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Keough Enjoys Less-Stressful Senior Season

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By CRISTINA LEDRA

The Tampa Tribune

Published: May 28, 2008

LAND O' LAKES - This was an unconventional year for Kayli Keough.

She was in her senior season, already signed over to Florida State in November and her busy side schedule of showcases and travel ball was over.

It was time to have fun.

She had fun, not in the reckless sense, rather in the ability to savor a basketball season without the pressures of trying to get noticed by a college and still managed to play well enough to stand out about the rest, earning her The Tampa Tribune's Pasco County Girls Basketball Athlete of the Year.

For the 25-4 Gators, Keough, 6-foot-2, led in scoring with 18.9 points per game, in rebounds with 8.9 per game and blocked shots with 3.9 per game.

"It didn't end on the note we wanted it to end on but I had the one of the best years I've ever had," Keough said. "I got to play with my sister freshman Meghan Keough and all of my really good friends that I've had since eighth grade. It was definitely memorable."

The Gators' season ended in the region semifinals in the fourth meeting of the season with Wesley Chapel.

Her senior season, though, was a lot less stressful than her junior season in which she missed the final weeks, and the Gators' postseason, with mono.

Without the pressure of making a college decision, Keough focused on fine-tuning her game before heading to Tallahassee. And not having the running around of travel ball and showcases helped her cause too.

"I wanted to get better and work on the small things because being signed, I didn't have to worry about going to exposure tournaments so I could work on the little things that I needed to get better at," Keough said. "I worked on my shot a lot so I'm hoping that's better, and then dribbling for sure."
Keough also ran track in the spring in addition to playing volleyball in the fall and earning the Tribune's Pasco County Volleyball Player of the Year.

"The experience of it was the main point because when you're having fun you feel good about the way you play so definitely the experience was what made it," Keough said.
GIRLS BASKETBALL FIRST TEAM
Kayli Keough, Land O' Lakes

Ashley Carey, Wesley Chapel
Jen Daun, Ridgewood

Jordan Schulman, Gulf

Desiree Vizcaino, Wesley Chapel
Coach of the Year: Warren Jones, Wesley Chapel

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