Preseason watch list for the 2018 Kentucky Miss Basketball award
The high school girls’ basketball season begins Monday, Nov. 27, but the Miss Basketball conversation has been ongoing since the end of the girls’ Sweet Sixteen back in March.
Below are 10 seniors, listed in alphabetical order by last name, who boast prime profiles for Miss Basketball candidacy. This is not a list of official candidates, which will be determined by Player of the Year voting in each of the state’s 16 regions later in the season. This is merely a projection, based on previous accomplishments, of who should have the best shot at claiming the award once voting occurs in March.
Grace Berger
School: Sacred Heart (7th Region)
College: Indiana University
Height: 5-11
Career record: 72-25 (three seasons)
Team accolades: Sacred Heart won 7th region title in 2016-17 season (lost to Butler in first round of state tournament). Valkyries reached 7th Region semifinals when Berger was a freshman and sophomore.
Individual accolades: All-State first team in 2016-17; All-State second team in 2015-16; All-State honorable mention in 2014-15; rated as a five-star recruit and 46th overall in the class of 2018 by ESPN
Junior season stats: 14.4 points per game (54.8 percent shooting), 8.6 rebounds
Blair Green
School: Harlan County (13th Region)
College: University of Kentucky
Height: 6-0
Career record: 62-26 (three seasons)
Team accolades: Black Bears have played in back-to-back 13th Region championship games.
Individual accolades: All-State first team in 2016-17; All-State second team in 2015-16; All-State honorable mention in 2014-15; ranked as a four-star recruit and 71st overall in the class of 2018 by ESPN
Junior season stats: 23.1 points per game (53.8-percent shooting), 7.2 rebounds
Ciaja Harbison
School: Male
College: St. Louis University
Height: 5-6
Career record: 105-21 (four seasons)
Team accolades: Reached state tournament semifinals in 2014-15, Harbison’s freshman season. Reached 7th Region finals in 2015-16. Bulldogs played in 7th Region semifinals in her other two seasons.
Individual accolades: All-State third team in 2016-17; ranked as a four-star recruit and 73rd overall in the class of 2018 by ESPN
Junior season stats: 13.1 points per game (45.8-percent shooting), 3.5 rebounds
Lexi Held
School: Cooper (9th Region)
College: DePaul University
Height: 5-8
Career record: 54-56 (four seasons)
Team accolades: Cooper, which opened in the 2008-09 school year, had its first winning season in 2013-14 (Held’s eighth-grade year) and had its second winning season during her junior season, when it won a school-record 22 games. Jaguars lost to Holmes in the 9th Region finals last season.
Individual accolades: All-State honorable mention in 2016-17; first girls’ basketball player from Cooper to sign with a Division I university; finished in the top five statewide in free-throw percentage as a sophomore and junior.
Junior season stats: 17.7 points per game (43.4-percent shooting), 5.2 rebounds
Molly Lockhart
School: Butler (6th Region)
College: University of Louisville
Height: 6-1
Career record: 87-14 (three seasons)
Team accolades: Butler won state title in 2015-16 and reached the state quarterfinals in 2016-17.
Individual accolades: All-State honorable mention in 2016-17; rated as a three-star recruit by ESPN; ranked fifth statewide in field-goal percentage as a junior.
Junior season stats: 11.2 points per game (65.5-percent shooting), 6.0 rebounds
Ally Niece
School: Simon Kenton (8th Region)
College: Northern Kentucky University
Height: 5-8
Career record: 119-70 (six seasons, first three at Scott High)
Team accolades: Simon Kenton has won two 8th Region titles in the last three years, in 2015 and 2017, and played for the 8th Region title in 2016. The Pioneers lost in the state quarterfinals last season. Scott High reached the 10th Region semifinals when Niece was in eighth grade.
Individual accolades: All-State first team in 2016-17; All-State third team in 2015-16; has played varsity basketball since she was in sixth grade and has scored more than 2,000 points in her career. Was the state’s 18th leading scorer as a sophomore and is the state’s top returning free-throw shooter.
Junior season stats: 19.2 points per game (52.8-percent shooting), 6.9 rebounds
Peyton Riddle
School: Scott County
College: Eckerd University
Height: 5-10
Career record: 101-79 (six seasons)
Team accolades: Scott County has reached the 11th Region Tournament in five of Riddle’s six seasons, including a semifinals appearance in 2016-17.
Individual accolades: All-State honorable mention in 2016-17; eclipsed 1,000-point mark for her career in 2016-17. Finished eighth overall in free-throw percentage as a junior.
Junior season stats: 19.7 points per game (49.2-percent shooting), 6.5 rebounds
Seygan Robins
School: Mercer County
College: University of Louisville
Height: 5-10
Career record: 144-31 (five seasons)
Team accolades: Mercer County won its first state title last season, its third straight appearance in the state tournament. Titans reached the state semifinals 2016 and lost in the first round in 2015. Mercer County lost in the 12th Region finals in 2014.
Individual accolades: All-State first team in 2016-17; All-State first team in 2015-16; All-State honorable mention in 2014-15; rated as a five-star recruit and 38th overall in the class of 2018 by ESPN.
Junior season stats: 16.5 points per game (50.1-percent shooting), 3.1 rebounds
Mykasa Robinson
School: Ashland Blazer
College: University of Louisville
Height: 5-7
Career record: 101-59 (five seasons)
Team accolades: Ashland Blazer reached the state-tournament semifinals during Robinson’s eighth-grade season. Kittens won the 16th Region title when she was in seventh grade and during her freshman year.
Individual accolades: All-State third team in 2016-17; All-State first team in 2015-16; All-State honorable mention in 2014-15; rated as a five-star recruit and 29th overall in the class of 2018 by ESPN.
Junior season stats: 6.5 points per game (26.7-percent shooting), 3.5 rebounds
Macey Turley
School: Murray
College: Murray State University
Height: 5-6
Career record: 147-24
Team accolades: Murray has appeared in back-to-back state tournaments, both times reaching the semifinals. Murray won All “A” Classic state title in 2016. The Tigers played for the 1st Region title in 2013 and 2014, Turley’s first two seasons on the varsity roster.
Individual accolades: All-State first team in 2016-17; All-State second team in 2015-16; All-State honorable mention in 2014-15. Fifth overall in free-throw percentage as a junior, second overall as a sophomore.
Junior season stats: 16.4 points per game (45.4-percent shooting), 3.6 rebounds
Josh Moore: 859-231-1307, @HLpreps
This story was originally published November 15, 2017 at 7:51 AM with the headline "Preseason watch list for the 2018 Kentucky Miss Basketball award."