Kennedy Scott’s Transition to College Basketball
MOUNT WASHINGTON – One downside to the shift from high school athletics to college sports is the decline in multi-sport athletes. This holds true for Bullitt East senior Kennedy Scott, who will be continuing her basketball journey at Union Commonwealth University in Barbourville, Kentucky.
During her time at Bullitt East, Kennedy, the youngest daughter of Lady Charger assistant coach Christal Scott, was part of a strong girls’ basketball program led by her uncle, Chris Stallings, for five years. She played varsity basketball for three of those years while also competing in tennis for four seasons, making it to the doubles championship match each year and winning the Sixth Region title twice. In the last two seasons, she contributed to the Lady Chargers’ team victories and their advance to the top eight of the state tournament.
As a senior, Scott decided to focus on basketball for her college career, especially since Union College lacks a tennis program. “It was all basketball,” she remarked, noting that both of her older sisters had also played college basketball. “While I love tennis, basketball is my priority at this level,” she explained.
Despite not being a standout player during high school, starting only a few games and averaging 1.1 points in her senior year, Scott excelled in teamwork and leadership. With her strong understanding of the game, rooted in her basketball family background, she proved to be an effective defensive player and felt Union offered her the best college opportunity.
“The community was great,” Scott said during her signing ceremony at the Bullitt East Media Center. “I liked the coaches and some of the players; they were genuinely welcoming, which made me feel it was a good fit.” Both of her sisters, Kathleen and Caroline, also pursued college basketball after playing for their family at Bullitt East.
Kennedy aims to major in Elementary Education, expressing, “I’ve always known I wanted to teach and perhaps coach.” She highlights the value of camaraderie, noting that her fondest memories at Bullitt East were spent with her teammates.
Basketball has been a significant part of Scott’s life since kindergarten. She joined the East Lady Charger program in second grade and played under her mother in middle school before joining the varsity team at Bullitt East as a sophomore. Nowadays, many seniors recruit themselves online, and Chris Stallings, her coach, now primarily advises players on suitable programs. He expressed pride in Kennedy’s journey, adding, “She’s among the top-10 graduates in her class, and Union is a great fit for her future.”
Standing at 5-4, her college position will be flexible. “They said we’ll see how it goes,” she grinned, willing to explore various roles aside from playing in the post. Scott is set to join a Union program that recorded a 10-19 season, concluding their play in the first round of the AAC Tournament with a close 60-57 loss to Tennessee Wesleyan.
