Chaz

Best opening event week event around! Make your way to Dixie Hts high School this Saturday! Anytime you come there will be great games all day.

The loss of Reinhart is REALLY unfortunate for Dixie. It’s enough for them to no longer challenge for the 9th title in my opinion. She was easily the most underrated player they had and the loss is huge. Wish her the best

Don’t agree, CC has little chance here.

Huh? No idea what your saying? Are you wanting to educate me privately on girls exposure basketball? Why? Educate all of us. Or are you upset and want to fight or something? I don’t understand. In addition I never said Nike or UA have inclusive only tourneys for 2024s, I said that starts when older. You drop info that a NKY girl is a top 10 8th grader in the state. Here are the last 10 years of NKY girls widely considered top 10 in the state- Leah Schaefer Highlands then Xavier Nikki Keirnan NCC then Thomas More Deja Turner HCross then Wright State Ally Niece SK then NKU Lexi Held Cooper then DePaul Lauren Schwartz Ryle then Rice Maddie Scherr Ryle then Oregon Seven girls, ten years. You want to put this local girl in this group and support your conclusion by saying she starts at Villa and plays on a local (traveling outside the state does not make Fusion a National team. Players from multiple states could use that term I guess.) There’s no chance you’ve seen the best 2024s around Kentucky yet. I would wager there are at least ten 2024 ky girls playing up in Premier, Gym Rats and Thunder. I would highly doubt the top 8th graders around Ky are playing their age right now. Let alone playing their age on a local NKY travel team. HOWEVER, I’ve never seen Unkraut play so who knows, maybe she’s 6’ tall and a super athlete that dominates. Although I would think I would have heard of her before now. Maybe she is a shoe in D1 recruit, like the other top 10 girls. And Unkraut will be getting headlines in the near future. I’m sure Fusion is a fine program. I’ve heard good things. But don’t be unrealistic because you play for the program. Winning games vs Premier or Flight teams means nothing. If your honest you will be open about the divisions teams like Fusion play in vs the top Nike or UA teams. Maybe the shift hasn’t hit you hard yet but I didn’t speak anything that’s untrue. I agree with Duece, a better approach to the 8th graders would be to list several who are tops and let the next few years play out. You can’t be upset with others if your going to make an extreme claim about a girl so young.

First, for Dirty Dave, I only used the AAU term as generic as to not cause confusion. I will use the term summer exposure prep basketball if that’s helpful. As to the other thought. There is NO chance NKY Fusion plays a schedule as hard as Kentucky Premier (Nike), Indy Gym Rats (Nike), West Virginia Thunder (Under Armour) or Indiana Flight (Unser Armour) teams. To imply so would only show a severe lack of knowledge about the current top players in the state of Kentucky. Here is some info Top ten 2020s in ky play Nike - 7 UA - 2 Kentucky Royals - 1 Top ten 2021s in ky play Nike - 7 UA - 2 Unknown - 1 Top ten 2022s in Kentucky play Nike - 6 UA - 3 Unknown - 1 If you think playing in the same 500 team tournament as one of these teams is playing as “difficult a schedule“ you are wrong. You might as well be in a gym a hundred miles away. The top 8th-10th graders in these programs had college coaches watching them play this past summer. They play in the top “divisions” while the local type teams (like Fusion) play in lower unwatched divisions. And at the older ages the disparity becomes even greater. The older Nike and UA teams play in Nike only or UA only tournaments with hundreds of coaches. No outside teams are able to come. If it’s an open tournament they play in the top diamond or platinum division that no local type team will be able to get into. If your familiar at all with Summer Exposure Prep Basketball then you know it’s basically a monopoly. Like it or not these programs have the keys and no girl that plays for NKY Fusion will ever be a “top ten player” in Kentucky.

I appreciate your passion for Unkraut but I think it’s a little much. She plays for Villa last year against very low level competition. She plays for Fusion in the summer. Fine local program but once again the competition is not worthy of “one of the top in the state”. If she wants to be the top 8th grader in the Ninth Region and wants to be a top player in the state that will never happen at Villa and with Fusion. The way AAU is now it’s probably too late to get the state wide recognition.

Highlands certainly has a shot. But my money would be on Dixie first then NDA second pulling the upset if one happens.

Agreed. Have heard good things.

I do like the Bluebirds! But I gave Piper the nod at two because of senior experience. It’s likely the next 4 underclassmen I have behind her are more talented and have even have a better year statistically. But because she’s the senior PG leader of a top team in the region I felt she was more valuable. I know I said this last year but I do think once Lawson is back fully she will be the 2nd best player in the region and make Dixie a very tough out in the region. Dixies youth has grown up and it’s their time to shine. Hopefully before the NDA girls blossom!

