A year removed from a 29-2 season that ended with a loss to Henderson County in the 2nd-Region title game, the Madisonville-North Hopkins girls’ basketball team is tasked with replacing seven players from last year’s 7th-District champs.
Five seniors are gone from a year ago, including leading scorer Courtney Peyton and leading rebounder Lindsey Peyton. Courtney posted just under 18 points per game and was second on the team with 40 made 3-pointers. Lindsey pulled down 6.7 rebounds and made 28 3s, scoring just under 10 points per game.
In addition to losses through graduation, the Lady Maroons will also be without the services of All-Region junior Camryn LaGrange as she recovers from a knee injury suffered during the soccer season. LaGrange was second on the team in both points and rebounds with 16.2 and 6.6 per game while hitting a team-high 51 3-pointers at a 40.8% clip. Guard Caitlyn Zieba also doesn’t return after appearing in all 31 games last season as a sophomore.
Head coach Jeff Duvall will look to a number of new faces in his fifth season in charge, but he does have a couple of reliable returnees to anchor the team. Senior forward Kara Franklin will be asked to be more offensive-minded after scoring just under 5 points per game to go with 4.7 rebounds, good enough for third on the team last year. Sophomore Amari Lovan can score inside and out and appears poised for a big season after collecting 5 points and 5 rebounds per outing as a freshman.
Sophomores Lillie Carmen and Katelyn McGowan will be asked to expand their games, with Carman providing ball-handling and a stopper on the defensive end. McGowan is a versatile scorer who can help fill the void left by the loss of three of the team’s top-four rebounders.
Freshman Destiny Whitsell played in 11 games as an 8th grader and is another strong defender and rebounder that can get out in transition. Another freshman, Emilee Hallum, is a shooter with the range to stretch opposing defenses.
A pair of 8th graders round out the rotation, with Kailey Barber providing athleticism and an active defensive presence. Riley Sword will help out with ball-handling and serve as another shooting threat from deep.
The Lady Maroons open the season on Tuesday at Hopkinsville before beginning defense of their district title with a visit from Caldwell County on Friday. Madisonville will have to wait until March 1 for a rematch with Henderson County after suffering its only two losses last season at the hands of the Lady Colonels.
