‘We wanted to do this for Kate.’ Douglass enters Sweet 16 without its only senior

Frederick Douglass is just two years removed from its first appearance in the Girls’ Sweet 16, but the team that’ll take the floor on Wednesday is essentially brand new.

Douglass went one-and-done in its only previous trip to the state tournament, dropping a 59-57 heart-breaker to North Laurel after leading most of the game. This year’s team, which earned its way into the field Saturday with a blistering win over Madison Central in the 11th Region championship, returned only one starter from that squad. She played the entirety of Douglass’ state debut, but she won’t play on Wednesday.

Kate Baker, Douglass’ only senior, tore her ACL in the Broncos’ penultimate regular-season game on Feb. 18. That night ended in the second of three losses suffered in four games heading into the postseason.

Beyond their innate desire to win, her teammates have been motivated by Baker’s absence. They’ve won their five playoff games by an average margin of 38 points.

“It was hard for sure, but the girls still look at me as a leader and I had to put on a good face for them, have a positive mindset and spread it to them so they could have their heads right and still feel good about the next couple of weeks,” Baker said of the aftermath following her injury.

Jaelee Knowles is the only other current Bronco who got extended minutes in the 2023 state tournament; she had two points and two assists in 11 minutes off the bench as an eighth-grader. Mikalee Bennett, a junior, played two minutes in that game.

Those two — along with Reagan Gregonis (junior), Peighton Okorley (sophomore) and Tamia Waide (eighth-grader) — comprise a starting five throughout this postseason that’s imposed its will. Douglass en route to Rupp won its third straight 42nd District Tournament title and avenged an early-season loss to rival Franklin County — which entered postseason play with an unblemished record against 11th region foes — in the regional semifinals.

“We wanted to do this for Kate,” Knowles said. “That was our motivation: Kate. We just wanted to do this for her.”

While they’d of course rather have Baker on the floor — she’s the team’s third-leading scorer and one of the top 3-point shooters in the state (45.5 percent, fifth overall) — this stretch has offered an early look at what the Broncos might look like next year and beyond.

“It’s been an emotional roller coaster ever since Kate went down, man,” Douglass head coach DJ Moberly said. “But one thing that I like is that these girls didn’t lay down. They picked me up, because I was really down. But these girls took it in, stepped it up for their sister and came away with an 11th Region championship.”

Fortunately, Baker’s basketball career isn’t over. She’s committed to Transylvania, whose home games are played just 1.4 miles away from Rupp Arena at the Clive M. Beck Center. Her advice to those teammates taking the vaunted floor for the first time?

“I’m gonna tell them to just have fun and enjoy the environment,” Baker said. “Not a lot of people get this opportunity and we’re one of the few that do. Enjoy the moment.”

And as for her own playing future …

“The comeback will be great,” Baker said “The comeback is gonna be worth it.”

Scouting Simon Kenton

Douglass’ opponent in the state tournament has a significant distinction: It’s the only in-state team to have defeated Sacred Heart — the four-time defending state champion and the favorite to win again this year — in the last three years.

Simon Kenton (26-4) on Feb. 14 defeated the Valkyries, 75-70 in overtime, to snap Sacred Heart’s 92-game win streak against Kentucky competition. Its five starters — like Douglass, composed entirely of underclassmen — went the distance and then some in that marquee victory.

The Pioneers’ four losses all came against teams that made the Sweet 16. Worst among them was a 69-34 neutral-court showdown with George Rogers Clark (10th Region champ) the first week of the season. The others were all tight contests: a 48-45 loss to Franklin-Simpson (4th Region) in the Queen of the Commonwealth tournament; a 42-39 loss to North Laurel (13th Region) in a game played at South Laurel; and a 46-40 home loss to Cooper (9th Region).

Sophomore Brynli Pernell leads Simon Kenton with 14.9 points per game and shoots 40.6 percent from behind the 3-point line.

2025 Girls’ Sweet 16

What: Sixteen-team tournament to decide Kentucky’s high school basketball state champion.

When: Wednesday through Saturday

Where: Rupp Arena

Tickets: Tickets available for purchase at KHSAA.org.

Girls’ Sweet 16 schedule

At Rupp Arena

WEDNESDAY’S FIRST-ROUND GAMES

11 a.m.: Ashland Blazer (21-10) vs. North Laurel (31-2)

1:30 p.m.: Knott County Central (24-7) vs. Taylor County (24-8)

6 p.m.: George Rogers Clark (25-7) vs. Franklin-Simpson (28-2)

8:30 p.m.: Frederick Douglass (25-7) vs. Simon Kenton (26-4)

THURSDAY’S FIRST-ROUND GAMES

11 a.m.: Johnson Central (27-3) vs. Sacred Heart (31-3)

1:30 p.m.: Mercy (19-14) vs. Cooper (25-5)

6 p.m.: Henderson County (27-5) vs. Marshall County (25-6)

8:30 p.m.: Danville Christian (25-7) vs. Daviess County (21-12)

FRIDAY’S QUARTERFINALS

11 a.m.: Ashland Blazer-North Laurel winner vs. George Rogers Clark-Franklin-Simpson winner

1:30 p.m.: Frederick Douglass-Simon Kenton winner vs. Knott County Central-Taylor County winner

6 p.m.: Danville Christian-Daviess County vs. Henderson County-Marshall County winner

8:30 p.m.: Johnson Central-Sacred Heart winner vs. Mercy-Cooper winner

SATURDAY’S GAMES

11 a.m.: Semifinal 1: Winners of Friday’s afternoon session

1:30 p.m.: Semifinal 2: Winners of Friday’s evening session

7:30 p.m.: Championship

This story was originally published March 10, 2025 at 6:45 AM.