Ridgewood's Kat Kelley hasn't been deterred as a first-year varsity basketball player

WEST LAFAYETTE — Like Jason Newstead was for Metallica, Kat Kelley has been for Ridgewood girls basketball.

Newsted replaced a future legend in bassist Cliff Burton, who died tragically in 1986. It came just as the band was primed to ascend to the top of the metal scene, shortly after the release of "Master of Puppets."

Then Newsted came along. The result was the iconic "And Justice For All ..." and later the self-titled black album. Then "Load" and "Reload," six years later.

The rest is rock history.

More: Monday roundup: May's late surge sends Shenandoah past Philo in girls basketball

More: Racer overcomes medical issues to place first in MXC1 division, third in youth division

Kelley, just a freshman, joined seniors Megan Mainwaring, Kya Masloski, Tarryn Morris and Emma Rettos on a team with a veteran returning cast that needed to replace top scorer Kelley Masloski in the offseason.

Kelley's addition under first-year coach John Slusser has been a significant reason why the team earned its 12th win of the season with a 49-15 win against visiting Coshocton on Monday night.

Kelley, a 5-foot-10 lefty guard, entered that game averaging 14 points per game and ranked among the team's top outside shooters and rebounders. With the veteran Kya Masloski tossing in 13 points per contest, the team has two double-figure scorers to keep teams honest.

Its win against Coshocton secured a winning season, though the players are eyeing even more down the stretch as it sits at 12-3.

Slusser, who took over for former coach Scott Bardall in the fall, admitted he wasn’t sure what to expect from Kelley since he wasn’t in tune with her abilities. Slusser never saw Kelley play until an open gym session shortly after being named head coach.

It didn’t take long for him to see she was an immediate contributor.

“We were running a (fast) break, and she stopped and hit a 3-pointer about three feet from behind the line," Slusser said. "(Assistant coach Travis) Simmons and I looked at each other and were like, ‘We are going to like that kid.’”

Kelley's success didn't stop there. She scored a career-high 23 points in a home win win against Inter-Valley Conference rival Indian Valley on Jan. 3, which proved to be a confidence builder for player and team.

"She is so coachable," Slusser said. "She wants to be great. She really wants someone to push her. I told her the other day, that I feel bad because she has me as a coach, because she needs someone better than me to coach her. Because she is really good."

Kelley's sentiments did not echo that of her coach.

Kelley said she feels fortunate to have Slusser and Simmons as coaches, with the latter often serving as a key voice on the bench while Slusser handles the in-game coaching duties.

"I knew (Bardall) because he would come to our middle school practices, and I liked him as a coach, but Slusser brings a lot of energy," Kelley said. "I really like that."

Kelley has often been the focus of opposing defenses, particularly as the scouting rounds made their way through the IVC. Rettos said that while it was evident that Kelley's talent was good enough to translate to the varsity level, she assumed the adjustment period would be harsh at times.

That hasn't been the case, calling her "absolutely incredible."

"She has been the greatest teammate," Rettos said. "She has always been supportive, always there to give high fives and been a great addition to the team. I’m so glad I got to play with her.

"She is just good," Rettos added. "She can score, she can dribble — she is just really good. I have been pretty proud of her. She hasn’t gotten flustered at all. I haven’t seen her completely lose it. She has really kept her composure."

Kelley, who also plays soccer and softball, made it clear on Monday that she wants her future to be in basketball. She made an effort last summer to bump up a level with her AAU program, the Ohio Futures, in an effort to better acclimate to varsity competition.

That decision has paid off.

Kelley said she didn't expect to start with so many upperclassmen returning, thought she did feel she could help the team. Being a regular on the soccer team helped ease her anxiety entering basketball as a freshman, she said.

She is simply happy to be a contributor for a team on pace to win 17 games, admitting that she was uneasy about how she would be accepted by the upperclassmen.

Those fears were quelled early. Masloski and the others accepted her almost immediately.

"I didn't know how they were going to take it," Kelley said. "They were very inclusive. They made me feel part of the team. We are all unselfish. The coaches are telling us every practice how we need to be unselfish, and we've done that the entire season."

Masloski said that while Kelley still has freshman moments, she has no doubt that greatness is in her future. That it is happening quickly only aids a team hoping to reach the second-most wins in school history.

"She definitely has that scoring touch," Masloski said. "She knows how to score. She fits in well. We have so many good passers in our team, she knows where to go to get her shot. Sometimes she forces shots, but we are there to remind her 'Hey, you're a good scorer, the shots will come to you.'"

Slusser offered no rebuttal to Kelley's hopes of becoming a college player, adding her length and athleticism give her advantage over many players at the high school level.

"There are definitely things she needs to work on," Slusser said. "There are times when I don't think she involves enough people, and the great ones always do that. That's always part of it.

"The thing we have been impressed with is she has changed into such a rebounder," Slusser added. "She has taken over on both ends. ... In the games we have needed her, she's had those 20-point, 15-point games."

[email protected]; X: @SamBlackburnTR

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: Ridgewood basketball riding talents of freshman Kat Kelley