Saturday marked the official close to the girls 2022-23 KHSAA Basketball season in the state of Kentucky, as national power Sacred Heart Academy (Louisville) won its 3rd straight State Championship. The girls sweet 16 had no shortage of star power on display throughout the week. Sacred Heart Academy alone featured multiple players who will play at the next level, highlighted by Sophomore ZaKiyah Johnson who by various recruiting sites, ranks as the #2 overall player in the nation. Junior Reagan Bender & Senior Point Guard Triniti Ralston both were really, really impressive in their own right. Bender can score in bunches & Ralston was by far, the most impressive player on the defensive end of the tournament. Junior Angelina Pelayo scored her 1,000th point of her HS career on the RUPP Arena floor. Mercy Academy featured Leah Macy who put up video game numbers & Emma Barnett. McCracken County featured Destiny Thomas & Claire Johnson. Lawrence County, making its first ever appearance at the Girls State Tournament, featured Sr Kensley Feltner. George Rogers Clark featured the Byars Sisters, Ciara and Brianna along with 8th Grader Kennedy Stamper. The list goes on. The 3rd Region was represented well, as the Owensboro Catholic Lady Aces advanced to the Elite 8 before falling to Sacred Heart. Owensboro Catholic showed that it wasn’t there “by luck” either, despite losing 67-45, Coach Michael Robertson’s squad fought, and left everything on the floor, that alone is all you can ask for as a coach, when you’re going up against a team that hadn’t lost to an in-state opponent in some time. Sophomores Aubrey Randolph & Karmin Riley impressed & Jr Hailee Johnson was steady as well. The Lady Aces lose a talented group of seniors, but return the bulk of their production & will look to repeat as 3rd Region Champs. It will be no easy task though as the top of the 3rd region looks to be really challenging. Breckinridge County, Meade County & Owensboro will all have the talent to cut the Sportscenter nets down next season. Breckinridge County finished this season at 25-8 in a year that was considered a “rebuild”. Coach Chad Moorman has never missed the 3rd Region Tournament while at the helm of the Lady Tigers. The Lady Tigers will return everyone, literally EVERYONE, including star Caroline Lucas who was 1st Team All Region by just about every media outlet that covers the 3rd Region. The Lady Tigers will be a force next season. Meade County finished 22-10. The Lady Wave were the clear cut favorite to repeat as 3rd Region Champions all season. They defeated every 3rd Region opponent by at least 11 points through out the season before being STUNNED by a red hot Owensboro Catholic team that got hot at the right time. Meade County returns 3rd Region PLAYER OF THE YEAR, Peyton Bradley who will be a junior. Meade County will again, be a top team next season. Owensboro Senior, in our opinion, was the biggest surprise, as Coach Jansen Locher and the Lady Red Devils had a tremendous year. Making it all the way to the 3rd Region Title Game for the first time since 2007. The Lady Devils will return Star, Alyrica Hughes & Unique Carter Swanagan who were one of the best 1-2 punches in the area all season. Muhlenberg County & Coach Mike Harper won another district crown & finished 19-11 behind stellar play of Junior Brooklyn Stewart and senior Sarah Cate Boggess. Stewart will be in the running for 3rd Region POY next season. Edmonson County had a successful season posting a 22-8 record, claiming the 12th District Championship and possessing a STAR in freshman center Cariann Williams. She will fun to watch over the next 3 seasons. Remember that name! Hancock County finished 18-12, unfortunately they play in the 11th District, which has been a 2 man horse between Breckinridge & Meade County. The Lady Hornets would’ve been the favorite in other districts across the region & area. Butler County had another solid season under Coach Lexi Belcher. Senior Jenna Phelps was outstanding in her final go in Morgantown. Ohio County, under coach Ted Hill was young, but their defense made them a tough out for a lot of teams through out the season. Despite finishing 7-20, there is positives from the season. The Lady Eagles provided varsity experience for youngsters, Emerson Gray, Kaitlyn Wilson, Lily Hill, & Celeste Jachimowicz. That gained experience along with the return of Ella Decker will bold well as Ohio County looks to get back to its winning ways in Hartford. Apollo, to us, ends the year with a very interesting state in the program. The E-Gals struggled to find the win column this season, finishing 8-22, but Coach Natalie Payne has herself a STAR IN THE MAKING, in freshman Kennedy Lane. The E-Gals have arguably the most talented group of young players in the region. The future looks as bright as you can imagine for Apollo. Daviess County failed to make the Regional Tournament, finishing 14-17 but had one of the most slept on players in western Kentucky, in Adylan Ayer who graduates this year. Ayer could play for ANYONE. Grayson County quietly made HUGE strides this season, finishing 11-17, that is an improvement from the previous 3-22 campaign. Junior Sydney Perkins and Sophomore Sutton VanMeeter return along with most of their rotation and production. Look for next season to be another step forward for Coach Todd Johnston. McLean County qualified for the Regional Tournament as the 10th District Runner Up. The Lady Cougars finished 7-23, but they are another young team that saw a ton of varsity experience gained & will return most all of its production. 7th Grader Anna Miller was impressive and showed signs of what’s to come in Calhoun. Whitesville Trinity finished 3-25 after losing one of the top players in program history in Cassidy Morris last season. Josie Aull had a very good year for the Lady Raiders. To wrap up, Cloverport finished winless. All in all, this was an exciting season across the region. We had a blast covering the area and experiencing Kentucky High School Basketball. Great atmospheres, great communities, great coaches and great talent. We can’t wait for next season.