Nothing but respect: Cincinnati athletes offer shoutouts to opponents who impress, Jan. 28

The high school basketball season is in full swing and it's no secret the Cincinnati area is home to some of the best hoops in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana.

Who better to know what kind of talent Cincinnati offers than the players themselves?

The Cincinnati Enquirer sought opinions from players across multiple conferences on opponents who were impressive on the court this season.

Check cincinnati.com each Friday to see which boys and girls basketball players left an impression on their opponents this year.

Want to give an opponent a shoutout for his or her stellar play this season? Contact Shelby Dermer at sdermer@enquirer.com or on Twitter @EnquirerShelby.

More: Nothing but respect: Cincinnati athletes offer shoutouts to opponents who impress, Jan. 21

Leah Riley, Sycamore

"An athlete that stands out to me is Leah Riley. Leah is, by book definition, a true competitor. She steps on the court ready to go while encouraging her teammates and supporting her coaches' decisions. I've played against Leah since middle school and every season, she has never failed to play an amazing game. Leah plays with grit and confidence but is extremely humble and grounded. I can confidently say that Leah has a great future in store, whether it involves basketball or not."

—Abbey McNally, Colerain

Sycamore (12-7) has wrapped up a fifth consecutive winning season behind Riley, who is third in the Greater Miami Conference in scoring this year at 18 points per game. The senior guard also averages 5.1 rebounds and is top 10 in the conference in steals. Riley was honorable mention all-district and first-team all-league as a junior last season.

Ella Riggs, Indian Hill

"Ella Riggs is a top player I have played this season. She is the type of player who creates opportunities for herself and excels in almost anything she does on the court. Even after face-guarding her, she still will drop 20. I have played against Ella all three years I have been on varsity and she’s always a priority on our scouting report."

—Brynn Stokes, Taylor

Riggs, who was second-team all-district and special mention All-Ohio last season, is making her case to repeat as the Cincinnati Hills League player of the year. The senior leads the league in scoring (21.3) and field goal percentage (55.6) and is fifth in steals (2.9). Riggs has helped lead the Braves to an 11-5 record and a perfect 9-0 mark in conference play.

More: Nothing but respect: Cincinnati athletes offer shoutouts to opponents who impress, Jan. 14

Kaycie Badylak, McNicholas

"A player that I have played that was super tough competition would be Kacie Badylak. She’s an amazing shooter, super quick and a great defender. It was very hard for us to stop her once she got going. (She's) also very talkative and I can see how positive she is with her teammates."

—Krystin McWhorter, Roger Bacon

The senior forward has been the leading scorer for McNicholas in each of the last two seasons. Badylak is second in the Greater Catholic League-Coed in scoring at 15.6 points per game and is third in rebounds (7.2).

Sophie Huffman, Wilmington

"I want to talk about Sophie Huffman from Wilmington. I just played her today (Thursday) and she’s an outstanding player. She’s quick with and without the ball. She drives strong and goes up strong. Another thing is her passes; she makes great passes to her teammates. Whether it’s driving or in transition, she always gets her head up and sees the floor well."

— Peyton Shafer, Goshen

Huffman has helped lead Wilmington to a 10-7 mark and a second-place spot in the Southern Buckeye Conference's American division. The junior is the SBAAC's leader in assists and is tied for sixth in steals per game (2.9). She also averages 9.4 points per game.

More: Nothing but respect: Cincinnati athletes offer shoutouts to opponents who impress, Jan. 7

Kendal George, Centerville

"Kendal George -- she sets apart her mental game from her physical game, even when the student section was targeting her. She creates opportunities for herself by moving extremely well off the ball and she shoots very well. She’s an extremely humble and unselfish player."

— Rylie Homan, Edgewood

George, who helped lead Centerville to a district championship last season, has helped anchor the Elks to a 14-4 record this season. The junior guard is third in the Greater Western Ohio Conference in scoring this season at 15.1 points per game.

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati athletes offer shoutouts to opponents who impress, Jan. 28