This mini-camp was held July17-18,2009 at Georgetown College in Georgetown KY.  This was an excellent camp and the talent level was high from the senior class on down to the underclassmen.

The Camp MVP was 6-2 Sr. Antonita Slaughter (Christian Academy of Louisville KY) who impressed  with her all-around game and long range shooting.  5-10 Sr. Chassidy Fussell (Obion County Central Troy TN) has excellent all-around skills and is a playmaker with excellent court vision.  5-7 So. April Wilson (Manual Louisville KY) was named top underclassman and is a definite star even at this young age.  Watch out for 5-8 Fr. China Dow (Christian Academy of Louisville KY)-she will be a good one.

5-8 Jr. Kristen Stainback (Scott County Georgetown KY) displays a lot of heart and unlimited range on her jump shot.  When she gets in a "zone" she makes the game look easy.  5-10 Sr. Kayla Thacker (Bullitt East Mt. Washington KY) is an excellent overall player who understands the game. Look out for 6-2 So. Tia Nicholson (Clarksville TN) and 5-7 So. Jessy Ward (Clarksville TN) both young and talented.

5-9 Jr. Megan Cureton (Butler Louisville KY) and 5-6 Jr. Heather Wheat (Butler Louisville KY) play together in high school and were on the same team in camp.  Both are very solid players and have a good understanding of the game.  There were numerous players who impressed here during the two days and I will have other blogs as well as a complete write-up on the event within 2-3 weeks.

I was also impressed with some of the younger players who competed this week.  They, at times would be overwhelmed in the first game especially if they were playing against an upperclassman but it was amazing to me how fast their confidence grew and you could actually see them improve each game.  The future would appear bright for the girls' game in the state of Kentucky. Two young players in the state of Kentucky to look for in the future are 5-6 7th grader Alexis Brewer (LaRue County Hodgenville KY) and 5-9 8th grader Ivy Brown (LaRue County Hodgenville KY).

Later for more news............

The second session of the camp was held July 12-16, 2009 at Georgetown College in Georgetown Ky.

Several players impressed at camp this week: 6-3 Jr. Aaron Cosby (Mount Herman Northfield MA) was named Camp MVP.  6-2 Sr. Joe Staley (Chaminade-Julienne Dayton OH) was named Camp Runner-UP MVP.  6-1  So. Lutrell Thomas (A. Maceo Smith Dallas TX) was named Top Underclassman.  Joe Staley also swept all three shooting contests as he won the free-throw, hot-shot, and three point contests for frontline players.  6-3 Sr. Thomas Poston (Belleville East Belleville IL) won the slam dunk contest.

The "White" team won the Top 30 all-star game by a 136-125 score over the "Heather' team.  6-3 So. Jermaine Rutley (North Hardin Radcliff KY) was named "White" team MVP and led a balanced attack with 15 points.  6-5 Sr. Tony Hamann (Loveland OH), 6-2 So Desmond Dorsey (Jeffersontown KY), 6-5 Jr. Chancellor Armstrong (Trinity Louisville KY), and 6-2 Sr. Demarcus Collins (Nelson Co. Bardstown KY) added 15, 15, 14, and 14 points respectively. 6-3 Sr. Thomas Poston (Belleville East Belleville IL) was named Runner-Up MVP for the "Heather" team and scored 16 points.  5-10 Sr. Robert Owens (Daleville AL), 6-2 Sr. Joe Staley (Chaminade-Julienne Dayton OH), and 6-3 Jr. Stephen Atkinson (Marshall Co. Benton KY) added 14, 12, and 12 points respectively.

Team "Pennsylvania" won the single elimination tournament 79-63 over team "Massachusetts."  The "Pennsylvania" tournament MVP was 6-1 Jr. Dwayne Gallimore (West Orange Winter Garden FL).  The Runner-up tournament MVP from the "Massachusetts" team was 5-11 Sr. Tyler Whitman (Ooltewah TN).

