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BALLARD

* Coach: Frank Wright (first year).

* Last season: 22-10, lost to Sacred Heart 65-60 in Seventh Region quarterfinal.

* Player to watch: Senior post player Tearra Banks, who has committed to Austin Peay, sat out last season after transferring from Shawnee and should give the Lady Bruins an imposing presence inside. "She's light on her feet, has real good hands and has a decent touch," Wright said.

* Other top players: G Alex Martin (5-7, So., 12.0 ppg); F Javonna Layfield (5-10, Jr., 9.5 ppg, 9.3 rpg); G Dre'a Matchen (5-9, Jr., 10.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg); F Kiana Richardson (5-10, Jr., 9.1 ppg, 6.7 rpg); F Maddie Martin (6-2, Sr., 5.7 ppg, 5.4 rpg).

* Outlook: Rivals coaches call Ballard the most athletic team in the region. Martin emerged as one of the city's top guards as a freshman. Layfield had an outstanding freshman season but was limited to just 11 games as a sophomore because of an injury. Wright was successful at South Oldham and has the talent to accomplish big things at Ballard. "We just have to form a unit, and we're working hard on that every day," he said.

CHRISTIAN ACADEMY

* Coach: Don Rice (12th year).

* Last season: 21-13, lost to Manual 80-27 in Seventh Region semifinals.

* Player to watch: Rice calls senior guard China Dow (5-10) "one of the best players ever to come out of CAL." Dow, who has committed to Middle Tennessee State, led the state in scoring at 23.2 points a game last season and also averaged 11.1 rebounds.

* Other top players: G Kate Joss (5-8, Sr.); G Chalisa Helm (5-7, Sr.); G Lindsey Dunn (5-6, Jr.); F McKenzie Campbell (6-0, Jr.).

* Outlook: The Lady Centurions "made the commitment this summer to redeem (themselves) from the way we played our last game," Rice said of the blowout loss to Manual. "We have so much more to offer this year with our senior leadership and the young players that joined us this year. We will be fun to watch." He says Joss, who is back after a yearlong injury, "will give us outside shooting we didn't have last year."

EASTERN

* Coach: Josh Leslie (first year).

* Last season: 11-16, lost to Christian Academy 59-47 in district semifinal.

* Player to watch: Senior center Alexia Kimbro.

* Other top players: G Jade Spaulding (Jr.), G Skylar Teasley (Sr.), G Taylor Bradley (Sr.), F Maddie Hoffman (Jr.), G Sydney Fone (Jr.), Madison Raque, Markeia Porter.

* Outlook: "Our team should be one that is deep at all positions and works very hard," Leslie said. "We should be competitive through a tough schedule." Newcomers Raque and Porter are expected to contribute, but there is a lot of experience in seniors Kimbro, Teasley and Bradley and juniors Spaulding, Fone and Hoffman.

KENTUCKY COUNTRY DAY

* Coach: Harry Hayes (first year).

* Last season: 12-19, lost to Ballard 82-40 in district semifinal.

* Player to watch: G Kennedy Hayes (So.)

* Other top players: F Olivia Alford (Sr.), Anna Zappone (Sr.), Sarah Zappone (Jr.).

* Outlook: Coach Hayes says the Bearcats could be on the verge of a special season, with a deep bench of freshmen and sophomores to go with the returning players. But they have a lot of ground to make up -- 11 of those 19 losses were by 30 points or more, and four were by at least 40.

http://www.usatodayhss.com/louisville/ar...2311150108