Sports Connection Hoop Fest
November 14-15, 2003
Scott County High School
Georgetown, Kentucky

© 2003 Ron Harrison

This pre-season event, hosted by the Scott County Lady Cardinals and “The Big Red Nation”, features 16 games over a two-day period.  The 32 teams participating in this event are Anderson County, Paris, Frankfort, Montgomery County, Shelby County, Lafayette, Washington County, Harrison County, Holmes, Bryan Station, Berea, Beechwood, Corbin, Boone County, Estill County, East Jessamine, Franklin County, Wolfe County, Cawood, Newport Central Catholic, Owen County, Casey County, Ballard, Highlands, Hart County, Boyd County, Scott County, Sacred Heart, Butler, Mercer County, Clinton County, and Tates Creek.  This list includes Sweet 16 Champion 2002 and 2003 (Sacred Heart), Class A Tourney Champion 2003 (Clinton County), and Summer Kentucky AAU Champion 2001, 2002, and 2003 (Sacred Heart).  Players scheduled to compete include 37 players listed in Top 10 players of the 16 Regions by The Cats’ Pause Basketball Magazine.

These scrimmages will consist of four 10-minute quarters with a running clock.  The score will be reset at halftime per KHSAA rules.  I will, for the sake of clarity, give scores for both halves plus a combined score.  Any stats included are not official but recorded by me personally.  Please understand that these are scrimmages, and coaches will be experimenting with substitution rotations and using this event as a teaching tool and to prepare for the upcoming season.

Friday November 14th

Anderson County vs. Paris

Anderson County coach Tony Kays started the following lineup:  5-10 Sr. Santana McKee, 5-8 Jr. Cathy Fitzpatrick, 5-8 Sr. Kelly Neurohr, 5-4 So. K. Young, and 5-5 So. A. Adams.  Paris coach Terrence Brooks countered with 5-7 So. Taylor Christman, 5-7 Jr. Sarah Yeiser, 5-7 So. Tristen Brown, 5-9 Sr. Jessica Williams, and 5-5 Jr. Iona Caulder.  Paris took the first half 11-9 and also outscored  Anderson County 20-17 in the second half.  The combined score was 31-26 in favor of Paris.  Paris had five three point baskets for the scrimmage and was led by 5-7 So. Laurie Mitchell and 5-7 Jr. Natalie Tubbs with six points each.  Anderson County was paced by Santana McKee and Kelly Neurohr with eight and seven points respectively. 

Frankfort vs. Montgomery County

Frankfort coach Nikki Smith started the following lineup:  5-8 Sr. Rachel Yett, 5-10 Jr. Brittany Howard, 5-6 So. Megan Roberts, 5-6 So. Racheal Hamblen, and 5-6 Sr. Brittany Wilson.  Montgomery County coach John High countered with 5-8 Fr. Courtney Danis, 5-7 Fr. Natasha Thomas, 5-8 Sr. Mary Ratliff, 5-6 So. Sherry McGuire, and 5-6 So. Kerie Warner.  Montgomery County took both halves of play for a combined victory margin of 44-15.  Montgomery County was led by Courtney Danis, Natasha Thomas, and 5-6 Fr. Jenna High with 14, 10, and nine points respectively.  Brittany Wilson led Frankfort with five points. 

Shelby County vs. Lafayette

Shelby County coach Sally Zimmerman started the following lineup:  5-4 Fr. Amber Morrison, 5-9 Jr. Lashondra Gray, 6-0 Sr. Jackie Hayse, 5-9 So. Amanda Green, and 5-8 Sr. Blair Morse.  Lafayette coach Allison Tate Denton countered with 5-9 Sr. Lauren Coats, 5-8 So. Suzie Owens, 6-1 Jr. Lori Colson, 5-6 So. Katie Kelly, and 5-9 Jr. Lucy Clark.  The score was tied 15-15 at halftime but Lafayette outscored  Shelby County 25-22 in the second half to take a 40-37 decision.  Lafayette was led by Lucy Clark and Suzie Owens with 13 and eight points respectively.  Jackie Hayse and Lashondra Gray paced Shelby County with 10 points each.  This was a nice effort for both teams who graduated stars from last year’s teams. 

