2020 Girls’ Sweet 16: A look at every team and how they got to Rupp Arena
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2020 Girls’ Sweet 16 preview
Click below to view all of our content previewing the 2020 Mingua Beef Jerky/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16 Kentucky high school basketball state tournament, to be played March 11-15 at Rupp Arena in Lexington.
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The 59th Mingua Beef Jerky/KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16 state basketball tournament gets underway Wednesday at Rupp Arena in downtown Lexington.
The 11th Region was the first to decide its champion on Friday. Thirteen region finals were played on Saturday with the last two on Sunday.
So, who made it through?
Below you’ll find scouting reports for the 16 region champions, how they made their way to Rupp and who they’ll face when they get there. The Cantrall Ratings were compiled after the region tournaments. The KHSAA’s RPI figure is from the end of the regular season.
1st Region: Marshall County
Record/RPI (rank)/Cantrall Rating (rank): 24-9/.60998 (32)/80.1 (11).
Leading scorer: Cayson Conner (15.8 ppg)
Win streak coming to Rupp: Five
Pedigree: 23-time region champ, last appearing in 2014 Sweet 16; two-time state champ (1982, 1984)
How they got here: Defeated Graves County 52-50 in overtime as Conner scored 26 points and Halle Langhi added 17. A Layne Pea three-pointer from “NBA range,” according to The Paducah Sun, put the Marshals ahead by four with under two-minutes to go. Payne made a free throw with 0.4 seconds left to seal the victory.
First-round opponent: Henderson County (22-7) at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
Prior meeting: Defeated Henderson 58-53 on the road on Jan. 3.
2nd Region: Henderson County
Record/RPI/Cantrall Rating: 22-7/.63977 (16)/82.8 (8).
Leading scorer: Emilee Hope (19.4 ppg)
Win streak: Three
Pedigree: 16-time region champ, last appearing in 2019 Sweet 16.
How they got here: Defeated No. 24 Madisonville 66-49 and handed the Maroons only their second loss of the season, both to the Colonels. Second Region player of the year Emilee Hope scored 19 points. Sadie Wurth added 17.
First-round opponent: Marshall County (24-9) at 1:30 p.m. Thursday.
Prior meeting: Lost to Marshall County at home 58-53 on Jan. 3.
3rd Region: Owensboro Catholic
Record/RPI/Cantrall Rating: 25-10/.60543 (37)/75.8 (14).
Leading scorer: Hannah McKay (18.8 ppg)
Win Streak: Six
Pedigree: Eight-time region champ appearing in third straight Sweet 16.
How they got here: Overcame a four-point deficit with 2:17 left in the game to defeat Muhlenberg County 53-49. A McKay basket and foul shot followed by a Mustangs turnover and Isabella Henning score put the Aces up for good 50-49 with 1:22 left as Owensboro Catholic ended the game on a 12-4 run. Henning finished with 25 points.
First-round opponent: Clark County (22-10) at 8 p.m. Thursday.
Prior meeting: The Aces and Cardinals have not played each other this season.
4th Region: Bowling Green
Record/RPI/Cantrall Rating: 28-6/.65394 (12)/80.3 (10).
Leading scorer: Saniyah Shelton (12.7 ppg)
Win streak: Five
Pedigree: Seven-time region champ, last appearing in 2018 Sweet 16.
How they got here: The Purples never trailed in handing defending champion Barren County a loss in the region finals, completing a three-game sweep of the Trojanettes. Meadow Tisdale led four players in double figures with 17 points.
First-round opponent: Russell (26-8) at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Prior meeting: The Purples and Red Devils have not played each other this season.
5th Region: Elizabethtown
Record/Cantrall Rating/RPI: 27-5/.67230 (6)/86.4 (1).
Leading scorer: Whitney Hay (19.0 ppg)
Win streak: Seven
Pedigree: 11-time region champ, last appearing in 2018 Sweet 16; 1998 state champion.
How they got here: Defeated 2020 All “A” Classic champion Bethlehem 57-47 a year after being upset by the Banshees in the regional finals. Hay and fellow senior Ellie Taylor led the Panthers with 16 points each.
First-round opponent: Bullitt East (24-7) at noon Wednesday.
Prior meeting: The Panthers and Chargers have not played each other this season.
