady Centurions went into hibernation during the 1st half of the opening round game of the LIT, allowing Ballard’s Lady Bruins to claw their way to 3-point halftime lead. Center Jaylan Bodiford asserted herself in the paint with 8 points and 9 rebounds. With little movement on the offensive end, CAL’s sleepwalking rhythm resulted in 13 turnovers and only two points in the 2nd quarter. Because Ballard missed open shot opportunities, the 19-16 score wasn’t indicative of their control of the game. Coach Rice communicated clearly during the intermission with his threat of an all-night lecture on at least two topics: getting in the passing lanes on defense and moving without the ball on offense. Senior Allison Karst responded immediately: stealing the ball, finding open shots, and scoring 12 of the team’s 13 points in the 3rd quarter. Her teammates followed her lead, applying defensive pressure as Antonita Slaughter clamped down on the Lady Bruins’ inside game. Karst continued her scoring spree, finishing with 27 points (22 in the 2nd half). When she did miss, Slaughter’s rebounds led to putbacks or running the clock as the Lady Centurions snared another win and forced the Lady Bruins to await a future battle. Sideline notes --CAL used defense to jump-start the offense in the 2nd half. After Ballard’s Bodiford scored 8 points in the opening half, Slaughter didn’t allow her a single point after the break, maintaining a defensive stance with arms up instead of trying to jump and block every shot. --CAL protected the ball much better in the 2nd half, resulting in only a few turnovers in contrast to the 13 errors of the 1st half. Improved ball handling led to shots in the paint, Lady Bruin fouls, and free throw opportunities. --Ballard has athleticism and talent, but lacked efficient execution of an inside-outside passing game in the 2nd half to provide them with better shots. Nicole Heitz and Larissa Stafford did score 11 apiece, but the team only made about 25% for the game, including 3-point range. Of course, part of this may have been caused by CAL’s increased defensive effort. --Offensive bench production provided only two points by Kate Joss with 44 of the team’s 46 points scored by Karst, China Dow, and Slaughter, a statistic that should be remedied by more scoring balance in CAL’s better outings. Game scoring by quarter CAL 14 2 13 17 46 Ballard 13 6 7 11 37 Player statistics CAL: Allison Karst (27 points), China Dow (10 points, 9 rebounds), Antonita Slaughter (7 points, 12 rebounds), Kate Joss (2 points) Ballard: Nicole Heitz (11 points), Larissa Stafford (11 points), Jaylan Bodiford (8 points), Vonda Thomas (3 points), Ciera Woods (2 points), Bryelle Bonds (2 points)

The Jaguars pounced early and often, controlling the semifinal game of the LIT from start to finish (leading 35-22 at halftime) with defensive intensity and a good team shooting percentage. With the notable excpetion of Allison Karst and some subs, the Lady Centurions lacked focus and depth (down two starters with Anna Hart's ACL injury and Emily Walden unavailable for this contest). What a difference a few weeks makes...when CAL defeated Mercy in the Jaguars' den. Mercy plays Manual for the LIT championship. Will they meet again? It's quite likely in the 7th region tournament, just over a month away. Stats may follow as time allows.

The LIT (Louisville Invitational Tournament) semifinal and championship games at Bellarmine have been postponed and are now rescheduled to Sunday, January 31. New schedule: Semifinal #1: Manual vs. Franklin County, Sunday at 1:00 pm Semifinal #2: Mercy vs. Christian Academy-Louisville, Sunday at 2:30 pm Championship: Semifinal winners, Sunday at 7:30 pm

The Lady Centurions marched through the quarterfinal round of the LIT on Friday night, opening up a 10-point lead by halftime and increasing it to 20-plus in the 2nd half behind Allison Karst's 16 points. CAL found a rhythm early and played solid defense most of the game. Highlands appears to be a better team than this outing illustrated. Katie Allen's athleticism/body control (16 points) and Bekah Towles overall game showed flashes of brillance but the team lacked consistency.

The Lady Centurions' slow start and Ballard's 5-point lead evaporated after halftime as CAL's Allison Karst scored 22 of her 27 points in the 2nd half. CAL advances to the quarterfinals of the LIT on Friday to face Highlands. As usual, I will provide stats and summaries later as time allows unless someone beats me to it.

