Kentucky High School Basketball Regional Tournament Preview: Regions 9-16
This is March. Simply put, this month is every basketball fan’s Christmas. As the Wildcats finish off the regular season this week, people all around Kentucky will be flocking to their local high schools for some basketball.
This week marks the start of regional tournaments for high school basketball in Kentucky. District tournaments happened all around the bluegrass last week, setting up brackets for all 16 regions.
With a ticket to Rupp Arena on the line, KSR is here to give you a great look at the entire state. From the dominant 11th Region of Lexington to the plains of Lyon County and the 2nd Region, KSR has you covered. Look out for game recaps and regional tournament coverage by following myself (@BByrdwellKSR) and Piper McCoun (@PiperMcCounKSR).
We’ve already previewed Regions 1-8, which you can find here. Now, let’s dive into Regions 9-16.
9th Region
The 9th Region is chock-full of talent, especially in Covington. Covington Catholic is the fourth-ranked team in the state, while Newport is third. Two great teams within the same region, with only one able to represent their school at the Sweet 16. In an ideal world, both would be competing at Rupp Arena. But, that is the beauty of the Kentucky Sweet 16 setup. It brings so much importance to the regional matchups, providing unforgettable games and rivalries mere miles away.
Newport and Covington Catholic are only four miles from each other, yet both have established themselves as some of the best Kentucky has to offer. They have combined to go 54-8 on the year, and each has only lost one game within their region. In the lone matchup on December 9th, Covington Catholic came out on top 73-63 in the John Turner Classic. Covington Catholic is led by senior Brady Hussey, sophomore Athens McGillis, senior Caden Miller, and sophomore Cash Harney. Newport on the other hand is led by Taylen Kinney, a Kentucky target who averages 18.7 ppg as a sophomore.
Both teams have a ridiculous strength of schedule. Cov Cath has only lost two games to teams in Kentucky, while Newport has three losses to instate foes. Both teams lost to #1 Great Crossing, with Newport losing by two and Cov Cath by 15. The Wildcats of Newport are elite — after their loss to Covington Catholic, it seems all has been clicking for them, with an eventual rematch seeming predetermined in the finals. However, two more teams from the 9th Region are in the KSR Top 25, as well.
Cooper comes in at #10, while Lloyd Memorial is #19. Yamil Rondon and Shaun Pouncy lead Cooper, combining to average 28.5 points per game. Lockdown defender Jaidan Combs also brings a lot for the Jaguar defense. In fact, Cooper defeated Covington Catholic by 10 this season, and only lost to Newport by six. Watch out for Cooper to come out of nowhere to dethrone both top-four teams. However, I feel Newport is just too good, and the Wildcats may be a real threat to cut the nets at Rupp Arena.
Prediction: Newport
10th Region
Kentucky’s 10th Region is another region with two real threats to win. 2022 State Champion George Rogers Clark is enjoying another fantastic year after losing in the state championship game last season. The Cardinals are 29-2 this season with an undefeated record within the region. Senior guards Breland Morrison and Reshaun Hampton lead the Cardinals in scoring, combining for 31.5 points per game.
Sophomore Malakai Ashford and freshman Montez Gay also contribute as both average 11 points per game. However, Ashford suffered a season-ending injury last week. This leaves Gay, Hampton, and Morrison as the primary contributors. On the other hand, strong teams seem to rally around injuries like this, so the 10th Region will still need to look out for GRC.
GRC’s real threat to their trip back to Rupp Arena is the Campbell County Camels. The 22nd-ranked team in the state, Campbell County holds a 23-6 record and is 11-2 in the region. Senior PF Connor Weinel, senior guard Broc Sorgenfrei, and junior guard Garyn Jackson lead the Camels in scoring. On December 1st Campbell County suffered a three-point loss to GRC at home, their only shot at the Cardinals all season. That potential matchup could be a doozy with Rupp Arena on the line (even though it would be in the semis of the bracket). The other real threat is the Mason County Royals, who ended the season with a 9-1 record in the region.
Prediction: GRC
11th Region
The 11th Region is arguably the best in the state this season as it features the top two teams in Kentucky. Great Crossing and Lexington Catholic have battled for the No. 1 spot all season. However, Great Crossing’s 58-50 win over Lex Cath in late January solidified the Warhawks as the number one team in Kentucky.
Great Crossing is one of the best teams the state of Kentucky has seen in a while. Behind Kentucky target Malachi Moreno, a four-star top-50 player in the 2025 class, the Warhawks are feared in the paint. Moreno is listed at 7-0, 210 pounds, and is incredibly active around the rim.
Moreno is a true modern big. He’s dominant around the rim, yet athletic enough to move well in space. Indiana, Iowa, and Kentucky are all in contention for the elite shot blocker. Moreno is flanked by junior Vince Dawson, an incredible scorer who is averaging 17.9 points per game. Moreno and Dawson are one of the best duos in the state, and some see them as untouchable.
However, Lexington Catholic is #2 in the state and has dominated over the last few months. The Knights have been en fuego since the start of 2024, losing only once in the New Year, an eight-point defeat to Great Crossing. Lexington Catholic has been incredible, with some of the best offensive production in the state. Along with their 1-3-1 press, Lex Cath is starting to have it all figured out. Senior guards Tyler Doyle (Bellarmine commit) and sharpshooter John Reinhart are the perfect combination in the backcourt, with Doyle being an elite slasher and playmaker and Reinhart as a pro scorer. Look out for this great matchup next week where the winner of the region is likely the favorite to cut down the nets.