The Junior Division Camp MVP was 5-11 8th grader Trenton Gilbert (Wolfe Co. Campton KY).  The Runner-UP Camp MVP was 6-4 Fr. Rasheed Dashiell (Harker Heights TX).

The "Heather" team defeated the "White" team 81-76 in the Junior All-star game.  The "Heather" team tourney MVP 5-7 Fr. Dylan Harris (Metcalfe Co. Edmonton KY) put on a shooting display as he scored 32 points including seven three point baskets.  5-11 Fr. Tanner Clark (Franklin-Simpson Franklin KY) added 19 points. 5-11 8th grader Trenton Gilbert (Wolfe Co. Campton KY) was named "White" team Runner-Up MVP and scored 11 points.  5-7 Fr. Robert Ristaneo led the "White" team in scoring with 12 points.

Team "Missouri" won the Junior Division tournament by a score of 61-52 over team "Nebraska."  Team "Missouri" tourney MVP was 5-7 8th grader Garrett Dunn (Wolfe Co. Campton KY).  The Runner-up tourney MVP from the "Nebraska" team was 5-5 8th grader Nick Norton (Epiphany Middle Bloomington IL).

There were many other players to numerous to mention here who impressed this week and I hope to  have my complete write-up of this session on my website within the next 2-3 weeks.

Note:  It was reported  to me on August 20th that Lutrell Thomas will actually be a Jr. for the 2009-2010 season.

July  9-11th Central Kentucky area - The majority of the games on Saturday July 11th were played at the Kentucky Basketball Academy in Lexington Kentucky.

Some of the top players on display this weekend included the following:

Chinenye Ogwumilke 6-3 2010 (TX) CY-Fair Shock Nike Elite AAU

Samarie Walker 6-1 2010 (OH) Sports City U AAU

Natasha Howard 6-4 2011 (OH) Toledo Waite High School

Ronika Ransford 5-8 2010 (DC) Tennessee Flight AAU

Alexia Standish 5-8 2011 (TX) CY-Fair Shock Nike Elite

Malina Howard 2012 (OH) Sports City U AAU

Marjorie Butler 5-8 2012 (TN) Tennessee Flight AAU

Lakeisha Crouch 6-0 2010 (TN) Tennessee Flight AAU

Several organizations including Tennessee Flight has several AAU teams and the talent was excellent on all the teams.  There were several players missing this weekend including the following who will be participating in other events this summer:

Stefanie Dolson 6-5 2010 (NY) Tennessee Flight AAU

Valencia McFarland 5-6 2010 (MS) Tennessee Flight AAU

LaQuinta Jefferson 6-0 2010 (TN) Tennessee Flight AAU

July 9-11th Central Kentucky area - This prestigious event was held in Central Ky with many of the games being held at the Kentucky Basketball Academy at Lexington KY.  I will discuss some of the top girls later but I just wanted to mention some of the schools that had coaches at this event.  I just managed to attend July 11th but the talent level was incredible.

Some of the schools I saw listed on the sign-in board included the following:Wofford, Marshall, Oakland, American, Clemson, Miami, Cincinnati, Memphis, Iowa State, Nebraska, Niagra, Indiana State, Toledo, Gardner-Webb, Bentley, Eastern, Pepperdine, Midway, Hillsdale, Youngstown State, SE Missouri State, Rhode Island, Richmond,Ohio State, Ohio University, Western, Dayton, UCONN, Purdue, Mississippi State, and Kansas.

Nort Carolina A&T, Arkansas, Kentucky Wesleyan, Indiana, Western Michigan, Central Michigan, St. Louis, Georgia, West Liberty, Wake Forrest, Sacred Heart University, Akron, Maryland, Marquette, Evansville, Ashland, Old Dominican, Xavier, Duquesne, MTSU, South Alabama. Mt. Union, Vermont, Boston College, Belmont, Kentucky State, Murray, and Missouri State.