They are certainly among the toughest. Manual's depth puts them up there as well, especially with April Wilson back, and so many scorers. For ball handling and clutch situations, I would say they do rely too much on Epps...even more impressive due to her young age. However, Goodin-Rogers and Elder know how to score, so the Lady Knights are far from one dimensional. It might be a waste of time to focus on getting Epps in foul trouble. However, she does like to go to the right on her shots, so forcing her to go left may slow her scoring. Of course, that means you need players quick enough on defense to direct the path.

Marion County 54 CAL 51 Playing their third game in three days, the Lady Centurions came up just one shot short of forcing overtime against the #1 ranked Lady Knights of Marion County. As Coach Don Rice stated after the game, “Win or lose, it helped us. This game told us exactly where we are. We did well. We're right there in the mix (with the state's top teams).” CAL arrived at tournament host Mercy’s Raatz Fence Classic riding a six-game winning streak and an overall record of 15-3 (primarily against ranked teams), but Marion County has yet to lose to an in-state opponent. In the 1st quarter, the teams traded baskets as they adapted to one another's defensive strategy. The Lady Knights’ quickness rose to the forefront in the 2nd quarter as they scored repeatedly in transition, led by Makayla Epps, daughter of former University of Kentucky player Anthony Epps. Hitting only 1 of 7 three-point shots in the opening half, CAL trailed at halftime 23-16. A game of scoring spurts, the Lady Centurions continued to chip away at the Lady Knights’ lead in the 3rd quarter as Antonita Slaughter found more room to maneuver from long and short range. When Marion County’s defense double-teamed Slaughter, Emily Walden drove the left side of the lane for a lay-up or to pass the ball to an open shooter. However, Marion County had answers in Epps and teammate Bre Elder whose 11 rebounds allowed the Lady Knights to keep the ball out of CAL’s hands and to maintain a five-point margin at the end of the 3rd quarter. When CAL starter China Dow fouled out and the Lady Knights raced to a 12-point lead at 48-36 midway through the 4th quarter behind the dribble-driving Epps, Coach Rice challenged the Lady Centurions to battle to the end. Freshman Casey Marshall’s basket off an interior pass triggered the CAL comeback, followed by a Walden lay-up, and a Kate Joss basket after a turnover, trimming the deficit to 48-42. From that point, seniors Slaughter and Allison Karst led the way, supported by the defensive efforts of Marshall, Walden, and Joss. Although Epps hit essential free throws for her team, Slaughter’s turnaround jumper in the lane limited the margin to six points at 50-44. After another Marion County free throw, Karst finally broke through, scoring two field goals in succession as the press caused a Lady Knight turnover, making it a one-possession game at 51-48. Epps continue to show her composure at the charity stripe, but Slaughter sliced the lead to two at 53-51 with a 3-pointer at the 00:16 mark. A final Epps free throw at 00:14 gave CAL the possession and the chance to tie the score. Two 3-point attempts by Karst just missed the mark to award Marion County the win. Sideline notes --The Lady Centurions may not have gained the victory, but they should gain confidence from the team comeback against the #1 squad in the state. With seven players scoring and everyone contributing defensively, they responded when many may have thought the game out of reach. --CAL is “in the mix” even without a key component, forward Anna Hart who suffered a season-ending ACL injury in the January 16 game at Lexington Catholic and will have surgery in early February. However, she revealed her positive spirit by stating, “I’ll find a way to get through this and those girls (her teammates) are gonna be a huge part of it” as she cheers from the sidelines. --Marion County deserves its ranking and earned the victory. They could be vulnerable if they continue to produce no offensive points off the bench, especially if Epps, Elder, or Goodin-Rogers get in foul trouble (easier said than done, of course). Obviously, the talented trio creates difficult defensive match-ups for any opponent. --Key stat: The rebounding and related 2nd-chance points belonged to the Lady Knights by a 7-1 margin. Game scoring by quarter CAL 9 7 14 21 51 Marion Co. 10 13 12 19 54 Player statistics CAL: Antonita Slaughter (18 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals), Allison Karst (8 points, 6 rebounds, 2 steals), Casey Marshall (8 points, 2 rebounds, 2 steals), China Dow (7 points, 5 rebounds), Emily Walden (6 points, 5 rebounds), Paige Gardner (2 points, 3 rebounds), Kate Joss (2 points) Marion County: Makayla Epps (22 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists), Bre Elder (16 points, 11 rebounds), Kyvin Goodin-Rogers (6 points, 6 rebounds), Brooke Roberts (6 points, 3 rebounds), Andrea King (4 points, 4 rebounds) Team statistics CAL: Total FG 41.7% (20/48); 3-pt. FG 21.4% (3/14); FT 53.3% (8/15); 31 rebounds; 16 turnovers Marion County: Total FG 35.8% (19/53); 3-pt. FG 30.8% (4/13); FT 52.2% (12/23); 41 rebounds; 16 turnovers