Washington County vs. Harrison County

The Washington County coaching staff started the following lineup:  5-11 Sr. Alison Bartley, 6-0 Sr. Emily Riley, 5-9 So. Brittany Edelen, 5-7 Jr. Katie Filiatreau, and 5-7 8th grader Jane Goatley.  Harrison County countered with 6-0 Sr. Megan Gray, 5-9 So. Brooke Faulkner, 6-1 So. Garyn Price, 5-5 Fr. LaDonna Turley, and 5-7 8th grader Megan Bullock.  Washington County won the first half 22-18 and outscored Harrison County 20-9 in the second half for a combined victory margin of 42-27.  The victors got big games from Brittany Edelen and Katie Filiatreau with 18 and 14 points respectively.  Harrison County was led by Megan Gray and Brooke Faulkner with 11 points each. 

Holmes vs. Bryan Station

Holmes coach Casey Sparrow started the following lineup:  Sr. Ashley Wimzie, Jr. Tiffany Jackson, Jr. Arnett Hayes, Jr. Deanna Jackson, and Jr. LaToria Graves.  Bryan Station coach Jackie Williams countered with 5-10 Jr. Brittney Clark, 5-6 Fr. LaKrista Clark, 6-2 Sr. April Smith, 5-6 So. Carley Blankenship, and 5-8 So. Bradli Stinson.  Bryan Station captured the first half 14-13 and also won the second half by a score of 22-20.  The combined score was 36-33 in favor of Bryan Station.  The victors were led by Brittney Clark and Carley Blankenship with nine points each.   Ashley Wimzie led Holmes with 17 points.  Bryan Station’s 6-2 So. Crystal Leach was sidelined tonight with an injury.  

 

Saturday November 15th

Berea vs. Beechwood

Berea coach Jerry Bingham started the following lineup:  5-9 Sr. Cassie Lombardo, 5-8 Sr. Deborah Ratliff, 6-2 Sr. Desiray Palmer, 5-6 Sr. Samantha Newman, and 5-4 Sr. Jessica Engle.  Beechwood coach Flora Fields countered with 5-9 Sr. Tara Swift, 5-6 Fr. Brittany Bankemper, 6-0 Sr. Amy VonHandorf, 5-5 Sr. Sara Kroger, and 5-6 8th grader Casey Smith.  The score was tied 15-15 at halftime and Berea took a 25-9 advantage in the second half to earn a 40-24 victory over Beechwood.  Jessica Engle led Berea with 22 points including four three point goals.  5-9 7th grader Elizabeth Horn added 10 points.  Amy VonHandorf led Beechwood with 10 points. 

Corbin vs. Boone County

Corbin coach Jennifer Parsons started the following lineup:  5-8 So. Cristina Sutton, 5-8 So. Katie Akins, 5-10 Jr. Morgan Barley, 5-6 Jr. Jamie Bonza, and 5-6 So. Heather Clouse.  Boone County coach Nell Fookes countered with 6-0 Jr. Renee Daily, 5-11 Sr. Tandrea (Tangie) Sellers, 5-11 Sr. Katie Madden, 5-8 Sr. Megan Fletcher, and 5-5 Jr. Alicia Williams.  Boone County took the first half 26-18 and captured the second half by a score of 20-17.  The combined score was 46-35 in favor of Boone County.  The victors were led today by Megan Fletcher and Tangie Sellers with 13 and 11 points respectively.  Morgan Barley led Corbin with 12 points while Jamie Bonza and Heather Clouse added seven and six points respectively.  Katie Madden is recovering from a knee injury and Boone County will only be better when she is 100%.