Alabama, Cleveland State, Buffalo, Furman, IPFW, Longwood, North Carolina State, DePaul, Wright State, Iowa, Wisconsin, Ball State, Illinois, Slippery Rock, Canisius, Green Bay, Miami Ohio, Nebraska, Lafayette, UNC Wilmington, UMASS Lowell, Kentucky, Samford, Southern Methodist University, Binghampton, Kent State, UTEP, and Northern Kentucky University.

Baldwin Wallace, Tennessee, Auburn, Wichita State, Southern Indiana, Michigan State, Florida State, Texas Tech, NJIT, IUPUI, Alabama, University Charleston (WV), Milwaukee, Penn State, Rice, Seton Hall, Gannon, East Michigan, Texas A&M, Texas, Pittsburgh, George Washington, Florida, West Virginia State, and Kennesaw.

Youngstown State, Washington University, Transylvania, Georgetown College, St. Louis, Tennessee State, Davis & Elkins, Purdue, Colgate, Western Michigan, BGSU, Wisconsin, Mississippi, ETSU, UCLA, Belmont, Morehead, Coastal Carolina, Arkansas State, Butler, Case Western Reserve, UT-Chatt., Vanderbilt, Oklahoma State, Saint Francis, and Syracuse.

I realize that I probably have duplicate schools listed, probably several misspelled, and missed many others that were probably in attendance but I just wanted to give you an idea of the magnitude of the event.

I was also impressed with the organizers: Tom Insell, Tucker Neale, Carlos Shea-Ron and the others who did an excellent job and were gracious in dealing with all the logistics and questions concerning an event of this magnitude.

The first session onf this camp was held June 28-July 2, 2009 at Georgetown College in Georgetown KY.

Several players impressed at camp this weekend: 6-9 Sr. Curtis Washington (Elizabethtown HS Elizabethtown KY) was named Camp MVP.  6-8 Sr. Colt Barnhill (East Carter High School Grayson KY) was named Camp Runner-Up MVP.  5-11 Jr Jairen Hunt (Godwin Heights High School Wyoming MI) was named Top Underclassman.  6-0 Sr. Sean Samsel (Manual High School Louisville KY) put on a shooting and scoring exhibition as he reportedly tallied 55 points including 15 three point baskets in one of the division games.  6-5 Jr. Dan Ratterman (St. Xavier High School Louisville KY) had a camp first as he swept all three shooting contests as he won the free-throw, hot-shot, and three point contests for frontline players.

The "White" team dominated the top 30 all-star game with a 148-110 victory over the "Heather" team.  The winning team was led by MVP 6-2 Sr. Tristan Hicks (Brown High School Louisville KY) who tallied 25 points many coming on crowd pleasing dunks.  6-9 Sr. Curtis Washington (Elizabethtown High School Elizabethtown KY) added 24 points and 5-11 Sr. Wayne Simon (St. Joseph's High School Westchester IL) chipped in with 23 points. 6-6 Sr. Phil Barner (Mason County High School Maysville KY) was named Runner-up MVP for the "Heather" team and led a balanced attack with 16 points.  The "Heather" team was a bit shorthanded tonight as Colt Barnhill and 6- Jr. Dylan Basham (North Hopkins High School Madisonville KY) were unable to play tonight due to injuries.

The "Heather" team defeated the "White" team 112-103 in the second 30 All-Star game.  The "Heather" team was led by game MVP 6-4 Jr. Robbie Barber (Scott County High School Georgetown KY).  The "White"  team was led by Runner-up MVP 6-4 Sr. Brandon Ritchie (DeSales High School Louisville KY).

The Junior Division Camp MVP was 5-10 8th grader Erick Locke (Brooks Chicago IL).  The Junior Division Camp Runner-Up MVP was 6-1 8th grader Lanham Crabtree (Fairdale KY).  The "White" team defeated the "Heather" team 80-78 in the Junior Division All-Star game.  The "White" team MVP was 5-10 Fr. Myles Boone (Dunlap IL).  the Runner-UP MVP from the "Heather" team was 6-3 8th grader Michael Arnett (Calloway County Murray KY).

