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Kentucky girls basketball Sweet 16: What to know about Bullitt East-Bethlehem game

Bullitt East's Gracie Merkle (24) grabs a rebound over Mercy's Gracie Helm (30) during the Girls 24th District Final at the Fern Creek High School in Louisville, Ky. on Feb. 23, 2022.  Bullitt East won 60-55.
Bullitt East's Gracie Merkle (24) grabs a rebound over Mercy's Gracie Helm (30) during the Girls 24th District Final at the Fern Creek High School in Louisville, Ky. on Feb. 23, 2022. Bullitt East won 60-55.

Here's what to know about the matchup between Bethlehem and Bullitt East at 1:30 p.m. Wednesday in the first round of the Mingua Beef Jerky Girls' Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky.

Bethlehem Banshees

Coach: Jason Clark

Record: 23-7

Location: Bardstown

Region: Fifth

Enrollment: 250

Sweet 16 trips: Third (1-2 record)

Last trip to State: 2021, lost to Marshall County 58-51 in quarterfinals

Bethlehem's Carlie Thurmond pressures Bullitt East's Emma Egan in the Mingus Beef Jerky Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena. April 8, 2021
Bethlehem's Carlie Thurmond pressures Bullitt East's Emma Egan in the Mingus Beef Jerky Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena. April 8, 2021

What to look for: Not a lot was expected from a Banshees squad that graduated Ella Thompson and Amelia Hodges off last year’s team that reached the Sweet 16 quarterfinals. But after a 3-5 start, Bethlehem is 20-2 and survived the Fifth Region Tournament by winning three games by a combined 15 points. At 6 feet, junior Emma Filiatreau (13.1 ppg) is the only starter taller than 5-7 and likely will get the defensive call against 6-6 Bullitt East center Gracie Merkle, though Clark said his team thrives defensively with its 3-2 zone. Bethlehem’s Xavi Smalley (13.1 ppg, 9.3 rpg) was having a strong junior year but left the program last month.

Girls Sweet 16: Check out the schedule for this week's tournament

Key player: Sophomore guard Carlie Thurmond is Bethlehem’s top scorer (13.3) and top 3-point shooter (47 of 102, 46.1%). “Carlie is just a sophomore, but she’s something special,” Clark said. “She’s a competitor and a tremendous athlete.”

Coach-speak: “I knew we would probably take some lumps at the start, but I knew I had enough talent there to be competitive. It all came together real nice for us. … We’re definitely going to have our hands full, but my girls are ready.”

Starters

5 – Ashlyn Miles

5-7, Soph., 5.8 ppg, 4.3 rpg

13 – Carlie Thurmond

5-4, Soph., 13.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg

15 – Kasey Spalding

5-5, Sr., 9.1 ppg, 2.9 rpg

24 – Emma Filiatreau

6-0, Jr., 13.1 ppg, 7.0 rpg

33 – Bailey Bishop

5-7, Sr., 4.9 ppg, 5.7 rpg

Reserves

2 – Tessa Miles

5-4, Fr., 2.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg

4 – Kensey Clayton

5-5, Soph., 1.2 ppg, 1.3 rpg

Girls' Sweet 16: Ranking the field, from No. 16 to No. 1

Bullitt East Chargers

Coach: Chris Stallings

Record: 30-4

Location: Mount Washington

Region: Sixth

Enrollment: 1,453

Sweet 16 trips: Fifth (1-3 record)

Last trip to State: 2021, lost to Bethlehem 70-65 in first round

What to look for: The Chargers are hopeful a third straight trip to the Sweet 16 will end with a state championship this time around. The first-round matchup against Bethlehem is a rematch from last year’s first round, a game the Banshees won 70-65. Senior Emma Egan, the team’s No. 2 scorer and rebounder, has a stress fracture in her right leg but has chosen to play through the pain. The draw appears favorable, so expect Bullitt East to be playing on the final day of the season.

Bullitt East head coach Chris Stallings instructs his team against Mercy during the Girls 24th District Final at the Fern Creek High School in Louisville, Ky. on Feb. 23, 2022.  Bullitt East won 60-55.
Bullitt East head coach Chris Stallings instructs his team against Mercy during the Girls 24th District Final at the Fern Creek High School in Louisville, Ky. on Feb. 23, 2022. Bullitt East won 60-55.

Key player: Gracie Merkle (17.6 ppg, 9.6 rpg), a 6-foot-6 senior center, earned Sixth Region Player of the Year honors and leads the state in field-goal percentage at 71.7%. The Bellarmine University signee is nearly automatic when she gets the ball near the rim. “She’s more of a leader this year,” Stallings said. “She’s talking a lot on defense.”

Coach-speak: “Last year at the state tournament, we had a few rough spots and really played individually,” Stallings said. “That’s not our strength, and it never has been. Going into it, I feel confident our kids are going to pull together and be ready to go. They feel like they left there (last year) with some unfinished business.”

Starters

10 – Emma Egan

5-8, Sr., 12.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg

11 – Anna Rodgers

5-10, Soph., 7.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg

22 – Jada Hughes

5-9, Soph., 6.3 ppg, 3.1 rpg

24 – Gracie Merkle

6-6, Sr., 17.6 ppg, 9.6 rpg

32 – Lilly Reid

5-8, Jr., 9.4 ppg, 3.7 rpg

Girls' Sweet 16: Top scorers, rebounders, 3-point shooters and more

Reserves

4 – Logan Ortega

5-7, Jr., 4.1 ppg, 2.1 rpg

33 – Haleigh Mason

6-2, Sr., 2.1 ppg, 1.6 rpg

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA Girls' Sweet 16: What to know about Bullitt East-Bethlehem game

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