Estill County vs. East Jessamine

Estill County coach Kevin Turpin started the following lineup:  Sr. Casey Berryman, Sr. Tiffany Neal, Jr. Whitney Barnes, So. Lakrisha Floyd, and So. Christina Coffey.  East Jessamine coach Paul Rohr countered with Ruth Byrd, Lauren Duke, Megan Sexton, Christina Perkins, and LaToya Richardson.  Estill County took and early lead behind the defensive pressure of their guard combo Casey Berryman and Tiffany Neal and captured the first half by a score of 26-13.  The second half ended in an 18-18 tie and Estill County claimed an overall victory of 44-31.  Estill County was led today by Tiffany Neal and Fr. Brooke Reyolds with 14 and 12 points respectively.  Christina Coffey added nine points.  Ruth Byrd and Lauren Duke led East Jessamine with six points each

Franklin County vs. Wolfe County

Franklin County coach Joey Thacker started the following lineup:  5-7 So. Rolanda Rowe, 5-6 Sr. Brittney Williams, 6-0 Jr. Carrie Bistline, 5-7 Jr. Dequala Marshall, and 5-6 Jr. Amy Moore.  Wolfe County coach Kenny Bell countered with 6-0 7th grader Lori Fletcher, 5-8 Jr. Brandi Hollon, 5-10 Sr. Hope Thomas, 5-6 So. Chrissy Reynolds, and 5-6 Fr. Morgan Burton.  Franklin County took the first half 27-18 but Wolfe County came back to capture a 14-12 second half decision.  The combined score was Franklin County 39, Wolfe County 32.  Franklin County had a balanced scoring attack led by Carrie Bistline with seven points.  5-10 Sr. Michelle Farler,  Dequala Marshall, Amy Moore, and 5-9 So. Ally Campassi each added six points.  Wolfe County was led by Hope Thomas, a strong inside player, with 14 points.   Lori Fletcher added 12 points and should be a future star.  Fletcher jumps well, shoots well, and is a decent ball handler.

Newport Central Catholic vs. Newport Central Catholic

Cawood coach Bucky Burkhart started the following lineup:  5-8 Sr. Jeri Lynn Howard, 5-9 So. Sierra Wynn, 6-0 Sr. Amanda Miracle, 5-8 Jr. Whitney Rhymer, and 5-7 Sr. Natasha Boggs.  Newport Central Catholic coach Christie McDonald countered with 5-10 Sr. Jenna Ziegler, 5-8 Sr. Tricia Bertke, 5-8 Sr. Danielle Schout, 5-11 Sr. Nicole Chiodi, and 5-8 Jr. Jayme Thiem.  Newport Central Catholic won the first half 17-12 and captured the second half by a score of 22-17.  The combined score was 39-29 in favor of Newport Central Catholic.  The victors were led by Nicole Chiodi and Jayme Thiem with 14 and 11 points respectively.  Cawood was paced by Natasha Boggs and Sierra Wynn with 10 and eight points respectively. 

Owen County vs. Casey County

Owen County coach Delmas Castle started the following lineup:  5-7 Jr. Kaylan Richardson, 5-6 Sr. Megan Slayback, 5-11 Sr. Casey Perkins, 5-4 Sr. Allison Haydon, and 5-4 Sr. Katie Smith.  Casey County coach Randy Salyers countered with 5-8 So. Bethany Snow, 5-11 Sr. Beth Patterson, 5-8 Sr. Kelli Warner, 5-7 Sr. Tabitha Yaden, and 5-6 Jr. Lindsey Wilson.  Owen County captured the first half 14-10 and won the second half 19-16 for a combined score of 33-26 in favor of Owen County.  Owen County was led by Casey Perkins, who powered inside for 12 points.  Katie Smith tallied 10 points and was deadly from the free throw line.  Kelli Warner led Casey County with 12 points.  Tabitha Yaden and Beth Patterson added eight and seven points respectively.  5-11 Sr. Meagan Murphy led Casey County in scoring last season but suffered an ACL injury that required surgery.  Hopefully Murphy can return by February.

Louisville Ballard vs. Highlands

Ballard coach Ken Smith started the following lineup:  5-10 So. Reena Haliburton, 5-8 So. Aurelie Dernoncourt, 6-4 So. Alicia Bunton, 5-6 Sr. Jessie Martin, and 5-5 Fr. Teadra Elliott.  Highlands coach Jaime Walz countered with 6-1 Sr. Angela Healy, 5-8 Sr. Maggie Brown, 5-11 Jr. Karen Keuper, 5-5 Sr. Jennifer Ball, and 5-5 Jr. Michelle Haigis.  Ballard won the first half by a score of 21-18 while the second half ended in a 17-17 tie, giving Ballard an advantage of 38-35 in the combined scores.  Ballard was led today by Alicia Bunton and Reena Haliburton with nine and eight points respectively.  Highlands was led by Angela Healy with 14 points.  Healy displayed some nifty moves in the paint.

