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State Gazette Female Rookie of the Year for Dyersburg High School
Monday, July 22, 2024
Dyersburg Lady Trojan Kay Kay Strayhorn
JASON PEEVYHOUSE
As an important part of the Lady Trojan’s run to the TSSAA Class AAA State Championship this past March, Dyersburg freshman Kay Kay Strayhorn made an immediate impact for the black and gold during her first year in high school and has been named the State Gazette Girls Rookie of the Year for Dyersburg High School.
Lady Trojan Head Coach Tim Strayhorn talked about the impact his granddaughter has had on the program this past winter.
“Kay Kay meant a lot because midways through the season we realized we had to come out of playing the zone,” Strayhorn explained. “She was guarding the best player on the other team. If they could handle the ball, we put Kay Kay on them for the first three quarters and maybe some of the fourth.
“She’s a really good defensive player and she’s a really good rebounder, a good passer, and some games she lead us in scoring.”
While Strayhorn’s offensive prowess – scoring nine points a game as a freshman while shooting at a 33.4 percent rate from the field and a 28.9 pace from beyond the three-point line – pushed her defensive abilities into the background, the Dyersburg head coach is quick to point out where her strength was this past season.
“I really think she’s a better defensive player and an offensive player,” Strayhorn said. “She helped us out big time.
“It also made us deeper on the bench because we had girls we could rotate and get other girls rest. It allowed us to come back in and pick up the tempo.”
Her defensive numbers do support Strayhorn’s view as the freshman guard had 73 steals and 65 deflections to go along with 95 rebounds.
It was, though, in one offensive area where Strayhorn improved the most, as the team’s head coach pointed out. And, Strayhorn also sees ways Kay Kay can be even better.
“Not forcing shots,” Strayhorn said. “I think one thing she has got to improve on is that she fell in love with the three.
“You know you live by it or you die by it. It’s not going to fall every night. She’s got to get back to being that complete player that I know she can be. Getting to the rim. She’s got to work on her pull up jumper. And, she’s still got a lot of work to do but I know she’s going to do it.”
With all her statistics comes a toughness, Strayhorn said.
“She’s not afraid of the big moment,” the Dyersburg head coach said. “I think she lives for the big games.
“Look at it this way, how many freshmen do you know that can play in the championship game and the pressure doesn’t even bother them? I think that is one of the biggest things she brings is that toughness. The bigger the game, the more she loves it.”
Looking into this upcoming sophomore season, Strayhorn will be expected to continue to improve her game.
“To drive the ball more and still get better on defense,” Dyersburg’s head coach said. “Learn how to control her emotions. Those are her keys.
“If she learns how to control her emotions I think she’s going to turn out to be a really good ballplayer.”