With just about everyone back from a team that made the Sweet 16, Banks County has sky-high expectations for this season. Steve Shedd always coaches the team up well, and he’ll be aiming for the Lady Leopards to insert themselves early on as a favorite to win the all-new look of Region 8-AA.

HEAD COACH: Steve Shedd (7th Season)
2021-22 RECORD: 10-18, Region 8-AA 3rd Place, 2A Sweet 16, #8 State Ranking
RETURNING STARTERS: 6 (yes, that’s correct). Addison Hoard, Kamryn Grier, Madison Adams, Carley Segars, Ryleigh Murphy/Reese Murphy (Both started at times)
KEY DEPARTURES: N/A
KEY PLAYERS: SR C Kamryn Grier (Emmanual College commit, All-State, closing in on 1,000 pts and 1,000 reb; 16 PPG, 12 RPG), JR PG Addison Hoard (lockdown defense, ball handling, and outside shooting), JR PF Carley Segars (rebounding, shot blocking and shooting around the basket and mid-range area), JR SG Madison Adams (shooting range around the 3-point line), SO SG Ryleigh Murphy (shooting range around the 3-point line), SO SF Reese Murphy (versatile player who can score inside and outside)
OFFENSE: Pushing the ball quickly each possession, discipline, great ball movement, inside-out game.
STRENGTHS: “Size will be a strength (2 players- 6-0′ and 6-1′),” states Shedd. “Our outside shooting game will help give balance to our inside game. We will have depth coming off the bench.”
BIGGEST CHALLENGES: “Staying healthy (injury and sickness really hurt us last year),” states Shedd.

There’s few teams that have this much returning talent and depth, so the sky is the limit for the Banks County girls. Kamryn Grier is the early favorite to not only win Region Player of the Year, but to achieve the rare feat of 1,000 points, 1,000 rebounds. With experience at an A+ for Banks, and talent also being up there, there’s a lot to like. The team will work from Grier in the post on out. If Madison Adams, Addison Hoard, and Ryleigh Murphy can all or some combo be successful this year on the perimeter, can you imagine how much that will open things up? Banks County’s biggest threat is, as Shedd mentioned, the injury buy. If healthy, there’s no reason this team can’t win a region title and make a very deep run.

“We want to win our region and surpass the Elite 8 in the state tournament which is the farthest our program has ever reached,” states Shedd.