December 12, 2008

SEE MISS BASKETBALL CONTENDERS IN BOWLING GREEN

Lady Gators Hosting Culver's Holiday Classic Dec. 27-30

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – With the basketball season heating up, the road to the Houchens KHSAA Girls’ Sweet 16 is coming into view. Fans in Bowling Green will get a Sweet 16 preview again this year as the Greenwood Lady Gators host the Culver’s Lady Gator Holiday Classic December 27-30 at Greenwood High School.

The tournament will feature some of the top players and highly ranked girls’ teams in Kentucky, plus Princeton High School from Cincinnati. The twelve teams competing are Christian Co., Iroquois, Marshall Co., Muhlenberg North, Nelson Co., Rockcastle Co., Clay Co., Green Co., Princeton, Franklin-Simpson, Greenwood, and Warren East.

“Bowling Green is a great city to host an event such as this, with plenty of restaurants, shopping, and recreation available. We have been able to fill the slots fairly easily and expect to continue building this event next year,” Greenwood Athletic Director Todd Tolbert said.

Tolbert notes that seven of the top 25 teams in the state are participating in the 2008 Culver’s Lady Gator Holiday Classic, including the top two players in the state, and benchmarking it as one of the most high-profile events of the entire season. “Winter tournaments are good for our region, and hosting one is great for our school. It really helps us build our program by bringing in teams that will test the girls and inspire them to work as a team.”

A regular pool-play tournament, each squad will compete in four games. Saturday and Sunday’s games determine a seed and then cross-pool play begins on Monday. Tuesday’s games match the winners and losers of each of Monday’s games. Click here for a complete Culver’s Lady Gator Holiday Classic schedule.

“We are so proud to again be a part of the Lady Gator Holiday Classic,” said Don Durflinger, owner of title sponsor Culver's, who understands the economic impact of such an event. “Our sales were up significantly during this tournament last year, so to be able to give back and help support these student athletes and their families is a tremendous opportunity.”

Culver’s will provide a meal for each team while they are here. Also stepping in with support by providing food in the team hospitality room are local establishments Montana Grille and Double Dogs.

Region 4 is very competitive this year with tournament participants Franklin-Simpson currently ranked #1 in area polls, Warren East at #3 and Greenwood at #7. Watch for Greenwood’s Lauren Lamb, a 5’7” senior shooting guard who tied the school’s record last year for netting 6 3-point shots in one game. Franklin-Simpson, after losing the 2008 Houchens KHSAA Sweet 16 by just one point, is gearing up for another appearance this year with 6’ sophomore center Chasity Gooch, ranked 2nd in the region.

All eyes will be on Region 4’s highest ranked player and Miss Basketball contender Ashley Rainey, Warren East’s 6’3” senior forward who will play for UL next year. Consistently listed among the country’s top 100 players, Rainey has already scored over 2,000 career points and averages 27.5 points per game.

Marshall Co. is ranked #1 in Region 1 with 6’2” senior forward Jessica Holder shooting 72% from the free throw line and averaging 24 points per game. Christian Co. in Region 2 is returning four starters this season including Shatera Lewis, a 5’8” senior guard who is ranked #2 in the region.

Representing Region 3 in the Culver’s Lady Gator Holiday Classic is Muhlenburg North, a state tournament participant for most of this decade that lost its top four scorers last year. Nelson Co. is ranked #3 in Region 5 and led by 6’3” senior center Samantha Drake who has verbally committed to play for UK next year. Also traveling from Region 5 is Green Co. with 5’5” combo guard Micah Jones, one of the top freshmen in the state, and 5’11” senior forward Megan Hartfield.

Iroquois is the favorite from Region 6 and led by Miss Basketball front runner Adia Mathies, a 5’8” senior guard. Losing by just 2 points during regular season play to last year’s Houchens KHSAA Sweet 16 champion Louisville Butler, Iroquois is a top contender for this year’s title with several strong players.

Ranked #1 in Region 12 and returning four of five starters from last season is Rockcastle Co. with the region’s highest-ranking player, 5’4” senior guard Mary Saylor. Another #1 rank in its region is Clay Co. visiting from Region 13, starring 6’1” sophomore center Whitney Belle Jackson and 5’10” junior forwards Jordan Phillips and Danielle Fox.

Tickets will cost $5 per day, or $3 for students. A ticket for the entire tournament will cost $15 for adults, or $10 for students. For Bowling Green visitor’s information, go to visitbgky.com or call the Convention and Visitors Bureau at 800-326-7465 for a complimentary guide to accommodations, attractions, restaurants, and shopping available in the area.

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For more tournament information, please contact Todd Tolbert at 270-842-3627 ext.1855 or 270-792-4933, or by email at todd.tolbert@warren.kyschools.us.