MARTIN - The Piarist School is home to one of the state’s top girls’ basketball shooters from the 2011-12 season. After averaging a state-leading 3.9 three-point field goals per game during the 2011-12 campaign, Kelli Akers is headed into her senior season with the Piarist School girls’ basketball program. Akers attended camp at the University of Kentucky June 22-24 and had the opportunity to compete with and against some of the nation’s top players. She made the Elite Team and practiced against numerous NCAA Division I recruits.

Both Akers and her coach, Kevin Tackett, are excited about a promising 2012-13 season.

Akers averaged 20.8 points per game during her junior season, ranking 14th in the state in scoring. The accurate-shooting Akers scored 500 total points. Akers shot 41.2 percent from 3-point range, draining 93-of-226 three-point field goal attempts. She hit 10 three-pointers in a win over South Floyd.

The Piarist guard was 72-of-101 from the free throw line, shooting 72.3 percent.

Akers, however, didn’t even lead the Lady Knights in shot attempts. Cathryn Calhoun, who averaged 19.0 points per game, took more shot attempts than Akers during the 2011-12 season.

Akers led Piarist in both scoring and rebounding. She hauled in a team-high 6.5 rebounds per game for the Lady Knights. The highly-decorated Akers has already scored 1,000 points during her prep career. She has recorded several double-doubles and even flirted with registering a triple-double.

Akers has used her summer break to work on facets of her game.

“Dribbling and shooting off of the dribble are some of the things that I’ve been working on this summer,” Akers commented.

Akers has been splitting her time between basketball’s open gym sessions and volleyball’s preseason practice.

Akers has heard from several in-state schools, including Pikeville, Campbellsville, Midway, Alice Lloyd and Kentucky Christian. UVA-Wise has also show interest in the high-scoring guard.

Piarist is scheduled to open the season on Nov. 27 at home against 58th District/Floyd County Conference foe South Floyd.