To be the winning team, fan votes play a heavy role, along with consideration from our sports team here at LINK.
Nominations are reader-submitted or recommended by our sports team. Our Team of the Week program honors all local sports at all levels, whether it’s youth- or adult-oriented recreation, high school or college, professional or amateur.
Want to get a jump start on next week’s Team of the Week nominations? Click here to submit.
This week’s nominated teams are listed below with some information provided by the submitter or LINK nky staff. The poll where you can vote follows at the end of the article.
Voting is open until Sunday at 11:59 p.m.
LUDLOW PANTHERS BOYS BASKETBALL
The Panthers are off to a 7-2 start thanks to three wins last week over Bellevue, Dayton and Holmes, their first victory over the Bulldogs the first since at least 1998, breaking a streak of at least eight straight losses.
Jaxson Rice, Spencer Brandenburg, Ethan Powell and Elijah Perrin all had big weeks. Rice averaged over 27 points, pulling down over six rebounds per game, Brandenburg hitting 10 three-pointers and putting up nearly 11 points per game, Perrin averaging eight points and eight boards, Powell tossing in 10 points per game.
Ludlow has won six in a row overall and off to their best start since 2003-04 when they opened 10-1.
HIGHLANDS BLUEBIRDS BOYS BASKETBALL
The Bluebirds jumped to 8-0 with wins over Campbell County, Cincinnati Trailblazers and Boyle County last week. The win on Saturday marked the 200th of head coach Kevin Listerman’s career, 157 of them in his 10th season with the team.
Highlands dialed it up from long-range in the 101-85 victory over the Camels, knocking down 15 three-pointers. Six different players scored at least 10 points, led by Nathan Vinson’s 23. Vinson led the Bluebirds again in the win over the Trailblazers posting 24 points and 11 boards. Will Herald dropped in 33 on Boyle, knocking down five treys from deep.
They did suffer their first loss of the season on Tuesday, but rebounded to win their next two taking fifth place in the Mason County Invitational Tournament in Maysville.
NOTRE DAME PANDAS GIRLS BASKETBALL
Three wins last week and two of them in the White, Greer and Maggard Lexington Catholic Holiday Tournament earned the Pandas a semifinal birth in the tournament where they eventually fell in the championship on Tuesday to George Rogers Clark.
They were paced by Noelle Hubert in the victories, averaging nearly 23 points per game in the three contests. Maya Lawrie (9 ppg), Georgi Kittley (7.3 ppg), Kendra Collins (3.7 ppg, 5.3 rpg) and Sophia Gibson (6.6 ppg, 9.3 rpg) all did damage in the undefeated week.
The Pandas 8-1 start has them as a serious contender to try and unseat Cooper as the 9th Region champ.
ST. HENRY CRUSADERS GIRLS BASKETBALL
Wins over an undefeated Pendleton County team followed up by a victory over Nicholas County, the Crusaders notched their third straight victory and a 5-2 start to the season.
They grinded out wins in both, 45-40 over Pendleton, Kayla Unkraut scoring 17 points and pulling down seven rebounds. Unkraut again led St. Henry in the 45-30 win over Nicholas, scoring 13 points and grabbing five rebounds. They won the rebounding battle 30-18 against the Lady Jackets as Chilota Iloegbunam and Taylor Hill also hit double figures with 11 and 10 points, respectively.
