Amelia Hodges, left, with Kentucky all-star teammates Lara Akers and Alexa Smiddy, right, along with assistant coach Judie Mason of Danville. (Larry Vaught Photo)
Bardstown Bethlehem guard Amelia Hodges is thrilled to be on the Kentucky all-star team that will play Indiana June 11 and 12 but she jokes that assistant coach Judie Mason of Danville might not be thrilled to have her on the team.
“I played against her and Danville the last two years in the All A (Classic), so I am sure she is not too fond of us,” Hodges said.
That’s because Bethlehem beat Danville both years on its way to winning the All A state championship.
“Seriously, she is an amazing coach and I am just glad she is on the all-star team and I get a chance to know her better,” Hodges said. “Just being on the team is a huge deal. It’s something I have been working for my entire life and it shows my hard work has paid off.”
Hodges averaged 15.1 points and 3.3 rebounds per game last season for the Banshees (26-5). She shot 41 percent overall from the field and 38 percent (76 of 203) from 3-point range. The Banshees won the 5th Region title to reach the state tourney where they beat Bullitt East 70-65 before losing 58-51 to Marshall County in the quarterfinals.
“We had an amazing run. We made history (for our school),” she said. “I don’t think I will ever get over the ending. Stuff just happens.”
Stuff certainly happened to her against Bullitt East as she was battling an upset stomach most of the game. She said two days before the game she “drank too much Pedialyte” and not enough water.
“That got my stomach sick before the game and I was throwing up pretty much the entire game but I still stayed in there and played,” she said. “I found out I was not supposed to have drank as much Pedialyte as I did. My stomach hurt the entire game but we still got the win and that was all that mattered to me.”
It’s the same with the all-star game. She knows Indiana has more size and Division I signees but hopes she can help direct a Kentucky win.
“My job will be distributing the ball to anyone who gets open and just do anything I can to get a win,” Hodges said. “We are a good team. Chemistry is huge. Coming in you have not really played with a lot of the players, so developing chemistry is huge.”
One player she does know well is Bethlehem teammate Ella Thompson, who will play at Tennessee-Martin.
“It’s huge for our program and our community for us both to be on this team. We are very thankful for the opportunity,” Hodges said. ‘We had an amazing coaching staff and they pushed us very hard every single day.
“Me and Ella definitely left a legacy we were proud of. She is my best friend and has been since second grade. We have played together for 10 plus years and now we get to end our high school careers in the all-star games.”
What makes Thompson so good?
“She is very versatile. She can do anything and everything you ask her to do,” Hodges said.
Lindsey Wilson is counting on Hodges to do the same during her college career. She says she “loves” long-time coach John Wethington and he was one of the first college coaches to recruit her.
“Loyalty for sure to him,” Hodges said. “It kind of reminds me of Bethlehem, too. A very homey feeling that I like. I hope I can play next year but they have a very good program.”