1. Simon Kenton 2. Anderson County 3. Walton 4. Owen County 5. Oldham County 6. Collins 7. Woodford County 8. Grant County 9. South Oldham 10. Spencer County Top Players 1. Olivia Federle SR Collins 2. Maggie Jones SR SK 3. Sophie Smith JR Anderson 4. Abby West SR Grant 5. Lexi Moore SO Owen 6. Morgan Stamper SR SK 7. Emma Strunk SR Walton 8. Delaney Enlow SR Woodford 9. Ellie Oldendick SR Gallatin 10. Madison Clark SR Oldham

1. GRC 2. Scott 3. Bishop Brossart 4. Campbell County 5. Mason County 6. Paris 7. Bourbon County 8. Harrison County 9. Nicholas County 10. Montgomery County 1. Kennedy Igo SR GRC 2. Mya Meredith JR Scott 3. Marie Kiefer JR Bishop Brossart 4. Mallory Holbrook SR Campbell 5. Zoe Strings JR Paris 6. Sofia Allen JR Scott 7. Jayln Jackson SR Campbell 8. Emma Taylor JR Mason Co 9. Tyra Flowers SO GRC 10. Brianna Byars FR GRC

The teams are closer to right but here’s a shot at those Ryle Highlands Dixie NDA BIG GAP Boone County Holy Cross Conner Cooper St. Henry Lloyd One of those top four teams will emerge from the 9th this year. I do think Ryle loses at least once this season to one of the other top three teams. Losing Schwartz and McGregor is too much loss and NDA and Dixie have very talented young players and will be in the top 4 teams in the 9th for years to come.

I agree that this list of girls is struggling. Here’s my shot at it. 1. Maddie Scherr Ryle 2. Piper Macke Highlands 3. Madeline Lawson Dixie 4. Bri Crittenden Ryle 5. Macy Feldman NDA 6. Maddie Drummonds Conner 7. Lacy Bradshaw NDA 8. Jayla LaBordeaux Lloyd 9. Jaiden Douthit Ryle 10. Sydney Lockard Dixie Honorable mention Whitney Lind Adrianna Haynes Rory O’Hara Celia Pelfrey Abby Milay Kay Friehoffer Jade Simpson

To be clear, SK is regularly a top team. Excellent coaching, girls from anywhere in Kenton can go there. Great program that IMO should win the region every year without much challenge. In the past four years they have won the region twice and lost twice. I think everyone would agree that four years and this past season (the years they lost the region), they underperformed. Underperformed for the expectation of the SK program. As to replacing Schwartz and as you noted McGregor, Ryle will not be able to. They will be challenged by Dixie and ND this year.

Congrats Abby! Looking forward to catching her play the next several years

SK has underperformed the past several years. I don’t see them being tops in Northern Kentucky until they prove it on the court. They haven’t been able to handle even Walton lately.

Ryle was state champ and Scherr was Sweet 16 MVP, I wonder if you factored in any year winning the title, not just their senior year, if there would be a lot more? Also, how many Sweet Sixteen MVPs became or were Miss Basketball. Was probably a lot back when the voting was after the tournament. Didn’t they move the voting to before the tournament just to stop that?

The ninth region will be strong again this year. Whoever comes out of it will have a decent shot at the state title especially depending on how the seeding falls. Dixie and NDA gave Ryle tough games last year and both teams lose very little. All three should start the season ranked in the top 20. I think this is the year Dixie moves ahead of Ryle and makes some real noise at state.

I wasn't clear in my comment. Dixie beat Ryle at Ryle two seasons ago. Both teams had the exact same players as they did this past season as well so it is a fair comparison.

I understand everyones opinion for Ryle. I can also agree that Ryle deserves to be ranked number 1 in the region until beaten. But in my opinion they lose to much and Dixie has alot of depth that can fill in. I think Dixie will come away with the 9th region title in 2020. The game they lost this year to Ryle during the regular season started out bad, but after Dixie adjusted they stayed with them. I love the 9th region and believe whoever wins the region will be a favorite for the state title. Highlands will be good again and Notre Dame might surprise everyone depending on how much their superstar youth develop. The 9th should have 4-5 teams in the top 25 of the state again.

Well I get what your saying and I would definitely have Ryle as a top team in the region. One of 3-4 teams that could win it. And although they will be highly ranked in the state cause they are champs, in my opinion they lose too much. Between Schwartz and McGregor they lose 30 points and 15 rebounds a game. The four returning can absorb some but not much of that. I watched them play this year and they never once subbed beyond their 6th player. They seem very weak after the next year top 4. With a weak 5th and 6th and 7th man next year and also losing all the production of the graduates they will not be as good as the last two seasons. Dixie beat them at Ryle with the starters for the state champs team. Dixie held their own with them in the regional final. It’s just my opinion, but I think Dixie is the best team next year. Followed by Ryle, Highlands and NDA. I also think the 9th region will represent well again at state and have several top 20 teams in the state.

My opinion, its Dixie's to lose. They have been knocking on the door the past two years. Had a great run in the regional tournament. Ryle, Conner, and Highlands lose too much to not be looking up at Dixie. Lawson is a top player in the region next year. Pelfrey and Lockard bring everything needed to win alongside her. Then a good young group fills in from there. Ryle, NDA and possibly Highlands are the next three teams trying to knock off Dixie. IMHO

Conner by 5 in a close one. Conner knows Ryle well and will be well prepared.

That’s not a good idea at all. College coaches would give no credence to leadership and team success. They would just vote for players that are committed to their school. And any player committed out of state would be at a serious disadvantage to players committed in state. Terrible idea. Lauren Schwartz Savannah Wheeler Courtney Hurst Maliyah Owens Emma King Top 5 teams in Kentucky. The top 5 senior players in the state

Murray was a top team last year. And their coach, Foust, is excellent. My daughter played for him briefly. Great guy, seems really committed to the girls and knows basketball.