5-6 Fr. Mike Smith (Sayre Lexington KY) continues to impress.  Smith chose to compete in the senior division and had a good week to follow up an excellent Ky state AAU tourney.  Another player to watch in the future is 6-1 So. Jordan Brewer (LaRue County High School Hodgenville KY).  Brewer is a smooth operator who does everything well. 6-6 Jr. Dylan Basham (North Hopkins High School Madisonville KY) won the award as the best rebounder in the high school division and is a complete beast on the boards.  6-6 Jr. Andrew Smith (Highlands Christian Academy Pompano Beach FL) won the slam dunk contest and has excellent all around skills.

6-0 Fr. Jalen Peake (West Valley Junior High Yakima WA) impressed in the Junior Division and was described as a versatile performer with the capability of playing anywhere on the floor.  5-8 8th grader Zack Chaykowsky (Ballard County Barlow KY) is an excellent shooter and has remarkable court knowledge for his age.

There were many other players to numerous to mention here who impressed this week and I hope to have my complete write-up of this session on my website within the next 2-3 weeks.

Note:  It  was reported to me on August 20th that Jairen Hunt will actually be a Sr. for the 2009-2010 season.

June 18-21 KBA Lexington KY

Sunday June 21st

Varsity Key Games (All at KBA)

Shelby Valley 85 Mercer County 59 (Quarterfinal) - Elisha Justice, Taylor Newsome, Tyler Newsome, and Ashley Hatfield led Shelby Valley with 25, 18, 14, and 11 points respectively.  Hatfield recorded three three point baskets.  Jamel Taylor and Clay Cinnamon led Mercer County with 23 and 19 points respectively.

Scott County 81 Boyle County 41 (Quarterfinal) - Ge-Lawn Guyn and Tamron Manning led a balanced Scott County attack with 13 and 12 points respectively.  Boone Goldsmith and Michael Arnett led Boyle County with 10 and eight points respectively.

Tates Creek 69 Knott County Central 41 (Quarterfinal) - Ryan Fucci and Ezra Garner led Tates Creek with 17 and 14 points respectively.  Tate Cox led Knott County Central with 22 points.

Lexington Christian Academy 57 Clay County 37 (Quarterfinal) - Taylor Barnette led LCA with 21 points including four three point baskets.  Will Evans added 18 points.  D.J. Wilson led Clay County with 17 points.

Shelby Valley 80 Scott County 73 (Semifinal) - Ashley Hatfield led Shelby Valley with 26 points including five three point baskets.  Tyler Newsome added 20 points including three three point baskets.  Elisha Justice recorded 13 points.  Shelby Valley recorded 11 three point baskets for the game.  Ge-Lawn Guyn and Chad Jackson led Scott County with 26 and 25 points respectively.

Tates Creek 82 Lexington Christian Academy 72 (Semifinal) - Justin Daugherty led Tates Creek with 28 points.  Ryan Fucci added 26 points including six three point baskets.  Will Evans led LCA with 25 points.  Taylor Barnette added 14 points including three three point baskets.  Carter Helton chipped in with 12 points.

Tates Creek 77 Shelby Valley 66 (Championship) - Ryan Fucci, Justin Daugherty, and Dee Gibson led Tates Creek with 24, 14, and 11 points respectively.  Ashley Hatfield, Taylor Newsome, and Cody Varney led Shelby Valley with 22, 16, and 12 points respectively.

Tates Creek had wins over Somerset, South Floyd, and South Laurel in pool play and followed that up by notching tourney victories over Pendleton County, Lafayette, Knott County Central, and Shelby Valley.  This was a remarkable accomplishment because they were without the sevices of two of their key players in Marcellus Barksdale and Kendall Mack.  The Commodores displayed excellent defense, great passing and total unselfishness and teamwork this week.

