GAME 2: FRANKLIN COUNTY VS. SHELBY VALLEY, 1:30 P.M. WEDNESDAY
FRANKLIN COUNTY
* Coach: Joey Thacker.
* Record: 28-4.
* Nickname: Flyers.
* Location: Frankfort.
* Region: 11th.
* Enrollment: 982.
* Litkenhous Rating: 106.6 (No. 5 in state).
* Sweet 16 trips: Third (3-2).
* Last trip to State: 2015 (lost 52-32 to Allen County-Scottsville in first round).
* What to look for: The Flyers, one of only two Kentucky teams to beat top-ranked Elizabethtown this year, love to play fast and wear down opponents, Thacker said. Their 68-point scoring average is tied for fifth-best in the state, and they’re tied for fourth in rebounding (38.7 per game). But Franklin County may be shorthanded as starting guard Savannah Courtney suffered a bone bruise on her knee in the regional final against Lexington Bryan Station. She is day-to-day.
* Key player: Coming into the season, Thacker felt that Princess Stewart was positioned to take a big step forward, and the 5-7 guard has done just that. This year, the junior leads the team in both scoring and rebounding and has shot 49.9 percent from the floor.
* Coach-speak: “We have to hope that we get a better start, that we get out of the gate so much better than we did last year (and) that the bright lights don’t bother us as much,” Thacker said. “Our kids feel real bad about how they played in the state tournament last year. That’s really not who we are. So, we’re looking to avenge that effort.”
STARTERS
5-Princess Stewart
5-7, Jr., 17.9 ppg, 7.6 rpg
22-Savannah Courtney
5-6, Jr., 6.4 ppg, 3.3 rpg
4-Dasia Kilbourne
5-9, Sr., 7.7 ppg, 3.5 rpg
3-Malaka Frank
5-10, Sr., 9.0 ppg, 7.1 rpg
11-Rebecca Cook
5-10, Jr., 11.2 ppg, 6.6 rpg
KEY RESERVES
10-Anna Arrastia
5-9, Sr., 6.8 ppg, 2.8 rpg
1-Kendall Talley
5-4 So., 3.8 ppg, 1.4 rpg
13-Brooklynn Miles
5-6, 7th, 4.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg
14-Sierra Newton
5-7, Sr., 0.5 ppg, 0.8 rpg
SHELBY VALLEY
* Coach: Rodney Rowe.
* Record: 28-3.
* Nickname: Lady Kats.
* Location: Pikeville.
* Region: 15th.
* Enrollment: 584.
* Litkenhous Rating: 83.6.
* Sweet 16 trips: Fourth (1-3).
* Last trip to State: 2014 (lost 52-48 to Danville in first round).
* What to look for: Despite losing five of their top six players from last year’s team – as well as another starter in December – the Lady Kats find themselves back to the Sweet 16 for the second time in three years. Shelby Valley starts four sophomores but still ended up one of the top shooting teams (45.7 percent, eighth-best) in the state this season. The Lady Kats also only allowed opponents to score 37.1 points per game, fourth-best in the state.
* Key player: As the lone senior on the squad forward Lakyn Mullins has served as the team’s leader. Her scoring and rebounding averages are tops on the team, and her 59.5 percent shooting ranks 15th overall in the state. She posted double-doubles in all three regional games, including a 24-point, 11-rebound effort in the semifinals against Betsy Layne.
* Coach-speak: “You know how coaches say some kids underachieve? Some teams under or overachieve?” Rowe said. “This bunch has definitely overachieved. I think our schedule has helped us, playing a tough schedule, but this team has overachieved.”
STARTERS
3-Lakyn Mullins
5-7, Sr., 16.7 ppg, 7.6 rpg
32-Kayla Newsom
5-6, So., 7.9 ppg, 3.4 rpg
00-Summer Rose
5-3, So., 7.4 ppg, 1.8 rpg
10-Cassidi Wright
5-2, So., 7.5 ppg, 1.8 rpg
5-Kyleigh Tackett
5-6, So., 5.5 ppg, 4.3 rpg
TOP RESERVES
15-Tori Hampton
5-4, 8th, 2.5 ppg, 2.1 rpg
14-Sadie Compton
5-5, So., 0.8 ppg, 0.8 rpg
11-Savannah Belcher
5-1, Jr., 2.8 ppg, 0.5 rpg
-Steve Bittenbender