MaxPreps 2014-15 Kentucky Girls Basketball Fab 5 presented by the Army National Guard
1. Elizabethtown2013-14 record: 32-5, Sweet 16 runner-up
Head coach: Tim Mudd
The bad news: the Panthers lost to Butler in last season's state title game. The good news: they only lost one player to graduation. Mudd, the Herald-Leader Coach of the Year, will have a host of returners to try to finish the job in 2014-15, namely junior all-state forward
Erin Boley. As a sophomore, the 6-1 national recruit averaged 20.5 points and 9.2 rebounds per game. Combined with 6-1 senior forward
Reauna Cleaver, the Panthers are the team to beat in Kentucky.
View last season's Kentucky girls basketball rankings, presented by the Army National Guard2. Butler (Louisville)2013-14 record: 32-3
Head coach: Larry Just
It's
never easy to replace the Sweet 16 MVP, but that's what Just will have
to do with the departure of first team all-stater Danielle Lawrence.
Coach's daughter
Allison Just, who scored 10 points in the title game as a sophomore, and
Tasia Jeffries,
just a sophomore, will look to pick up the slack on offense. But with
the Bearettes' trademark press in effect they won't need to score much.
View last season's Kentucky girls basketball playoff brackets3. Lafayette (Lexington)2013-14 record: 29-4, Sweet 16 quarterfinalist
Head coach: Allison Denton
The Generals lost to champion Butler in the quarterfinals of the Sweet 16, but Denton's squad will likely be in the thick of it again this season. All-state performer
Dee Givens (16.8 ppg, 7.0 rpg) returns for her senior year, along with fellow senior
Ashanti Thomas (6-2, C). The duo makes Lafayette a formidable opponent this season.
View last season's Kentucky girls basketball stat leaders4. Bell County (Pineville)2013-14 record: 25-5
Head coach: David Teague
A
disappointing loss to Corbin ended last season for the Bobcats, but
expect Teague's squad to be ready to contend again this year. Senior
all-state forward
Maci Morris, a Kentucky commit, hopes to improve on last season's 22.1 points and 9.6 rebounds per game.
View Kentucky girls basketball pro photo galleries5. Marshall County (Benton)2013-14 record: 31-6, Sweet 16 quarterfinalist
Head coach: Joseph Simmons
Simmons led the Lady Marshals to the third best record in school history, but cold shooting led to a quarterfinal loss to George Rogers Clark last season. Honorable mention all-state performer Alyssa Barnard transferred to Graves County, but senior
Michaela Manley led the team in two First Region tournament victories, earning MVP honors in the process.