Who are Kentucky’s top 25 boys’ high school basketball players for 2021-22?
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2021-22 High School Basketball Preview
The Herald-Leader/Kentucky.com is publishing season preview stories leading up to the start of the 2021-22 high school basketball season on Monday, Nov. 29. You can read everything we’ve published to this point by clicking on this drop-down list. All of the stories are also available in our print and e-editions.
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Below is the preseason top 25 ranking of Kentucky high school boys’ basketball players for the 2021-22 season, as voted on by coaches in a statewide survey conducted by the Lexington Herald-Leader/Kentucky.com.
The top 10 players are listed with their school along with grade level, height and last season’s points per game in parentheses along with a brief comment. The next 15 players are listed with their school, grade level and last season’s points per game along with their choice of college, if known. All players appearing on at least two ballots receive honorable mention.
Top 10 players
1. Reed Sheppard, North Laurel (6-3 Jr., 30.1 points per game): In a survey taken before his commitment to Kentucky on Nov. 20, Sheppard dominated the Herald-Leader coaches’ top-10 lists like he and the Jaguars did many of their opponents last season. Sheppard garnered 52 No. 1 votes among the 114 submissions and was mentioned on 103 surveys, also tops. In addition to tying as the state’s scoring leader as a sophomore, Sheppard led his team in rebounding with 7.1 per game. According to 247Sports.com, the five-star recruit ranks as the No. 1 junior in Kentucky and the No. 22 overall player nationwide in the class of 2023, the highest 247 ranking in its history for a Kentucky high school basketball player. Twitter: @reed_sheppard.
2. Kaleb Glenn, Male (6-6 Jr., 20.5 ppg): Although the Bulldogs’ 2020-21 season was stunted by COVID-19 issues, the enthusiasm for Glenn did not diminish as he joined Sheppard as the only two Herald-Leader first-team all-state sophomores. Rated as a four-star recruit by 247Sports.com and the No. 59 player of the class of 2023 nationwide, the small forward averaged a double-double in Male’s 11 games, grabbing 12.6 boards per game and continuing his uncanny ability to make shots with a 71.5 field goal percentage. Glenn had at least 10 Division I offers and committed to Louisville on Sept. 24. He got 37 No. 1 votes in our survey, second only to Sheppard. Twitter: @ka1ebglenn.
3. George Washington III, Christian Academy-Louisville (6-2, Jr., 23.9 ppg): A four-star combo guard, according to 247Sports and the No. 50 class of 2023 player nationwide, Washington was among the top three-point (38.7%) and free-throw (92.6%) shooters in the state. He committed to Ohio State on Nov. 3, turning down the likes of Louisville, Tennessee and Auburn. Twitter: @3dubbshoop.
4. Maker Bar, Ballard (6-9 Sr., 14.6 ppg): Part of a trio of returning standouts for the 7th Region champion and Sweet 16 semifinalist, Bar filled the Bruins’ stat sheets with game averages of 10.9 rebounds, three assists, 2.5 blocks and 1.7 steals in addition to his double-figure scoring and intimidating court presence. A three-star center, according to 247Sports, Bar recently committed to the University of Missouri-Kansas City. Had offers from Iona, Western Kentucky and Jacksonville State. Twitter: @MakerBar1.
5. Mitchell Rylee, Covington Catholic (6-8 Sr., 15.9 ppg): In his first season with the Colonels after transferring from Beechwood, Rylee made an impression with the 35th District champs, leading the team in scoring and averaging 8.2 rebounds per game. Mitchell committed to Miami (Ohio) on Aug. 12. Twitter: @mitchellrylee1.
6. Gabe Sisk, Ballard (6-5 Jr., 18.1 ppg): Sisk, second-team all-state a year ago, ranks among one of the chief reasons Ballard is the Herald-Leader’s preseason No. 1 team, having led the Bruins in scoring last season while grabbing 5.1 rebounds per game. An undecided three-star recruit, according to 247Sports, his offers include Eastern Kentucky and Iona. Twitter: @gabesisk21.
7. Jerone Morton, Clark County (6-3 Jr., 22.6 ppg): Coach Josh Cook thinks he has the best player in the 10th Region in Morton, who has led the Cards in scoring each of the last two seasons and helped them to back-to-back region titles. Morton reclassified to repeat his junior year in 2021-22 and has an offer from Eastern Kentucky. Twitter: @MortonJerone.
