Record-breaking senior leading North Oldham to regionals for first time

GOSHEN, Ky. (WDRB) -- The most decorated player in North Oldham High School girls basketball history will soon face a new challenge.

Riley Neal, a senior forward, is the school's all-time leading scorer and an all-region player. In a high school career highlighted by more than 2,000 career points, more than 800 rebounds and becoming the first player in team history to sign at the Division I level, an important goal for the senior has remained elusive, until now.

North Oldham has never played in the Eighth Region tournament. Since the school opened in 2003, the girls basketball team has never won a district tournament game or reached the district final, which would guarantee North Oldham a spot in regional tournament.

There have been near misses in previous years.

During the 2019-20 season, under the direction of then head coach Jimmy Segar, North Oldham had its winningest year in program history, which included an 18-point win over rival South Oldham High School in the regular season. But in the district semifinals, North Oldham lost to South Oldham and was denied a trip to the regional tournament.

Last season, in an abbreviated schedule due to COVID-19 restrictions, North Oldham defeated Oldham County High School in the regular season by 21 points in January but then lost, 65-64, in the district semifinals to ends its season short of the regional tournament once again.

With Trimble County High School leaving District 29 after the 2019-20 season, the No. 1 seed in the district — determined by regular season games — is guaranteed a spot in the district final and the regional tournament.

North Oldham defeated Oldham County, 63-22, in January and then sealed a spot in the District 29 final with a win over South Oldham on Feb. 7. North Oldham lost to South Oldham in the District 29 final Friday night, but attention now turns to the regional tournament for the first time.

In his first season as the team’s head coach, Mac McIntosh established a new mentality at North Oldham.

“It started with belief, not only telling them but then through hard work and discipline,” McIntosh said. “There’s been adversity on the way. There’s always going to be that. But for some reason, for 19 years, we haven’t been able to overcome that.”

It’s also helped having the state’s third-leading scorer.

Neal has saved her best for last. She’s scored 40 points in a game twice and is averaged a career-high 25.2 points while shooting 51.1% from the floor in the regular season. The all-region senior recorded 13 double-doubles and scored 30 or more points eight times this year.

She has been consistent as ever, scoring 18 or more points in all but two of the team’s 29 games in the regular season.

“I just go out and play every game like it’s my last and just leave all of it out on the floor,” Neal said. “I know that early mornings and late nights are going to pay off, so just go out and hustle and play to the best of my abilities, and the hard work will pay off.”

In the final five games of the regular season, she averaged 28.4 points and 10.4 rebounds.

Kylie Vize, the team’s second-leading scorer who has played alongside Neal since their freshman year, said the forward has grown as player over the years. And Neal admits her teammates have helped her along the way.

“I’d say I grow because of my teammates,” Neal said. “They’re always there to support me, bring me up when I fall or when I’m not as confident in myself. They have a lot to do with the (personal) success.”

Although her high school career will wrap up in February or March, Neal’s basketball career will continue. She committed to played basketball at Miami University (Ohio) last August and signed in November, becoming the first player in North Oldham program history to do so at the Division I level.

“I always had a dream of being a DI athlete but I never understood the level of commitment it actually took until I fell in love with the hard work and commitment,” Neal said. “I realized that’s what I wanted to do and I don’t want to stop doing it.”

The commitment demanded a willingness to work hard. McIntosh calls Neal one of the hardest workers he’s been around in any athletics.

“I knew from probably the first week that she was going to be successful," McIntosh said. "She was going to lead this team."

While Neal is the first Division I signee from North Oldham girls basketball, she hopes there will be more student-athletes joining the college ranks in years to come.

“It means a lot," she said. "I hope I can be a role model to other girls who want to do the same and come back and help out with anything I can do to get there for other girls."

The Eighth Region tournament begins this upcoming week.

Copyright 2022 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.