Pikeville coach Kristy Orem knows the challenge her team faces against Bethlehem. (Les Nicholson Photo)
Pikeville beat Bethlehem 78-52 on Dec. 29 and Thursday’s first game at the girls state tournament will be a rematch between the two Class A powers.
“They are going to be really tough. They have one of the best players in the state (in guard Trinity Rowe). They are hard to handle and are very talented,” Bethlehem coach Jason Clark said. “We have to be really disciplined on the defensive end of the court.”
Pikeville coach Kristy Orem knows there is one huge difference in the state game versus the regular-season matchup. The Banshees did not have 6-2 Leah Macy, a top 10 player nationally in the 2025 recruiting class who averaged 25.3 points and 13.8 rebounds per game while shooting 69 percent from the field.
“We have got to prepare for Leah Macy. She’s an excellent player and we know what she brings,” Orem said.
“Without Leah we are a little thin on the front court. She adds size that we lacked,” Clark said.
The game also matches two of the state’s and most successful point guards in Rowe and Bethlehem’s Carlie Thurmond.
“Both are good girls who do things the right way, play hard and give the sport everything they have,” Orem said. “They are competitors. A lot of times I just have to get out of the way and let Trin do Trin things.”
“Carlie is probably the most competitive person I have ever been around,” the Bethlehem coach said. “She just refuses to lose. She is not only the all-time leading scorer in basketball but also in soccer. That tells you how much of a competitor and athlete she is. I hope she can go out with a big bang but she is really special to me, the staff and our whole school.”
Rowe had 2,393 career points and 1,045 assists (she’s only the fifth girl in state history to reach 1,000 assists). She has made 370 3-pointers in her career. This season she is averaging 17.3 points per game and shooting 43 percent from 3 and 87 percent at the foul line. The Southern Mississippi commit was the 15th Region Player of the Year.
Thurmond, a Morehead State soccer commit, has scored 1,954 points but also had 464 rebounds, 443 rebounds and 436 steals in her six seasons. She has been on four straight 5th Region championship teams and played in the state tournament five times. She’s also helped the Banshees win two All-A state championships.
Both teams have plenty of other capable scorers. Pikeville enior Kiera Thornsbury averages 13.9 points and 4.0 rebounds per game. She’s a 41 percent shooter (61 of 149) from 3. Guard Kristen Whited adds 11.8 points per game and has made 58 of 146 3’s (40 percent).
“Rowe and Thornsbury compliment each other so well. They lead our team,” Orem said. “Whited is such a competitor. You see her and think she’s little, but she stays after practice and is alway putting in her time. She’s laser focused and gets overlooked because she’s so little but she can defend and get after you. She took a hit in the (regional) championship game, bounced up and was made because I took her out. She is taught as nails.”
Sisters Tessa and Ashlyn Miles are 14 and 13.1 points per game. Ashlyn also grabs 7.5 rebounds per game while Tessa gets 3.5.
“Those two are one of a kind. They are like twins. They are both super athletic. They have a little bit of dog in them. They just have a refuse to lose attitude,” Clark said.
Both teams have played strong schedules to prepare for a state matchup like this.
Orem said she never expected Pikeville to be 26-5 with the challenging schedule she put together.
“We played three of the top teams in the country. We wanted to be sure we were challenged as much as we could,” Orem said. “We are tired of showing up at Rupp and just being happy to be there. We want to come in and feel battle tested and ready.”
Pikeville has won six straight since losing to three-time defending state champion Sacred Heart, the tourney favorite again. Pikeville won its regional games by 21, 30 and 29 points.
Bethlehem has won 12 in a row and rolled through the region with winning margins of 43, 37 and 28 points. The Banshees beat Bardstown 72-44 in the 5th Region title game after winning only 80-77 in the 19th District title game.
“We always try to play our best at the end of the season and we have really hit our stride here,” Clark said. “I like the way our team is playing. We are playing together and playing hard. We are finally starting to play a little bit of defense and I just hope we can keep that going.”