8. Travis Perry, Lyon County (6-2 So., 27.3 ppg): Perry has led the Lyons in scoring since seventh grade, averaging better than 20 points per game each season and crossing the 2,000-point milestone last February. He already has three Division I offers, according to 247Sports, including one from Ole Miss. Twitter: @Travis_Perry11.
9. Colin Porter, Ashland Blazer (5-11 Jr., 17.8 ppg): Porter led the three-time defending 16th Region champ during its undefeated 33-0 campaign his freshman year and made second-team all-state and the all-tournament team for the Sweet 16 semifinalist as a sophomore. He’s committed to Liberty. Twitter: @theofficialcp24.
10. Turner Buttry, Bowling Green (5-10½ Sr., 14.9 ppg): Buttry did a lot more than knock down a three-quarter court shot at the Sweet 16 last season. The Eastern Kentucky commit led the state in free-throw accuracy with 118 makes on 127 attempts (92.9%) and made 45 of his 88 three-pointers (51.1%). Twitter: @turner_buttry.
The next 15
11. Cole Villers, Ashland Blazer (6-2 Sr., 22.7 ppg): Uncommitted.
12. James Jewell, Marion County (6-6 Sr., 19.4 ppg): Chipola.
13. Jevonte Turner, Knox Central (6-4 Sr., 25.1 ppg): Uncommitted.
14. Cyr Malonga, Evangel Christian (6-11 Jr., 11.8 ppg): Uncommitted.
15. Justin Becker, Robertson County (6-7 Sr., 26.3 ppg): Thomas Moore.
16. Zamareon “Zee” McCown, Pleasure Ridge Park (5-8 Jr., 18.9 ppg): Uncommitted.
17. John McCrear, Woodford County (6-8 Jr., 5.6 ppg): Uncommitted.
18. Bol Kuir, Belfry (7-3 Sr., 13.8 ppg): Uncommitted.
19. Andrew Mason, Bardstown (6-4½ Sr., 19.7 ppg): Uncommitted.
20. Jacob Meyer, Covington Holy Cross (6-2 Jr., 25.2 ppg): Western Kentucky.
21. Luke Imfeld, Boyle County (6-1 Sr., 18.4 ppg): Uncommitted.
22. Evan Ipsaro, Covington Catholic (5-11 Jr., 15.8 ppg): Uncommitted.
23. Darian Lewis, Fern Creek (6-1 Sr., 13.8 ppg): Uncommitted.
24. Rylee Samons, Pikeville (6-5 Sr., 21.8 ppg): Uncommitted.
25. Dallas Roberts, North Oldham (6-1 Jr., 19.1 ppg): Uncommitted.
Honorable mention
(Players who appeared on at least two coaches’ top 10s, listed in points order)
Jordan Akal, Harlan; Colby Fugate, Paintsville; Dez Lindsay, Male; Keno Hayden, Ballard; Ian Hart, McCracken County; Teagan Moore, Owen County; Grant Whitaker, Murray; Reece Potter, Lexington Catholic; Tyson Barrett, Frederick Douglass; Tucker Blanford, Bullitt East; Turrell Cleaves, Butler; Jaylen Davis, Madison Central; Jack Edelen, Male; Jaxon Smith, Lincoln County; Jaylen Turner, Breathitt County; Christian Collins, Breathitt County; Tanner Walton, Clark County; Ty Price, South Warren; Brian Griffith, Owensboro Catholic; Christian Spaulding, Evangel Christian; Hagan Harrison, Madison Central; Cade Stinnett, Greenwood; Jackson Twombly, Woodford County; Chandler Starks, Covington Catholic; Sawyer Thompson, Wolfe County; Tony Moss, Doss; Trent Noah, Harlan County.
Methodology: Our annual survey was emailed to all 275 KHSAA boys’ basketball coaches in Kentucky, using their email registered with the KHSAA. Multiple attempts were made to encourage every school to participate. Coaches were asked to select their top 10 players and points were assigned based on a player’s position on the ballot (10 points for No. 1, nine points for No. 2, eight points for No. 3, etc.), and tabulated across all ballots received; some schools participated in the survey but declined to vote due to unfamiliarity with players and teams outside of their own area. A total of 114 coaches (41.5 percent) voted in our top-10 players poll out of the 193 coaches (70.1 percent) who responded to the survey and supplied information about their teams.
2021-22 Season Preview
This is the third of eight stories the Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com is publishing in the coming days previewing the 2020-21 high school boys’ and girls’ basketball seasons, which are scheduled to tip off Nov. 29.
This story was originally published November 25, 2021 at 6:30 AM.