Hart County vs. Boyd County

Hart County coach Tommy Adams started the following lineup:  5-9 Sr. Kellie Childress, 5-8 Jr. LaShonda Haskins, 5-9 So. Whitney Devore, 5-10 So. Rachel Romance, and 5-5 So. Jessica Baker.  Boyd County coach Pete Fraley countered with 5-9 Sr. Ashley Caniff, 5-10 Sr. Jessica Easterling, 5-7 Jr. Brandi Mahar, 5-7 Sr. Jennifer Swann, and 5-8 Jr. Kasi Mullins-Galloway.  Hart County captured the first half 15-12 and eked out a 22-21 victory in the second half for a combined victory margin of 37-33. Hart was led by Whitney Devore with 14 points.  Kellie Childress and Rachel Romance added seven points each.  Boyd County was led by Kasi Mullins-Galloway and 5-5 Sr. Kristin Ashworth with six points each. 

Scott County vs. Sacred Heart

Scott County coach Steve Helton started the following lineup:  5-4 8th grader Kayla Moses, 5-10 Fr. Rebecca Gray, 6-0 Jr. Aimee Bruckner, 5-6 So. Chelsea Lymon, and 6-1 Fr. Holly Milburn.  Sacred Heart coach Donna Moir countered with 5-10 Jr. Taylor Kopple, 5-8 Jr. Jackie Distler, 6-3 Sr. Crystal Kelly, 5-6 Sr. Connie Ferch, and 5-8 Jr. Carly Ormerod.  Sacred Heart won the first half by a score of 26-21 but Scott County came back to capture the second half 15-10, making the combined score 36-36.  Scott County was led by Chelsea Lymon with 13 points.  Kayla Moses and Rebecca Gray turned in good performances with nine and eight points respectively.  Sacred Heart was led by Crystal Kelly with 11 points and nine rebounds.  Taylor Kopple and Jackie Distler added eight and six points respectively.  Sacred Heart had a tough night from the free throw line, connecting on only 11 of 33 shots.

Butler vs. Mercer County

Butler coach Stephanie Greathouse started the following lineup:  5-8 Jr. Abby Grunwald, 5-7 Sr. Mandy Evans, 5-8 Sr. Megan McGrath, 5-4 Sr. Jenna Hedges, and 5-2 So. Nicole Holman.  6-0 Sr. Ashley Lewallen was unable to play today due to an injury.  Mercer County coach Chris Souder countered with 5-9 Sr. Leslye Johnson, 5-8 Jr. Jillian Horn, 5-5 So. Chrystal Claunch, 5-6 So. Chelsea Goodman, and 5-5 Sr. Courtney Watts.  Mercer County won the first half by a score of 26-16 but Butler captured the second half 21-18 to make the combined score Mercer County 44, Butler 37.  Mercer County was led by 5-8 Jr. Erin Ashford with 13 points.  Jillian Horn added 10 points.  Butler was led by 5-10 Jr. Racheal Cummings with 11 points.  Jenna Hedges added nine points. 

Clinton County vs. Tates Creek

Clinton County coach Ronnie Guffey started the following lineup:  5-8 Jr. Leslie Brown, 5-6 So. Jessica Cummings, 5-10 Jr. Dorothy Papineau, 5-7 Jr. Amber Guffey, and 5-8 Jr. Paige Guffey.  Tates Creek coach Jan Ulmer-Hintz countered with 5-6 Jr. Derrica Morton, 6-0 Jr. Kristen Pendleton, 6-2 Jr. Brittany Pittman, 5-6 Jr. Philnesha Lindsey, and 5-8 Jr. Shaquita Dowlen.  Tates Creek jumped out to a 16-5 lead after the first quarter but Clinton County roared back to take the first half 22-21 as Tates Creek substituted liberally throughout the game.  Clinton County, behind the outstanding play of the Guffey twins, captured the second half 26-10 for a combined score victory of 48-31.  The victors were led by Paige and Amber Guffey with 23 and 17 points respectively.  Tates Creek was led by Philnesha Lindsey and Brittany Pittman with 11 and nine points respectively. 