I hope to post additional blogs next week on several of the players who impressed this week--some you know and some you don't but will learn.  5-6 Fr. to be Mike Smith (Sayre) impressed this week.  Smith is quick, strong and put up excellent numbers this week.  5-10 Soph D.J. Townsend (Somerset) is another player to keep an eye on.  D.J. is capable of getting hot and scoring points in bunches.  Watch out for 6-0 or 6-1 Soph Taylor Barnette (Lexington Christian Academy).  Barnette could always stroke the three but has added quickness and will now take you off the dribble.

STAY TUNED FOR MORE LATER...................................

June 18-21 KBA Lexington KY

Sunday June 21st

Junior Varsity Key Games (All at KBA)

Montgomery County 45 Clinton County 43 (Quarterfinal) - Tyler Fruth hit a three pointer at the buzzer to give Montgomery County the victory.  Keenan Kelly led the victors with 19 points.  Wayne Stearns, Kylan Asher, and Keifer Dalton led Clinton County with 12, 10, and nine points respectively.

Knott County Central 43 Lexington Christian Academy 40 (Quarterfinal) - Logan Hall led Knott County Central with 23 points.  Tyler Harville, Jerry Asberry, and Patrick Nickodem led LCA with 11, eight, and seven points respectively.

Scott County 48 Clay County 25 (Quarterfinal) - Josh Harris and Zach Bryant led Scott County  with 13 and 11 points respectively.  Whitaker and McGeorge led Clay County with eight and seven points respectively.

Pulaski County 51 Buckhorn 32 (Quarterfinal) - Tyler Goins and Taylor Gover led Pulaski Coun ty with 14 and 10 points respectively.  John Deaton led Buckhorn with 18 points.

Knott County Central 55 Montgomery County 38 (Semifinal) - Mike Slone, Logan Hall, and Seth Adams led the victors with 18, 15, and 14 points respectively.  Omar Prewitt and Cunningham led Montgomery County with 12 and 11 points respectively.

Scott County 70 Pulaski County 42 (Semifinal) - Robbie Barber and Josh Harris led Scott County with 17 and 10 points respectively.  Taylor Gover and Cody Johnson led Pulaski County with 19 and 10 points respectively.

Knott County Central 49  Scott County 47 (Championship) - Mike Slone hit a putback at the buzzer to give Knott County Central the championship.  Slone and Zach Davis led the victors with 16 points each.  Slone recorded four three point baskets.  Logan Hall added 11 points.  Robbie Barber and Zach Bryant led Scott County with 13 and 10 points respectively.

Two sessions, June 28-July2 and July 12-16.  There are still openings available in the second session.  For more info, visit

www.basketball-camp.net

June 11-14 KBA Lexington KY

Sunday June 14th

Varsity key games.

Sacred Heart Academy 51 Mercy 46 (Quarterfinal) - Autumn Miller led Sacred Heart with 19 points.  Ellen Sholtes amd Therese Montano led Mercy with 12 and nine points respectively.

Butler 67 CAL 63 (2OT) (Quarterfinal) - Whitney Reed, Megan Cureton, and Heather Wheat led Butler with 20, 15, and 14  points respectively.  Antonita Slaughter and China Dow led CAL with 29 and 15 points respectively.

Casey County 61 Madison Central 51 (Quarterfinal) - Megan Pittman and Amanda Johnson led Casey County with 27 and 11 points respectively.  Larryn Brooks and Brislyn Sizemore led Madison Central with 14 and 10 points respectively.

Marion County 53 Franklin County 50 (Quarterfinal) - Makayla Epps and Bre Elder led Marion County with 17 and 11 points respectively.  Chelsea Craig and Ashli Mayes led Franklin County with 18 and 16 points respectively.

Sacred Heart Academy 48 Butler 41 (Semifinal) - Anna Marie Campbell led Sacred Heart with 14 points.  Whitney Reed led Butler with 15 points.

Marion County 57 Casey County 51 (Semifinal) - Makayla Epps and Andrea King led Marion County with 29 and 10 points respectively.  Megan Pittman led Casey County with 34 points.

