The Case for LaRue County Lady Hawks Basketball
It had been a hard fought game for LaRue County. The Lady Hawks had just lost their first round playoff game in the 5th Region Tournament against home standing Marion County 55-48 and despite a balanced effort by junior guard Mallory Williams (17-points), junior guard Sophie Akin (14-points / 15-rebounds) and junior guard Presley Brown (12-points) they were unable to close the deal against the Lady Knights guard Haeli Howard’s 22-point game thus ending first year head coach James Slaven’s dream season (or welcome back to high school basketball).
This season things could be different.
True. The Lady Hawks will be undersized (Brown will once again be the tallest starter) and a lot will depend on their ability to shoot the ball especially on the perimeter, but Slaven does believe that his team which will be driven by four senior starters could get lucky if they continue to play hard and improve with the veteran leadership on this years team.
” Personally our expectations are a little higher than they were last season. Last year, I got the job under some unique circumstances with a deadline. I got the job in late September and practice started and expectations were to just survive the season. This season, we know what to expect. I like our talent and the leadership and the kids know me a lot better. I think we would be crazy to not expect to not compete and win the 18th District. We don’t talk about the Region Tournament because it comes down to draws and matchups, so all we can do is win the 18th and give ourselves to get the best draw we can get and hope we can make it on Saturday Night in the Final of the Region Tournament.”
It all starts with Presley Brown, who might be the most popular Presley since Elvis. The tall shooting guard can pretty much play everywhere on the court and proved that by scoring a monster 581-points while shooting 42% from the field. The senior guard has played varsity for over six seasons and had plenty of great role models to pattern herself after like older sisters Danielle and Ivy, who both were excellent Lady Hawk Legends. Brown, like Danielle is also an excellent rebounder as her 298-total will attest.
Senior shooting guard Mallory Williams is also a threat, but in a different way. She is primarily a perimeter player and led the team with 63-made threes last season. Although small, the tiny guard sometimes takes a terrific beating from defenders and players with swinging elbows. More than once last season Williams took it on the chin so to speak, but she keeps coming back with nary a complaint.
Last season, senior Sophie Akin began to emerge as a scoring threat and piled up 266-points including 14 and 15 rebounds in their only Region playoff game. She hit 45% from the field and pulled down 225 boards. This season, Akin should score even more.
Like Akin, senior Sara Warren began to make a bigger impact on the team after the graduation of Delany Eastridge. Warren scored 151-points and is a dangerous three-point shooter with 38 made after hitting 28% from outside the circle.
To be successful in 2018, the Lady Hawks will have to avoid slumps like last season. After losing their first three games, LaRue County went on a tear winning seven of their next nine to end the year and then began to cool down in the month of January going 5-6 and the losing 5-straight to the likes of Green County, Nelson County and Marion County before winning game one of the District Tourney against Hart County to play in the final.
What could change that?
A much more experienced team and a softer 5th Region could help. Many of the recent powerhouse teams are going through transitional changes as well as coaching as well. Green County will still be a threat returning three starters and health will be a big issue as the season progresses.
As Slaven, who witnessed a bizarre episode last season when star guard Brown made it through the first half of a game at powerful Breckinridge County, but became violently ill and was unable to play in the second half while the Lady Hawks fought tooth and nail to stay close (thanks to Williams 8-three’s) until finally falling 77-59. ” Heart rate issues. That’s what happens when you drink 64 ounces of Dr. Pepper before a game.” jokingly replied the second year coach.
This will also be Brown’s swan sound. The senior signed with Bellarmine yesterday and is the last of four sisters, who all starred at the same school. So her basketball playing career will be continued at least for four more seasons. This will also be the end of Williams, Akin and Warren’s high school career’s and Slaven was very adamant about their achievements as all have made their mark at a time when the team was sent reeling from two coaching changes within three seasons.
Fortunately for Slaven, he will have a ringside seat when the final curtain comes down.
After walking away from the sport he loved, he was given a second chance to relive it and will be the first to admit that it’s not easy to leave something that has taken up a large amount of your life.
Ask Presley Brown. I’m sure she will be the first to agree.
