Prospect Spotlight: Kelly Niece (2021)
Simon Kenton Sophomore guard Kelly Niece is one of the best scorers I’ve seen thus far in the 2021 class. Niece scores the ball at all 3 levels and is a tough kid who can finish through contact at the rim. When he scored 37 against Gallatin County in the regional tournament back in March, Kelly got knocked to the ground enough times that it seemed the Gallatin game plan was simply to beat him into submission. But that didn’t stop Niece. He picked himself up and shot his free throws over and over. This season, Niece’s goal is to increase his assists and rebounds per game, improving his all around game. If he can make those strides, Kelly can get his team closer to his season goal of winning the 8th region and getting to the state tournament in March.
Kelly spent his offseason “working on my agility an getting stronger”. He also has started to draw some college interest. “I’ve gained interest from Northern Kentucky and Western Kentucky.” With the skill level and scoring ability that Niece possesses, he is only going to draw more and more college interest as he ages and his game matures. After an AAU season where he didn’t get a ton of playing time with Indiana Elite 16u, Kelly slipped down the class rankings and now sits at 10th in the class overall. He told me that he doesn’t put any stock into rankings. “I’m just trying to focus on playing and the rest will take care of itself.” With the graduation of Zach Kelch, Niece is going to have even more pressure on him this season to carry the Simon Kenton team. Look for him to continue to be one of the top scoring guards in the 2021 class.