Prediction: Great Crossing
12th Region
Onto the 12th Region, where the leader in the clubhouse is a school of an estimated 182 students K-12. Danville Christian Academy is far and away the smallest school competing in high-level high school basketball anywhere. According to the KHSAA, in 2017-2018 DCA was the fourth smallest school in the state, with 11 boys enrolled in their high school, not even enough for a full basketball squad. The fact that the Warriors were ranked at any point in the season deserves a tip of the cap.
The Warriors have dominated the region with a 17-1 record. Senior Emmanuel Dut leads the Warriors in scoring with 13.2 points per game. Behind Dut, Titus Boyd averages a little over 10 points a game. If Danville Christian can make a run and complete their great season, then it may be time for Disney to take a look into DCA for a movie.
The rest of the field in the 12th:
- Mercer County (21-11) vs. Southwestern (14-6)
- Boyle County (15-15) vs. Pulaski County (20-10)
- Somerset (20-10) vs. Trinity Christian (20-12)
- Wayne County (24-7) vs. Danville Christian (24-6)
Pulaski County, Wayne County, and Somerset appear to be the greatest threats to DCA’s chances of winning their first regional championship.
Prediction: Danville Christian Academy
13th Region
In the next few years, there is a good chance the 13th Region can say it was the home of an NBA lottery pick. Reed Sheppard led North Laurel to back-to-back 13th Region championships the last two seasons. Now, with Sheppard dominating the SEC and leading the Wildcats, the region is wide open. Harlan County took full advantage of this with their own future SEC guard on their squad.
Trent Noah is averaging 30.1 points per game for the Black Bears in his final year of high school basketball. Noah is a consensus three-star recruit who will play his college ball at the University of South Carolina for Lamont Paris. His 30.1 points this year are second-most in the state (tied with Travis Perry). In fact, if Perry wasn’t graduating this year then Noah would be the far-and-away favorite to win Mr. Basketball this season. Noah became Harlan County’s all-time leading scorer and led the Black Bears to a 28-4 record with a perfect 15 wins without a defeat in the 13th Region.
Harlan County is by far the favorite in the 13th, steamrolling most of the competition, including Bell County 77-54 in the 52nd District championship. Clay County has finished the season on a 14-game winning streak and is led by senior Hayden Harris. North Laurel and Corbin have both been pesky in the 13th, and could cause problems for whoever the two face in the final.
Prediction: Harlan County
14th Region
The 14th Region is Hazard’s to lose. The Bulldogs are 26-5 on the year and 21-1 in the region. Simply put, Hazard should make it to Rupp. Hazard features a guard duo of sophomore Seth Caudill and junior Evin Eversole. The young backcourt has combined to average 39 points per game, with Eversole going for 21 a game this season. Both are nearly 40% three-point shooters on almost 100 attempts, and both can get to the basket.
Second in line for the title is Knott County Central. The Patriots are 23-8 on the year and have competed with Hazard all season. In their lone matchup, Knott County Central lost to Hazard by seven in the “Have Mercy!” It’s the Harold Mullins Classic. The Pats are led by Jayden Huff, a senior guard who is averaging 18.5 points per game. Huff is a superb athlete who can get to the rim with ease. Senior Hunter Haddix is a great shooter who has made 70 triples this season on 43.8% shooting from behind the arc.
If the bracket goes to chalk, Knox County Central and Hazard would meet on March 11th at Powell County for the championship.
Prediction: Hazard
15th Region
Four teams have a realistic chance to win the 15th Region, making it one of the most entertaining tournaments for casual fans to watch. Pikeville (21-4), Lawrence County (24-7), Martin County (21-9), and Pike County Central (20-8) are all quality teams that have gone back and forth all year. However, Pikeville has a slight edge. Their undefeated regional record and 13th ranking in the state show that the Panthers can compete with some of the best.
Pikeville’s senior center Charlie Fitzer has been dominant this season. He averaged 14.4 ppg along with eight rebounds a game. Standing at 6-foot-9, “Big C” is starting to take over for the Panthers. Pikeville will meet Lawrence County in the first round, with the winner likely meeting Martin County in the semis.
Prediction: Pikeville
16th Region
Lastly, the 16th Region is all #20 Boyd County, Ashland Blazer, Morgan County, and Fleming County. Boyd County is 25-6 on the year and has only suffered one loss within the region, an overtime defeat to Fleming County. Coach Randy Anderson’s Lions are looking to stop Ashland Blazer from their sixth straight regional championship. In the 64th District final, Boyd County defeated Ashland Blazer 56-55 in overtime, an instant classic. The game ended with a Jacob Spurlock game-winning three for the Lions, sending the crowd into a frenzy. The sophomore has averaged 23.0 points per game, with 124 threes on 41.6% from behind three.
For Ashland Blazer, Zander Carter is the leader of the Tomcats. The junior is averaging 22.7 points per game on 207 two-point shots scored. The Liberty basketball commit is incredible around the rim and has proved to be a matchup nightmare with more than 2,000 points in high school. Carter and Spurlock are some of the best in the east, and a matchup between the two is a must-watch for all Kentucky high school basketball fans.
Prediction: Ashland Blazer
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