Top 10: The 11th Region’s best girls’ basketball teams for 2020-21
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2020-21 High School Basketball Preview
The Herald-Leader/Kentucky.com is publishing season preview stories leading up to the start of the 2020-21 high school basketball season on Monday, Jan. 4. You can read everything we’ve published to this point by clicking on this drop-down list. All of the stories are also available in our print editions.
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Over the first half of the last decade, 11th Region girls’ high school basketball had been fairly democratic.
From 2010 to 2015 there were five different winners of the 11th Region crown.
Franklin County and Scott County have since made a mess of that.
The Flyers have won four of the last six titles with Scott County grabbing the other two — and fending off Franklin each time to do it.
This preseason, Flyers’ Coach Joey Thacker has a team voted No. 2 in the state in the Herald-Leader’s preseason survey of coaches and it’s led by Brooklynn Miles, one of the favorites to earn Miss Basketball honors.
But Thacker takes nothing for granted.
“Everybody has a lot of people back all around the region,” Thacker said. “I think the challenge is making sure that we do what we’re supposed to do, day in and day out, because I really feel like the region as a whole is as strong as it’s been in the last three years.”
Here’s a breakdown of the 11th Region’s best teams and how they rated, according to our Herald-Leader preseason coaches’ survey, which asked them to rank their preseason top 10.
1. Franklin County
If it seems like Brooklynn Miles has been around Flyers basketball forever, you’re not far off. The 5-foot-6 point guard was a key player off the bench as a seventh-grader when they made their run to the state finals in 2016. She started as an eighth-grader the next year on the team that won its third straight 11th Region crown and second straight Sweet 16 championship game.
One of the most coveted recruits in the nation, she averaged 21.7 points per game as a junior, and committed to Tennessee this offseason. Those big-time plans haven’t taken away her preparation for her last high school campaign, Thacker said.
“I’ve just been real pleased with her being where her feet are right now,” Thacker said. “Some kids when they sign with a school like Tennessee, or Division 1 school, really, sometimes they’ve already got one foot out the door, and she’s been the exact opposite.
“She has really turned her attention to our season and her teammates and her work ethic and her leadership. And it has been absolutely fantastic.”
Patience Laster, a 5-11 forward who averaged 12.9 points and 7.8 rebound per game last season, also ranks among the best players in the state. This year, she will have more freedom to create matchup problems for other teams with the Flyers getting 6-4 sophomore center Jhaven Meade, a Bourbon County transfer, to mind the post.
“That gives us a 5-11 and a 6-4 punch in the post, but I’m pretty confident that Patience is a kid that is more comfortable at (forward). Her outside shooting has improved and she’s very mobile to be the size that she is. She’s had a real good preseason, as well.”
Franklin County (27-8 last season) also returns experienced juniors Jazmin Chambers, a 5-10 forward, Neveah Carter, a 5-4 ball of energy at guard and Shauvi Kennedy a 5-8 guard.
Shooting, especially three-point shooting, will be a concern, Thacker said, but in the practices they’ve had before the recent statewide COVID-19 hiatus, he’s been encouraged about the team’s chemistry and play.
“Before we were shut down, we had had as good practices as we’ve had since our first (state) runner-up team,” Thacker said. “We’ve got to find some people that make some outside shots consistently, but I think, defensively, we can be as good as we’ve ever been.”
2. Paul Laurence Dunbar
Dunbar has won three consecutive 43rd District titles and with a senior-laden roster highlighted by one of the state’s best players, Elise Ellison-Coons, the Bulldogs (23-9 last season) might have the best shot at upending Franklin County’s hold on the region.
Ellison-Coons, a 5-10 guard/forward, has averaged a double-double each of the last three years with 16.7 points and 10.6 rebounds averages last season. Her cousin, point guard Tanaya Cecil, comes off her best season with 12.2 points and near 40-percent accuracy from three-point range.
Coach Nick Runyon likes his mix of “veteran leadership” and “raw talent.” Also returning are starters Azaiah Campbell, a 5-10 junior, Hailey Gadd, a 5-10 senior and Carley Hinshaw, a 5-8 junior and an experienced bench.