6th Region: Bullitt East
Record/RPI/Cantrall Rating: 24-7/.64822 (14)/84.9 (5).
Leading scorer: Lexi Taylor (14.4 ppg)
Win streak: Three
Pedigree: Three-time region champ, last appearing in the 2004 Sweet 16, representing the 8th Region.
How they got here: Beat No. 11 Butler, 49-40 despite only shooting 30 percent from the field for the game. Taylor scored 13 points with 10 rebounds and Kennedy Griffin added 15 as the Chargers made seven of their last nine free throws to secure the victory.
First-round opponent: Elizabethtown (27-5) at noon Wednesday.
Prior meeting: The Chargers and Panthers have not met this season.
7th Region: Sacred Heart
Record/RPI/Cantrall Rating: 32-2/.70472 (2)//86.1 (3)
Leading scorer: Erin Toller (16.4 ppg)
Win streak: Five.
Pedigree: Seven-time region champ, last time appearing in 2017; four-time state champ (1976, 2002, 2003, 2004).
How they got here: Ran the gantlet of one of the toughest regions in the state, topping top-15 teams Manual and Christian Academy-Louisville in the process despite the loss of one of their best players on the last day of the regular season. Destinee Marshall, a Radford commit was lost for the season after a car accident broke bones in her left hand, but the Valkyries have been rolling since.
First-round opponent: South Laurel (27-6) at noon Thursday.
Prior meeting: Defeated the Cardinals 74-50 at Franklin County event on Jan. 4
8th Region: Anderson County
Record/RPI/Cantrall Rating: 30-5/.67568 (5)/86.2 (2).
Leading scorer: Amiya Jenkins (15.9 ppg)
Win streak: Nine.
Pedigree: Six-time region champ last appearing in the 2014 Sweet 16.
How they got here: Knocked off one-time No. 1 Simon Kenton in the first round of regional and rolled over the rest of the field capped by a 58-21 win over South Oldham on Saturday.
First-round opponent: Franklin County (27-7) at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Prior meeting: Beat visiting Franklin County 62-52 on Jan. 21.
9th Region: Ryle
Record/RPI/Cantrall Rating: 22-11/.58638 (52)/85.7 (4)
Leading scorer: Brie Crittendon (15.6 ppg)
Win streak: Nine.
Pedigree: Consecutive three-time region champ; defending state champ
How they got here: Defeated No. 20 Notre Dame despite losing two-time Gatorade Player of the Year and McDonald’s All-American Maddie Scherr to an apparent ankle injury in the first quarter. Crittendon, a 5-9 junior, scored 20 points in the win, and has developed as a reliable partner to the Raiders’ Miss Basketball contender.
First-round opponent: Letcher County Central (25-10) at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Prior meeting: The Raiders and Cougars have not played each other this season.
10th Region: Clark County
Record/RPI/Cantrall Rating: 22-10/.61183 (30)/82.5 (9).
Leading scorer: Kennedy Igo (15.0 ppg)
Win streak: Six.
Pedigree: 14-time region champs making fourth straight appearance in Sweet 16.
How they got here: Forced 27 turnovers in avenging an early-season loss to Campbell County as freshman Brianna Byars led the way with 18, scoring nine of them in a decisive third quarter that saw the Cardinals pull away to a 55-45 victory. Igo scored 15.
First-round opponent: Owensboro Catholic (25-10) at 8 p.m. Thursday.
Prior meeting: The Aces and Cardinals have not played each other this season.
11th Region: Franklin County
Record/RPI/Cantrall Rating: 27-7/62501(23)/80.0 (12).
Leading scorer: Brooklyn Miles (21.7 ppg).
Win streak: Eight.
Pedigree: Five-time region champion, last appearing in 2017; three-time state finalist (1980, 2016, 2017).
How they got here: Held Scott County, the state’s highest-scoring offense at 74.9 points per game to more than 20 points below its average in the region finals. Miles scored 17 of her 20 points in the second half in the 57-53 win.
First-round opponent: Anderson County (30-5) at 8 p.m. Wednesday.
Prior meeting: Lost 62-52 on the road to the Bearcats on Jan. 21.
12th Region: Casey County
Record/RPI/Cantrall Rating: 27-7/.65819 (9)/83.2 (7).
