The Northern Kentucky high school basketball landscape is undergoing a talent dispersal as several elite players have finalized their plans ahead of the upcoming season. From homecoming stars to high-profile out-of-state arrivals and prep school departures, local rosters will look different, and so will some coaching staffs.
Newport reloads with elite talent
The Newport High School boys basketball program has landed two massive additions to its backcourt and frontcourt, completely reshaping its trajectory.
Jayden Wilkins: The highly touted Class of 2027 combo guard announced his move to Newport in July via Instagram. Wilkins, the son of 10-year NBA veteran Damien Wilkins, brings an exceptional basketball pedigree to the 9th Region. Jayden’s father welcomed him to Newport via Instagram. The young talent returns to the traditional high school scene after development stints with Atlanta’s Overtime Elite and Southeastern Prep in Orlando.
Beyond his immediate lineage, Wilkins carries an aristocratic basketball heritage as the grandson of former NBA guard Gerald Wilkins and the great-nephew of Atlanta Hawks Hall of Famer Dominique Wilkins. Prior to his well-traveled year in the national prep circuits, Wilkins honed his dynamic skill set on the grassroots scene with MBJ Elite. Standing 6-foot-2, the highly fluid guard provides Newport with a multi-faceted playmaker who possesses an advanced basketball IQ and a rare combination of lethal perimeter shooting and veteran poise.
Griffin Starks: In a major homecoming, 6‑foot‑8 senior forward Starks has been seen working with the Newport basketball team since the beginning of summer. National prospect tracker NextUpRecruits said in June that Starks appeared for the Wildcats at a Xavier University team camp after returning to Newport for summer basketball. Newport head coach Rod Snapp later confirmed to LINK nky that Starks is reuniting with the Wildcats. Starks previously left Newport for Southeastern Prep but decided to come back for the upcoming campaign. His return instantly gives Newport one of the most formidable frontcourts in the area.
Ranked nationally as a four-star prospect, Starks is an emerging force with the basketball in his hands and a major defensive anchor with a wingspan that matches his imposing frame. Before departing for Florida, he contributed significantly to Newport’s state title run in the All “A” Classic as well as a KHSAA 9th Region championship. He averaged 10.7 points and 7.3 rebounds per game as a Newport sophomore, his last previous season with the team.
Holding high-major college offers from programs such as Cincinnati, Florida State and Penn State, Starks is a tough offensive matchup and fluid defensively with versatility and interior rim protection. At this time last year, he was the No. 1 prospect in the state of Florida in his class and the 12th-ranked power forward prospect nationally in 247Sports composite rankings.
Covington Catholic adds firepower
In an intra-region shakeup, standout sophomore guard Benjamin Brown transferred from Scott High School to Covington Catholic. NextUpRecruits reported the move Aug. 3 and was confirmed by other media outlets. Recently married CovCath coach Jake Thelen did not immediately confirm Brown’s arrival at the school.
Brown made noise last year by dropping a stunning 50-point performance on Walton-Verona in a 96-92 home win on Feb. 16. His explosive scoring ability is expected to add immediate elite depth to the Colonels’ roster. The 6-foot-2 dynamo averaged 22.8 points per game in 17 contests during his stint last season with Scott. He debuted for the Eagles with a 30-point effort Jan. 12 in an 86-77 home win over Community Christian Academy.
Following a move from Nevada, Brown didn’t become eligible at Scott until early January 2026. According to one Nevada recruiting service, Brown was ranked as the second-best player in the class of 2029 before he left the state. He previously attended Mater Academy East outside of Las Vegas. Both of Brown’s parents graduated from Scott High School. The family moved to Nevada several years ago and moved back to Taylor Mill as the calendar flipped from 2025 to 2026.
Campbell County star headed to Ohio
While local programs add pieces, Campbell County suffers a major blow. The reigning 10th Region Player of the Year, Austin Davie, announced via his social media accounts in July his departure from the Camels to play for Western Reserve Academy in Hudson, Ohio. Davie was a Kentucky top 10 scorer last season, averaging a dominant 25 points and 8.4 rebounds per game as a sophomore, which included a school-record 50-point performance in a 90-89 home win over Nicholas County Feb. 13. Davie scored 1,354 career points in just two seasons at Campbell County.
Davie is a highly physical, high-motor 6-foot-7 multi-positional player. During his breakout sophomore campaign, he shot an efficient 56% from the field while adding 3.5 assists per game, leading Campbell County to a 22-10 record and the 37th District tournament title.
By transitioning to Western Reserve Academy — a private boarding powerhouse that competes outside the Ohio High School Athletic Association — Davie has officially reclassified, extending his high school development window and instantly elevating his profile among college recruiters. He received his first NCAA Division I offer in May from Eastern Kentucky University.
Holy Cross girls secure young guard
Shifting to the girls’ side, the Holy Cross Indians have secured one of the region’s top young playmakers. Combo guard Lunden Scott has transferred from Holmes to Holy Cross. Scott, an impact varsity player as a freshman for Holmes, brings immediate backcourt depth and stability to her new home. She averaged 6.8 points per game last season for the Bulldogs.
Scott put the region on notice during her debut varsity campaign with Holmes, which included a standout 14-point performance against her new team, Holy Cross. It was more than half the Holmes team total of 23. Known for her court vision, Scott has already drawn attention on the local circuit.
Her transition to Holy Cross gives the Indians a young floor general capable of breaking down defenses and anchoring their perimeter game for years to come.
Tigers solidify coaching staff
Changes across the region are not strictly limited to the hardwood rosters, as leadership ranks are also resetting. Bellevue High School officially named Kilee Schroder as the new head varsity coach for the girls’ basketball team. “We are very excited to have Kilee leading our girls program,” Bellevue athletic director Jim Hicks said. “She has been an assistant for us for a few years, and she is ready for this opportunity.”
Schroder spent the past four seasons as a Bellevue girls assistant. She has also worked with Kentucky Storm Elite. She inherits an 11-14 Tigers squad from last season that was coached by Trevor Gould. He was on the job a little more than a year. It was Bellevue’s first losing season since 2020-21.
Schroder is a former three-sport athlete at Dayton in volleyball, basketball and as a pitcher for the Greendevils softball team. A 2019 Dayton graduate, she is a former 9th Region All “A” Classic all-tournament team selection in softball. Back then, she was known as Kilee Donelan. Bellevue’s third head coach in three years, Schroder takes over the reins with a deep commitment to instilling stability and structural growth for the Tigers as they navigate a highly competitive local landscape.
Her rise to the top coincides with Bellevue losing three seniors from last season’s squad, including two of the top three scorers. Top players expected back for the Tigers include senior guard and scoring leader Chloe Reed (13.6 ppg, 5.9 rpg) and rebounding leader Kinley Hawkins (5.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg), a junior forward.
