‘It feels like family.’ Top-10 recruit Leah Macy finds success and community at new school.
Leah Macy has found a new sense of community and family in her first season with Bethlehem girls basketball.
The nation’s No. 8-ranked recruit in the class of 2025, the 6-foot-2 Macy is a dynamic forward who’s caught the attention of dozens of Division I programs. And, while her junior season has brought her several new personal experiences — some good, some not so good — Macy has largely thrived since transferring from Mercy Academy in Louisville. And a lot of that, she said, is because of the people.
The Herald-Leader caught up with Macy during the All “A” Classic in Corbin, following the Banshees’ hard-fought 57-52 loss to Owensboro Catholic on Wednesday night. The game didn’t end the way the Banshees wanted, but it served as a reminder to a program that endured the death of one of its players’ parents just the day before how strong a unit Bethlehem has.
When asked what makes the team so special, Macy celebrated the Banshees’ ability to weather whatever comes their way.
“I would say just how close we are,” Macy said. “We’re all just like a family. We all love each other. We’re all just really, really close on and off the court. And I think, you know, that’s really important to make chemistry. We fell short today, it was a really rough day. But I think this shows that we can go through adversity and we’ll be fine. It’s gonna make us tougher. And I think it just really brought us so close because we saw how much we all love each other and each other’s families. So you know, I think, it wasn’t like a good lesson. But I think it did bring us all closer.”
According to Bethlehem head coach Jason Clark, the Banshees are a “team full of athletes,” who spend all their time together, capable of withstanding a tremendous amount because of “what kind of person they are.”
What happens when you add a player like Macy to Bethlehem’s already-connected roster, which just so happens to feature eight members of the Banshees’ 2023 KHSAA state soccer championship team?
“We’re really fast,” Macy said. “We play really, really, really good fast. We’re getting better at defense, even though we’re really all athletic, that’s still clicking for us. But I would say we can just score the ball at all three levels. …You need all five players on the floor to build a score. So I think that’s something that is really going to help us in the postseason.”
Following two seasons at Mercy Academy, Macy and her younger sister Loren, a freshman guard, transferred to Bethlehem High School in Bardstown. So far, Macy said, the sisters have found it to be a great experience in all areas.
“I love it. It’s been amazing,” Macy said. “My younger sister is thriving. She just loves it. She’s really grown, which has been amazing to see, but … the community, it’s just amazing. It feels like family. I love the school, the people, the basketball, everything about it. So it was a really good move. And I’m really happy I did.”
Macy’s goals include continuing to gain ground on the KHSAA records for points and rebounds — she currently has more than 2,200 points and 1,300 rebounds in her time with Elizabethtown (seventh and eighth grade), Mercy (freshman and sophomore) and Bethlehem. Whitney Creech, who played for Jenkins from 2008-16, sits atop Kentucky’s career points list with 5,527, and Sherry Gish, who played for Muhlenberg Central from 1978-84, holds the record for career rebounds with 1,978.
But, more than anything, Macy’s goal is to win. She specifically outlined winning the 5th Region and heading to the Sweet 16 as the team’s focus.
Macy has only recently resumed her pursuit of records and victories. She played in three games for Bethlehem — posting a double-double in each of them — before suffering a sprained ACL and bone bruise in her knee that sidelined her for a month.
It didn’t take any time at all for Macy to shake the rust once she was cleared to play ahead of the team’s 75-50 victory over Nelson County on Jan. 5, during which Macy contributed 31 points and 14 rebounds. However, she said her 10 games off the court forced her to shift her perspective and taught her valuable lessons.
Bethlehem’s game Wednesday marked just nine total with Macy available (she’s averaging 23.8 points and 12.9 rebounds), meaning the competitive and talented Banshees are still working toward their potential as a complete unit.
“It could have been more serious than it was. So I got really lucky, which I’m really thankful for,” Macy said. “I was able to bounce back. … But it gave me a different perspective. I’d never been sidelined that long before. So it allowed me to see the game in a different way, which I think has helped me when I’ve come back. But I would say I’m still getting in because I never really got to get in the team chemistry. So we’re still getting that, but we can be so good.”
Macy finished Wednesday’s All “A” defeat with 20 points and 12 boards. The Banshees fell to 12-7 overall but are 9-1 in 5th Region play. Eight games remain before the district tournament begins.
During her absence from the floor, Macy also got to take a New Year’s visit to UConn, one of the many college basketball powers in pursuit of her commitment — “I really enjoyed it. It was amazing,” she said. She said she plans to take the recruiting process slowly and will probably make no more college visits until her high school season is over.
However, just because Macy isn’t looking to visit schools this winter doesn’t mean coaches won’t get to see her. In fact, coaches from both Nebraska and TCU were in attendance Wednesday.
“I would say I’m down to like, eight (schools) or so,” Macy said. “And I’m just still building relationships with the coaches. We can take official visits now, but I don’t think I’m gonna take any until I commit, just because I took the unofficials I want. So I think I’m gonna wait it out this high school season.”
Lexington Christian knocked out by Crittenden
Lexington Christian fell 56-53 to Crittenden County (11-7) in the seventh of Wednesday’s eight All “A” Classic girls first-round games. Thursday in Corbin belonged to the boys before the girls returned to the floor for Friday’s quarterfinals.
After a tight first quarter that saw the Eagles (14-4) take a 15-14 lead, the Rockets pushed ahead to lead by four at the half. LCA outscored Crittenden 13-5 in the third quarter to regain its lead, but the Rockets took command in the final period.
Sophomore guard Jentry Bertram finished with 16 points, two rebounds, four assists and one steal for Lexington Christian. Junior guard Chapel Brown had 16 points, four rebounds, one assist and two steals.
Sophomore guard Anna Boone led Crittenden County with 25 points, six assists, three blocks and one steal. She was joined in double figures by eighth-grade guard Jordyn Hodge, who added 17 points, two rebounds, one assist and two steals.
Girls All “A” Classic
At Corbin Arena
Wednesday
Owsley County 61, Cumberland County 37
Covington Holy Cross 68, Whitefield Academy 30
Walton-Verona 45, Mayfield 30
Nicholas County 48, Menifee County 30
Danville Christian 55, Shawnee 22
Owensboro Catholic 57, Bethlehem 52
Crittenden County 56, Lexington Christian 53
Pikeville 61, Harlan 41
Friday
8:30 a.m.: Covington Holy Cross (16-5) vs. Owsley County (12-5)
10 a.m.: Walton-Verona (12-7) vs. Nicholas County (13-5)
11:30 a..m.: Danville Christian (17-1) vs. Owensboro Catholic (15-3)
1 p.m.: Crittenden County (11-7) vs. Pikeville (14-2)
Saturday
Semifinals at 11 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
Sunday
Championship game at noon