Leading scorer: Gena Cravens (13.1 ppg)
Win streak: Three.
Pedigree: Three-time region champ, last appearing in 2009 Sweet 16.
How they got here: After finishing runner-up the last two seasons, Casey defeated Rockcastle County 55-41. Region player of the year Lauren Lee scored 15 points with four assists and five steals as the Rebels led for all but the first few moments of the game. Jordyn Stephens, one of the team’s seven seniors, led all scorers with 18 points.
First-round opponent: Pikeville (26-7) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Prior meeting: The Rebels and Panthers have not played each other this season.
13th Region: South Laurel
Record/RPI/Cantrall Rating: 27-6/.66383 (8)/84.1 (6).
Leading scorer: Amereh Steele (19.6 ppg)
Win streak: Five.
Pedigree: Two-time region champ, last appearing in 2008 Sweet 16; (pre-split Laurel County was a five-time state champ).
How they got here: South Laurel broke open a close game in the third quarter as tournament MVP Ally Collett scored 26 points, with six assists and Steele added 22 in a 78-67 win over North Laurel.
First-round opponent: Sacred Heart (32-2) at noon Thursday.
Prior meeting: Lost to Sacred Heart 74-50 at Franklin County event on Jan. 4.
14th Region: Letcher County Central
Record/RPI/Cantrall Rating: 25-10/.55122 (84)/63.7 (16).
Leading scorer: Kaylee Banks (16.5 ppg)
Win streak: Six.
Pedigree: Three-time region champ, last appearing in 2016 Sweet 16.
How they got here: Knocked off three-time defending champion Knott County Central 45-40 after rallying for 10 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. Banks scored 18 in the win.
First-round opponent: Ryle (22-11) at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Prior meeting: The Cougars and Raiders have not played each other this season.
15th Region: Pikeville
Record/RPI/Cantrall Rating: 26-7/.60477 (38)/69.5 (15)
Leading scorer: Kirsten Cole-Williamson (17.1 ppg)
Win streak: Three.
Pedigree: Four-time region champ, including last year.
How they got here: The Panthers outlasted Shelby Valley 39-38 in the fifth meeting this season between the two teams. Pikeville won the season series three games to two. Kenzie Maynard made four free throws in the last minute to take the lead and then push it to 39-36 with 22.6 seconds left and the Panthers held on. Tournament MVP Trinity Rowe, a Panthers eighth-grader, scored 10 points with two assists in the championship.
First-round opponent: Casey County (27-7) at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Prior meeting: The Panthers and Rebels have not played each other this season.
16th Region: Russell
Record/RPI/Cantrall Rating: 26-8/.60197 (40)/77.9 (13).
Leading scorer: Shaelyn Steele (16.2 ppg).
Win streak: Five.
Pedigree: Five-time region champ, last appearing in the 2016 Sweet 16.
How they got here: Russell denied Boyd County a fourth straight region title with a 75-57 win over the Lions. Kaeli Ross scored 33 points, including four three-pointers for the Red Devils. Fellow junior Aubrey Hill had 15 points, 14 rebounds and six blocks.
First-round opponent: Bowling Green (28-6) at 6:30 p.m. Thursday.
Prior meeting: The Red Devils and Purples have not played each other this season.
GIRLS’ SWEET SIXTEEN SCHEDULE
Wednesday
Noon: Elizabethtown (27-5) vs. Bullitt East (24-7)
1:30 p.m.: Ryle (22-11) vs. Letcher County Central (25-10)
6:30 p.m.: Casey County (27-7) vs. Pikeville (26-7)
8 p.m.: Franklin County (27-7) vs. Anderson County (30-5)
Thursday
1:30 p.m.: Marshall County (24-9) vs. Henderson County (22-7)
6:30 p.m.: Bowling Green (28-6) vs. Russell (26-8)
Noon: South Laurel (26-6) vs. Sacred Heart (32-2)
8 p.m.: Clark County (22-10) vs. Owensboro Catholic (25-10)
Friday
Quarterfinals: Noon, 1:30, 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Saturday
Semifinals: 6:30 and 8 p.m.
Sunday
Finals: 2 p.m.
This story was originally published March 9, 2020 at 7:22 PM.