 

Conclusion

This was an excellent, well-run event with attention given to every detail.  It was an excellent opportunity to see 32 teams perform over a two-day period.  Scores really don’t mean much in scrimmages as coaches did an excellent job of instructing and experimenting with various rotations.  There was also some excellent play here and some teams looked like they were in mid season form.  Sacred Heart had difficulty at the free throw line tonight but this is an extremely talented team capable of capturing their third consecutive Sweet 16 crown.  Scott County has outstanding young perimeter players and could make waves if they get consistent play in the paint.  Coach Terrence Brooks doesn’t have any size at Paris but he has a group of long-range bombers that can put points on the board.

Montgomery County has some young players on the horizon that should keep coach John High smiling for the next few seasons.  Lafayette will miss graduated star 6-4 Kara Hamilton, but this team has some young talent that will improve throughout the season.  Washington County will get scoring from Brittany Edelen and Katie Filiatreau and likewise Harrison County will depend on Sr. Megan Gray and So. Brooke Faulkner to put points on the board.  Bryan Station has a lot of young talent but will miss graduated Sr. Tracy Harbut.  Boone County has a lot of weapons in their arsenal and coach Nell Fookes’ teams play defense, a combination that could make them a serious threat to Newport Central Catholic in the 9th Region.  Wolfe County has a solid inside presence in Hope Thomas and a future star in 7th grader Lori Fletcher.  Newport Central Catholic has Chiodi, Thiem, and good team chemistry.  Owen County has a nice inside-out combo in Casey Perkins and Katie Smith.  Ballard has lots of young talent and 6-4 So. Alicia Bunton has a lot of potential.  Angela Healy of Highlands demonstrated some nice inside moves.  Tommy Adams will always get effort from his Hart County squad and coach Pete Fraley’s Boyd County team should have a fine season.

Butler will be tough once Ashley Lewallen is fully recovered from her injury and Mercer County will stay after you 32 minutes a game.  Clinton County has lost a lot of talent, but the Guffey girls (Amber and Paige) give instant offense.  The twins, despite their size (5-7 and 5-8), are very effective in the paint as well as being excellent long-range shooters.  Tates Creek could have a nice team this year.  They will get scoring from Philnesha Lindsey and Brittany Pittman.  Derrica Morton and Shaquita Dowlen add intensity and 6-0 Jr. Kristen Pendleton appears to be looking for her shot more this year and could develop into a dependable scoring threat.  Berea’s Jessica Engle had an excellent scrimmage

Several players had nice games, including Santana McKee and Kelly Neurohr (Anderson County), Jackie Hayse (Shelby County), Lucy Clark (Lafayette), Ashley Wimzie (Holmes), Amy VonHandorf (Beechwood), Morgan Barley (Corbin), Megan Fletcher and Tangie Sellers (Boone County), Tiffany Neal (Estill County), Whitney Devore (Hart County), Chelsia Lymon (Scott County), Crystal Kelly (Sacred Heart), and Erin Ashford (Mercer County).  Other players too numerous to mention here had good games and displayed a lot of potential.

Acknowledgements

A special thanks to Coaches Steve and Tara Helton and the rest of the Scott County Lady Cardinals coaching staff for the hospitality extended me during my visit.  Also, a special thanks to Todd Gray, father of one of the future stars in the Lady Cards program—5-10 Fr. Rebecca Gray.  Mr. Gray worked tirelessly to keep things moving and was instrumental in putting together the very comprehensive event program.  I also enjoyed chatting with Louis Meadows, one of the most knowledgeable fans of girls’ basketball in the state.  The ladies game owes a debt of gratitude to Mr. Meadows for his tireless promotion of the game and the players.

 

Please feel free to send your comments and questions concerning the tournament, teams, or players to me at prephoops@yahoo.com .  

Ron Harrison’s reports on this and other basketball events appear on http://www.angelfire.com/ky/prephoops.