“We feel like we have a group that can make a run at the regional championship,” Runyon said. “We have all the pieces we need to compete at a state level. We should be able to press teams, play great half-court defense, and score the ball while controlling the tempo.”
3. Great Crossing
The Warhawks went 16-16 in their inaugural season and have everyone back.
Braylee McMath, a 5-foot senior point guard, led the team in scoring at 17.9 points per game and was joined in double figures by 5-7 junior Timothi Williams at 13.8. Great Crossing has some size, too, with 5-10 freshman Ava Schureman and 6-0 sophomore Raegan Barrett.
“I feel very excited about the upcoming season,” Coach Glenn Wilson said. “We now have tons of experience and talent to go along with it. I feel that if we can put all the pieces together as a team, we can do something special.”
4. Tates Creek
In their third season under Coach Matt Yates, the Commodores (18-13) ended a string of nine straight losing records for the Commodores and don’t appear to be looking back.
Tates Creek returns most of its major contributors, including leading scorers Maddie Kauffman (12.8 ppg) and Caty Armishaw (11.2 ppg), both juniors.
“Our strength will be in our number of players with varsity experience,” Yates said.
Yates expects a “breakout year” from Elyse Baker, a 5-11 junior, and continued solid play out of seniors Aaliyah Yates and Katelin Shelton.
5. Scott County
The Cardinals return three starters from last season’s 28-7 team, but have a lot of offense to make up with the graduation of Morgan DeFoor and Maleiyah Owens.
Coach Steve Helton’s up-tempo offense should yield those answers pretty quickly with 6-0 seniors Kenady Tompkins and Kaylie Wise and 5-5 junior Emma Price helping mold the next batch of Scott County playmakers that will include 5-8 sophomore Tyra Young, who Helton hails as a player he can put in all five positions.
“Our development on the court and bench production will be key in determining how our season develops,” Helton said. “Our goal will be to find that combination that allows us to control the tempo of the game and continue our up-tempo fast-break style of play that we pride our program on.”
6. Madison Southern
Coach Josh Curtis believes he can go 10 deep on the Madison Southern (16-15) bench and has an experienced group led by 5-7 senior guard Samantha Cornelison. Cornelison could finish her career as the Eagles’ all-time leading scorer if we get a season in. Also back are 5-11 junior Macie Daniels and 5-5 junior Morgan Flannery.
7. Lafayette
The Generals return five players who’ve started each of the last two seasons for Coach Allison Denton, which began paying dividends in last year’s 19-12 campaign that included a 16-game winning streak. Four juniors, Anaya Brown (12.1 ppg), Lauren Walton (11.4 ppg), Olivia Cathers and Catherine Jacobs, lead the way along with sophomore Kiley Noble.
8. Henry Clay
Henry Clay (12-16) went really young last year with most of its roster made up of freshmen and eighth-graders, a move that should start yielding results for Coach Eric Sanford soon. Team leaders this year include juniors Lauren Thomas and Kennedy Williams and leading scorer Allison Stone, a sophomore.
9. Bryan Station
The Defenders (12-20) have four starters back including double-digit scorers Natoria Godoy, a senior, (16.9 ppg) and Tanian Woodall (13 ppg), a junior. Coach Brian Hall is looking for more consistency from his team throughout the season.
10. Berea
Coach Dammian Stepp says this year’s Pirates could be the best Berea team in years and has set up a difficult schedule to meet the challenge. Back from an ACL injury is Mati Stepp at point guard with leading scorer Madison Howell and Mackenzie Howell providing size at 6-0 and 5-11, respectively. “We return eight players with significant varsity experience,” Stepp said.
Rounding out
The rest in order of votes: Lexington Catholic, Madison Central, Sayre, Model, Lexington Christian, Frankfort Christian.
2020-21 season preview
This is the sixth of eight stories the Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com is publishing in the coming days previewing the 2020-21 high school boys’ and girls’ basketball seasons, which are scheduled to tip off Jan. 4.
This story was originally published December 29, 2020 at 7:27 AM.