CAL 42 Sacred Heart 38 The Lady Centurions began a three-day stretch of games this past week against the Valkyries of Sacred Heart. Even after suffering the significant losses of 7th region all-stars Autumn Miller and Jackie Hafele to injuries, Valkyries’ Coach Donna Moir excels at extracting the best efforts of her players. Playing their first game without starter Anna Hart, CAL’s uneven offensive execution produced a season-low number of assists. The exception was freshman China Dow who provided a season-high outing with 19 points and 17 rebounds. Dow scored 11 of the Lady Centurions’ 12 points in the 1st half and Sacred Heart center Morgan Clemons was effective in the paint, scoring 7 points as the teams struggled to a stalemate at the intermission. In the 2nd half, Antonita Slaughter awoke for 17 points as CAL jumped out to an 8-point lead early in the 3rd quarter at 22-14. The Valkyries then took flight in the form of Maddie Peabody who scored all 13 of her points after halftime and CAL’s lead was cut to three by the end of the 3rd quarter. Kate Joss and Casey Marshall ignited a defensive spark, clamping down on Peabody’s open looks and creating a few turnovers against a well-disciplined Sacred Heart offense. China Dow continued to rebound and score on second-chance opportunities and the Lady Centurions confirmed the win by hitting 10 of 13 free throws. Sideline notes --Not a pretty game for CAL, but a win is a win, especially a road win against an always tough 7th region opponent. The Lady Centurions shot only 32% for the game, but the Valkyries didn't fare any better at 31%. --As the Lady Centurions adjust to playing without Hart, a one-on-one offensive scheme may meet with limited success against deeper teams, so a higher number of assists and a better scoring balance will be essential. --Injuries have made it tough for the Valkyries in the short term, but the experience gained for younger players may pay big dividends in the long run. Game scoring by quarter CAL 5 7 18 12 42 Sacred Heart 5 7 15 11 38 Player statistics CAL: China Dow (19 points, 17 rebounds, 4 blocks, 3steals, Antonita Slaughter (17 points, 9 rebounds), Casey Marshall (5 points, 2 steals), Emily Walden (1 point) Sacred Heart: Maddie Peabody (13 points, 4 rebounds), Morgan Clemons (11 points, 9 rebounds), Jade Tubb (6 points), Annamarie Campbell (4 points, 4 rebounds), Mary Gordon Stough (2 points, 12 rebounds), Hannah Washle (2 points, 4 rebounds) Team statistics CAL: Total FG 31.9% (15/47); 3-pt. FG 11.8% (2/17); FT 76.9% (10/13); 39 rebounds; 0 points off bench Sacred Heart: Total FG 30.8% (16/52); 3-pt. FG 25% (4/16); FT 28.6% (2/7); 35 rebounds; 6 points off bench

I'm not sure. I'll try to ask her.

Top two contenders: Newport Central Catholic and Lexington Christian

CAL's Lady Centurions' last-minute charge allowed Allison Karst the opportunity to shoot a 3-pointer from the corner for the tie in the closing seconds, but the top-ranked Marion County Lady Knights rode off with the victory, in large part due to the impressive play of Makayla Epps with 22 points. If time allows, I'll post stats and summary later, unless someone else beats me to it .