Freshman Peyton Bradley is a 45 percent 3-point shooter and already has scored over 1,000 career points going into today's state tourney game. (Twitter Photo)
If you have not heard of Meade County freshman Peyton Bradley, it’s time to pay attention. The freshman guard has already scored over 1,000 career points going into today’s game against Boyd County to open the girls’ state tournament at Rupp Arena. She helped Meade dominate the Third Region Tournament to earn its first state tourney berth in eight years.
“Peyton is a freshman who does not play like a freshman,” Meade coach Dina Hackert said. “She’s very versatile and very unselfish.”
She averages 19.4 points and 5.0 rebounds per game — both team highs for Meade (28-6). She led the state in 3-point shooting at 45.1 percent (111 of 246). She’s also an 81.7 percent (125 of 153) shooter at the foul line.
“She has worked very hard this year. The team has some great pieces and others can compliment her. She is very patient. She is okay with what the game gives her,” the Meade coach said.
“She made 14 of 16 free throws in the last quarter of our district final. She is just a gamer. Everybody knows she is a shooter but she has grown to trust her teammates.”
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Bethlehem had the “alarm clock” go off when it lost to Campbellsville in the Fifth Region All “A” Classic and bounced back to earn another trip to Rupp Arena where it will play Bullitt East this afternoon.
“They went in thinking they could just show up and win,” coach Jason Clark said. “That really woke our girls up. Our chemistry got better after that and the girls realized they had to work harder, and they did.”
The Banshees are 16-1 since the loss to Campbellsville with the only loss coming to No. 1 Sacred Heart.
The coach said Bethlehem lost two “once in a lifetime players” off last year’s team in Ella Thompson and Amelia Hodges. However, sophomore Carlie Thurmond (13.3 points per game) and junior Emma Filatreau (13.1 points, 7.0 rebounds per game) have “stepped up” their play. Thurmond is a 43 percent shooter from the field and Filatreau is at the same mark.
“Carlie is special and just a tremendous athlete,” Clark said.
Bullitt East coach Chris Stallings said Thurmond is one of the “best and quickest” players he’s seen in transition who starts Bethlehem’s offense and defense.
“Emma also has a smooth outside jumper or can take you inside off the bounce,” Stallings said.
Kasey Spalding is averaging 9.1 points per game but Clark said she has been sensational in postseason play averaging 17 points per game.
The Banshees (23-7) play Bullitt East this afternoon in Rupp Arena.
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Bethlehem will have to contend with 6-6 Gracie Merkle, a Bellarmine commit, in today’s game. She averages 17.6 points per game and shoots 71.7 percent (258 of 360) from the field. Merkle also pulls off 9.6 rebounds per game.
“She is more of a leader this year. She is talking a lot more on defense and pointing out more,” Bullitt East coach Chris Stallings said. “She has been able to stay out of foul trouble pretty much all year. She is moving her feet better. She is a bit more mature and that has been a big help.”
Bullitt East had to beat Mercy, a top 10 team, to win the district title and then again in the regional final.
“They are awfully talented and to be able to compete with them and beat them said a lot about our kids and their determination to get back to Rupp,” Stallings said. “We had a lot of pressure on us to win our region which just makes it sweeter (when you win).
“We felt like last year in the state tourney we played individually, which is not our strength. I feel confident that our kids are going to pull together and be ready to go. They feel like we had some unfinished business last year when we left.”
