King of the Bluegrass ~ North Laurel
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Prep Hoops staff was in attendance for the 40th King of the Bluegrass Tournament at Fairdale High School. We cannot recommend this event enough! Along with the great people at Fairdale, Tournament Director, Lloyd Gardner, does a tremendous job organizing…
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Continue ReadingPrep Hoops staff was in attendance for the 40th King of the Bluegrass Tournament at Fairdale High School. We cannot recommend this event enough! Along with the great people at Fairdale, Tournament Director, Lloyd Gardner, does a tremendous job organizing and facilitating this event. Gyms were packed with fans from around the area who came to see Kentucky’s best teams compete under one roof. View their website here with game recaps and tournament pictures: www.kingofthebluegrass.com
North Laurel ~ 13th Region
King of the Bluegrass Recap:
Win vs Eastern 72-56
Win vs North Oldham 78-73
Win vs Dorman (Spartenburg, SC) 74-66
Loss vs Covington Catholic 67-79
This is the second event PH staff has been able to be in-person to watch the Jaguars. We had the pleasure of watching the preseason contest against Martin County in the Zip Zone Classic at Martin County. Coach Valentine has a winning formula in place for his team to have the highest success. They look poised for another good season. They were runner-up in the KOB. The Jaguars are led by UK commit Reed Sheppard Reed Sheppard 6'3" | PG North Laurel | 2023 State #22 Nation KY (Jr.), athletic forward Ryan Davidson Ryan Davidson 6'4" | SF North Laurel | 2023 State KY (Jr.), and guard Clay Sizemore Clay Sizemore 5'9" | SG North Laurel | 2022 State KY (Sr.).
Reed Sheppard Reed Sheppard 6'3" | PG North Laurel | 2023 State #22 Nation KY – Top 3 Player in c/o 2023; Top 70 Player Nationally
Sheppard is an elite high school basketball player. After an inspiring spring and summer run with Midwest Basketball Club, he is putting together a truly sensational junior campaign for North Laurel. He has an incredible feel for the flow of the game and how to set up his teammates. There are things that Sheppard does during a game that looks effortless but very few high school players in America can do at all. Whether it was an offensive rebound against North Oldham or a deflection that turned into a steal against Covington Catholic, Sheppard has a different speed than the other players on the court. He gets downhill faster with the ball than the defenders chasing him at a full sprint. His best game came against North Oldham where he finished with 45 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 steals. The Mustangs had a great game plan against Sheppard, but he torched them in every way possible. He is becoming a crowd favorite in every gym he plays at. Sheppard was named the Bob White MVP of the tournament.
Ryan Davidson Ryan Davidson 6'4" | SF North Laurel | 2023 State KY – Top 30 Player in c/o 2023
Davidson is a physical forward that plays the wing and the post simultaneously. The Jaguars offensive strategy involves heavy doses of Shepperd and Davidson around the top of the key. Davidson does a great job picking and choosing when to dive to the rim and when to step out for a jump shot. Since our first time seeing him at the Zip Zone Classic, Davidson’s outside shot has already improved and is becoming more consistent. He knocked down shots from the corner, high post, wing, and straight away. Davidson is a great compliment for Shepperd and Coach Valentine. Ryan was selected to the All-Tournament Team.
Clay Sizemore Clay Sizemore 5'9" | SG North Laurel | 2022 State KY – Top 115 Player in c/o 2022
Sizemore is a veteran guard that can knock down timely shots for the Jaguars. His most productive game was the opening round contest against Eastern. Sizemore knocked down six 3s and finished the game with 18 points. His leadership and steady demeanor were crucial for the Jaguars late in the second half against Dorman and North Oldham.
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