Marion County 55 Sacred Heart Academy 52 (Championship) - Makayla Epps, Kyvin Goodin-Rogers, and Bre Elder led Marion County with 25, 11, and 10 points respectively.  Jackie Hafele, Morgan Clemons, and Maddie Peabody led Sacred Heart with 19, 12, and 10 points respectively.

Congratulations to a very young talented Marion County squad for capturing the championship.  Makayla Epps and Kyvin Goodin-Rogers will be freshmen next season and Bre Elder will be a soph.  This team is very solid and should be very good for several seasons.

Coach Rice has a very solid CAL team led by 6-2 Sr. Antonita Slaughter, one of the top contenders for Miss Basketball.  CAL also have solid returnees including Allison Karst and Anna Hart and a talented newcomer in China Dow.

Sacred Heart, Mercy, and Butler are all solid teams that will make a lot of noise this season.  There are several players on all three teams capable of having excellent seasons.

Casey County's Megan Pittman is the real deal, she has excellent post moves and nice range on her jump shot.  Madison Central and Franklin County are two up and coming teams very capable of breaking into the state's elite teams in the very near future.  Both are very capable of challenging for the 11th region title this season.

Several other teams that did not make it to Sunday were very impressive and I will cover them more in my regular writeup later.

I always enjoy watching Mercy's Therese Montano play.  Montano is a 5-9 senior-to-be who tends to make everyone around her better,  She does a little bit of everything and would have been capable of playing well in every era of the game.

Makayla Epps definitely proved this week that youth must be served and she sliced through  the competition this week with ease which belies her youth.

June 11-14 KBA Lexington KY

Sunday June 14th

Junior Varsity key games

Letcher Central 42 Harlan County 23 (Quarterfinal) - Julie Cornett led a balanced Letcher Central attack with 11 points.  Erica Meade and Kaitlyn Collier added eight and seven points respectively.  Cornett led Harlan County with eight points.

Mercy3 40 Assumption2 38 (Quarterfinal) - Lauren Lee, Whitney Hartlage, and Victoria Dircksen led Mercy3 with seven points each.  Becca Durbin and Kelsey Kaiser led Assumption2 with 10 and nine points respectively.

Lincoln County 42 Mercy2 38 (OT) (Quarterfinal) - Emily Fox led Lincoln County with 19 points.  Catherine Dircksen and Jade Tubb led Mercy2 with 14 and eight points respectively.

CAL 33 Merecr County 32 (Quarterfinal) - Kate Joss and Abby Woosley led CAL with 11 and nine points respectively.  Each recorded three three point baskets.  Tabby Shewmaker led Mercer County with 12 points.

Letcher Central 46 Mercy3 43 (Semifinal) - Vannah Breeding and Keisha Collins led Letcher Central with 13 and 11 points respectively.  Kayla Richardson, Lauren Lee, and Caroline Keck led Mercy3 with 18, 11, and 10 points respectively.

CAL 36 Lincoln County 25 (Semifinal) - Megan Brown, Kate Joss, and Casey Marshall led CAL with 11, eight, and seven points respectively.  Emily Fox and Sydney Harris led Lincoln County with nine and seven points respectively.

Letcher Central 55 CAL 23 (Championship) - Letcher Central raced out to a 22-2 first quarter lead on their way to victory.  Erica Meade, Keisha Collins, and Caitlyn Collier led the victors with 12, nine, and eight points respectively.  Casey Marshall led CAL with nine points.

Congratulations to Letcher Central as they defended the JV championship they won last year.  Letcher Central featured balanced scoring with several players capable of stepping up to lead the team.

Several other teams in competition this week had girls capable of logging quality varsity minutes this season.  I was impressed with the talent and depth on these teams and am looking forward to seeing some of these girls play over the next few seasons.  Coaches do a great job at this level of not only playing to win but more importantly teaching the fundamentals and developing players skills for the future.