When Kim Groves started her first year at Boyd County last season, she did so following in the footsteps of predecessor Pete Fraley, who stepped down after 28 seasons.
The 2024-25 season was a chance for both Groves and her players to learn about each other.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisement“Last year was a very good learning experience for both myself and for some of my players because I had a lot of young players playing last year,” Groves said. “That experience and getting that varsity experience last year, I think for Jada Ray and Kollyn Groves and Zoey Smith, it’s going to impact them this season greatly.”
Ray, who led the Lions last season at 14.9 points a game, will be one of only two juniors on this year’s senior-less team. Groves looks at Ray as being a natural voice for this season’s squad.
“Jada is a very good leader for us,” Groves said. “She’s a good leader on the floor. She’s a good leader in the locker room and she’s very vocal. She’s kinda like our motor. She led us in scoring last year. She has also added to her bag this year. Her court vision has improved tremendously and she is doing really well at seeing the floor and making the right play.”
Boyd County finished last season with an early exit from the 16th Region Tournament, where a first-round loss to Menifee County ended the year at 18-12.
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIn the lead-up to the season opener, the Lions have had their nose to the grindstone every day as they look to hit the ground running as a solid unit once the 2025-26 campaign begins.
“We talk about it all the time that each day is a process for us,” Groves said. “Our goal is to come in and get better each day and to push each other in practice. Right now, we’re kind of in the stretch of the preseason where it’s just practice, practice, practice without any games. Our practices are highly competitive and the girls do a really nice job of pushing each other and cheering each other on and supporting each other.”
When it comes to being there for each other, Groves says this Lions crew is locked in mentally for each other.
“We have a lot of really good energy going on right now in the preseason,” Groves said. “I’m really looking forward to seeing how we can do this year. They cheer each other on and that really helps and that really benefits in tight game situations.”
AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementGroves said that success this year hinges on that camaraderie.
“I think the key component to our success is going to be our team chemistry, coming in and playing together,” Groves said. “If we play together, we have great team chemistry. I think you’re going to see a lot of really good basketball and I suspect that you will, because the kids that are on the floor, though they’re young, their basketball IQ is high. They know how to play the game.”
Even with that extra year of experience, the Lions still have one of the youngest teams in the region. Groves knows that there are still issues that could arise from that youth.
“I think the biggest obstacle I think we will face is the fact that we are so young,” Groves said. “We have multiple eighth graders who will play substantial minutes. We have two juniors; we have zero seniors on the team. With that being said, the kids that we are playing with, though, they’re young. They’re very skilled and they’re very talented, and really have a high basketball IQ well beyond their years.”
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