Belmont signee Kensley Feltner could become only the fourth girl in state history to reach 4,000 points. (Twitter Photo)
Kensley Feltner learned a valuable lesson last year about worrying about her career point total.
“When I was getting close to 3,000 points last year I started pressing too much to score and that made it harder because I was so consumed with it. This year I am not worrying about my point total and just letting my game play out,” said Feltner, a Lawrence County senior.
Feltner now has 3,625 points going into Friday night’s game against Floyd Central (she also will play in Louisville Saturday against Anderson County in the Rate Fence/O’sheas Classic at Mercy High School). That puts her sixth on the state’s all-time scoring list as she moved ahead of former Miss Basketball Savannah Wheeler of Boyd County who had 3,621 points.
Next on the scoring list is Carolyn Alexander (Hazard, 1993-98) who had 3,726 points and then Kim Mays (Knox Central, 1985-90) with 3,952 points.
Feltner, a Belmont signee, would like to become only the fourth girl in state history to reach 4,000 points. She has at least 13 games remaining and at her current scoring pace that could about get her to 4,000. If Lawrence plays more than one postseason game — which it should — then she should easily get to 4,000 at her current scoring pace.
“Once I got to 1,000 points my freshman year, I wanted more and really wanted 4,000. That was my all-time goal,” she said. “We set personal goals and the team goal is always to win the (15th) region championship and this is our best chance to do that. But getting 4,000 points has always been a big goal and I am really excited knowing I have a chance to maybe do that.”
Lawrence (13-4) lost the regional title game in overtime to Pikeville last year.
Feltner is averaging 27.9 points and 9.4 rebounds per game (she also has 1,364 career rebounds). She is shooting 65.2 percent (174 of 267) from the field and 77.4 percent (113 of 146) at the foul line.
Nominations for Miss Basketball open Friday and Feltner certainly has to be one of the top candidates. For her, Miss Basketball is another bucket list item. Feltner remembers when she was in the third grade when her mother, Lawrence County coach Melinda Feltner, started coaching. They got a Cats’ Pause Yearbook that featured the state’s top high school players and teams, including Taylor Porter of Lawrence.
“She didn’t win Miss Basketball but she was a great representative from our region who played at Murray and then Marshall and had a great career,” Feltner said. “She wore No. 1 in softball and basketball and that’s why I wear No. 1 in both sports. I trained with her a lot my freshman year before she moved away for work.
“I try not to think about Miss Basketball but with social media it’s hard not to think about. I think I have made a good representation for myself. If they vote for me, they will. If not, they won’t. I think I have made a good case for myself. If I don’t win, you can’t let it bother you because in June I will go to Belmont and start summer workouts.”
Feltner can rattle off the list of recent Miss Basketball winners, including Wheeler.
“I always looked up to Savannah Wheeler because she’s from here (eastern Kentucky). She was great at Marshall and now at Middle Tennessee,” Feltner said. “It was really cool she won it and it would be really cool if I did, too.”
One Response
Congratulations Kensley. Just keep that attitude and you will always be a winner.