It’s hard to bet against a bench that seats coaches Jeff Haile and Phil Gibson. Henderson County (18-9) proved why last year when the Lady Colonels overcame three losses to Webster County prior to the region tournament to turn the tables on the Lady Trojans and win their sixth region title in seven years.
Despite losing two of their top three scorers from last year, the Lady Colonels should be the favorite to add another region trophy to a crowded trophy case.
Emilee Hope, who committed to Oakland City this month, returns after a junior season that saw her average 17 points and knock down 74 three-pointers while shooting 42-percent behind the arc.
Hope will be joined in the backcourt by sophomore Kaytlan Kemp, who averaged six points a game.
Henderson County is also the beneficiary of a pair of transfers from their district rivals. Junior Sadie Wurth joins the Lady Colonels from Webster County where she scored six points a game last year. Senior Jocelyn Spaulding led Union County in scoring at 9.6 points in 11 games for the Lady Braves. Spaulding will settle into one of the forward spots.
Henderson County has some untested size in 5-10 freshman Jarie Thomas and 5-10 junior M Kyra Dixon.
Freshman Graci Risley scored 17 points in Henderson’s region tourney win over Trigg County and will share some floor time with freshman Savannah Lacer and junior Lauren Hubbard, with the latter proving to be a strong bench player last year.
The key early for the Lady Colonels and Haile, who enters his 34th season as head coach at Henderson County, will be how quickly the new faces gel with the returning players. Regardless, you can expect the Lady Colonels to be in the thick of things come March like they always have been.
