And we’re down to three…just three weeks remain in the KHSAA 2024-25 regular season for basketball.
And the picture couldn’t get more cloudier. Ranking the top 10 teams in Kentucky, boys or girls, is not an easy task.
The only thing I feel certain about is who is at the top in boys and girls, and it belongs to the school off Longbranch Road in Union. The Cooper Jaguars boys basketball team hasn’t lost a game to a region opponent and owns victories over the No. 2 (CovCath), No. 4 (Lloyd), No. 6 (Ryle), No. 9 (Simon Kenton) and No. 10 (Highlands) teams on this list. The Cooper Jaguars girls basketball team has just one loss in region play to No. 4 (Holy Cross) and owns victories over No. 3 (Simon Kenton), No. 5 (Notre Dame), No. 6 (Campbell County), No. 7 (Highlands) and No. 9 (Scott).
From there, it’s not easy. They beat them or they beat them. There’s been a lot of beating each other in NKY this year and that’s good for parity, but not easy for rankings.
Oh well, here goes the latest LINK nky Top 10 rankings in boys and girls.
BOYS
- Cooper (13-4, Previous Ranking: 1) — See above. The resume warrants the top team in NKY. A big one with Conner on Tuesday in Hebron, winner gets the all important No. 1 seed for the 33rd District Tournament. Who wins 9th Region Player of the Year? Andy Johnson or EJ Walker? Another big question as the season unfolds.
2. Covington Catholic (15-6, Previous Ranking: 2) — Not having Donovan Bradshaw against Great Crossing kind of soured their matchup against the No. 2 in the state Warhawks. With a team that doesn’t feature much size, it was much needed against 7-footer Malachi Moreno. The Colonels have lost four of five to the likes of Cooper, Trinity, Campbell County and Great Crossing.
3. Conner (15-4, Previous Ranking: 3) — Imagine Feb. 4 has been circled on the calendar for quite some time for the Cougars. This is the chance to show they’re a real threat to not only win a 33rd District title, but a 9th Region title as well when Cooper comes to town.
4. Lloyd Memorial (15-6, Previous Ranking: 4) — The Juggernauts have looked to have figured things out during their four-game winning streak after a three-game slide. It starts on the defensive end and they’ve proven so by giving up 42 points per game during their four-game stretch.
5. Newport (13-8, Previous Ranking: 6) — Played a tight one against the No. 1 team in the state, St. Xavier, on Sunday before coming up short, 68-61. Big matchup on Friday at Covington Catholic.
6. Campbell County (16-6, Previous Ranking: 7) — Their fourth game in five days showed on Sunday in a loss to Highlands at NKU. That’s a lot on anyone, even high school kids.
7. Ryle (10-9, Previous Ranking: NR) — Winners of four in a row, looks like the Raiders are finding their groove at the right time. They host Covington Catholic on Thursday.
8. Beechwood (13-7, Previous Ranking: 5) — The Tigers play at Holy Cross on Friday. If Holy Cross loses to Covington Catholic on Tuesday, Friday’s matchup will determine the No. 2 seed for the 35th District tournament. And then they’ll face each other once again the last week of February, the winner moving on, the loser’s season ending.
9. Simon Kenton (15-6, Previous Ranking: 9) — An impressive 3-point display for 16 minutes against Walton-Verona on Friday earned them the No. 1 seed for the 32nd District tournament. With the balance they have and tough zone they play, the Pioneers are once again a threat in the 8th Region.
10. Dixie Heights (15-4, Previous Ranking: 8) — A bit of a letdown last week in a 52-31 loss to Lloyd Memorial as they were unable to find offense in the second half. They’ll most likely get another crack at the Juggernauts in late February in the 34th District championship.
Next up: Highlands, Holy Cross, Walton-Verona
GIRLS
- Cooper (14-4, Previous Ranking: 2) — Show me another program in the state that lost four players to the next level from last season and is having the success they’re having. What Cooper is doing this year is pretty impressive. With three weeks to go, they may have inserted themselves as the favorite in the 9th Region now. The resume at the beginning of this piece backs it up.
2. Simon Kenton (15-4, Previous Ranking: 3) — The Lady Pioneers let one slip away against Cooper last week. They shut them out in the first quarter and held them to four points in the third before falling in overtime. Tuesday gives them a good gauge on where they stand in the 8th Region, playing at Anderson County, who many consider Simon Kenton’s toughest competition in the region.
3. Dixie Heights (14-5, Previous Ranking: 4) — Might have the most balanced and deep team in the region. Took down Holy Cross and Ryle last week without a starter and sixth man.
4. Holy Cross (20-3, Previous Ranking: 1) — Talk about a gauntlet to close out the season…it starts with Notre Dame on Wednesday and then Campbell County, Newport Central Catholic, Frederick Douglass, Simon Kenton, Sacred Heart and Scott. Five of those seven are ranked in the top 30 in the state.
5. Notre Dame (15-4, Previous Ranking: 6) — While Wednesday’s matchup with Holy Cross determines the No. 1 seed for the 35th District tournament, putting a precedent on winning a district title is mammoth this year. A district runner-up means you’re most likely going to have to beat three of the top 20 teams in the state to win a 9th Region title.
6. Campbell County (14-6, Previous Ranking: 7) — With a first round bye in the 37th District tournament and a berth into the 10th Region tournament, the question now is can they compete with George Rogers Clark for a 10th Region title?
7. Highlands (15-6, Previous Ranking: 5) — After a 12-2 start to the season, the Bluebirds are 3-4 in their last seven, including a loss to Campbell County on Sunday.
8. Bishop Brossart (17-5, Previous Ranking: 8) — The Lady ‘Stangs have a real shot to close the season out strong and win 10 straight going into the postseason.
9. Scott (11-7, Previous Ranking: 9) — The loss to Campbell County means they’ll be facing Bishop Brossart in the first round of the 37th District tournament for the second straight year.
10. Walton-Verona (13-8, Previous Ranking: 10) — An impressive showing against Grant County has to give them a lot of confidence as they gear up for the 32nd District tournament when they’ll face the Braves once again in the first round.
Next up: Newport Central Catholic, Ryle
