Herald-Leader 11: Names to know in 11th Region boys’ basketball this season
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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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The 2020-21 Kentucky boys’ basketball season is scheduled to tip off Monday. Here are 11 of the best players, in alphabetical order, playing for teams in the 11th Region this winter as put forth in a survey of region coaches.
Tyson Barrett, Frederick Douglass (Jr.): A second-team all-city selection last year, Barrett, a 6-7 guard/forward, averaged 11.8 points and 8.4 rebounds per game during a breakout sophomore season for the 43nd District champions that included a season-high 24 points and 20 boards against Lafayette. He recently received a college offer from Mississippi Valley State.
Aziel Blackwell, Henry Clay (fifth-year Sr.): Blackwell, a 6-2 guard, earned second-team all-city honors and led the Blue Devils with 18.9 points per game while averaging 6.1 rebounds. He holds offers from Columbia State and Toccoa Falls. Blackwell “worked extremely hard this summer and is looking to have another breakout season,” Coach Daniel Brown said.
Zander Collett, Sayre (Sr.): Collett, a 6-0 guard who earned second-team all-city honors, averaged 18.4 points per game to lead the Spartans, who went 11-7 and reached the 42nd District semifinals for the first time in three years. He’ll lead a team Coach Rob Goodman said will be able to run and make shots despite being outsized at times.
Jaylen Davis, Madison Central (Jr.): In his survey response, Coach Allen Feldhaus Jr. simply said Davis “can really shoot the basketball.” Davis, a 6-5 wing, shot and made the most three-pointers on the team at a rate of 40% on his way to 14.2 points per game. His 35-point night with five three-pointers against Lexington Catholic in the region tournament offered a glimpse of how dangerous he can be when he feels a rhythm.
Jack Gohmann, Lexington Catholic (Sr.): Gohmann has impressive numbers on the football field as a quarterback (2,174 yards and 21 touchdowns passing), but he can hoop a little, too. The 6-2 guard averaged 12.3 points for the Knights last season. He’s expected to enter LexCath’s 1,000-point club and has been a three-year starter.
Kanye Henderson, Henry Clay (Sr.): A second-team all-city player, Henderson, a 6-2 guard, “has improved every aspect of his game in the offseason. He provides leadership and top-level defense,” Coach Brown said. Henderson averaged 13 points and five rebounds per game and has been a three-year starter for the Blue Devils.
J’Marious Lindsay, Bryan Station (Sr.): Lindsay, 6-0 guard, led the Defenders in scoring with 14.6 points per game and was an honorable mention all-city player. He also played football this past fall and led Station with 645 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. He had a season-high 30 points with five three-pointers against Frederick Douglass last season.
Reece Potter, Lexington Catholic (Jr.): Potter, a 7-0 center, who has grown from 6-5 in middle school to his present height, averaged seven points and six rebounds in a guard-oriented offense a season ago, but he had a breakout summer on the AAU circuit and has begun drawing big-time recruiting interest. “He has a very high ceiling and will be one of the best players in his class,” said Coach Brandon Salsman, a bold statement, considering how loaded the class of 2023 is.
Jay Rose, Madison Southern (So.): Rose, 6-4 guard, used Senate Bill 128 to repeat his sophomore season after averaging 12 points and 4.5 rebounds per game for the Eagles. Coach Austin Newton praised Rose as a very athletic and skilled player who is “ready for a breakout year.”
Nick Spalding, Paul Laurence Dunbar (Jr.): Spalding, a 6-1 guard, earned first-team all-city honors as a sophomore and averaged 16.7 points and 4.5 rebounds per game for the 43rd District champions. He tied for a team-high 25 points and knocked down five three-pointers in the Bulldogs’ upset 81-68 win over Lexington Catholic in the district finals.
Kai Simpson, Frederick Douglass (Jr.): Simpson, 5-11 point guard, emerged as a scoring and playmaking threat last season, averaging 12.4 points per game. In perhaps a glimpse of Douglass’ future, he tied for the team lead with 16 points and made three of four three-pointers in their opening round 11th Region tournament win over Madison Southern last year. Simpson has an offer from Delta State.
Others nominated* — Bryan Station: Jaden Biggers; Frankfort: Caleb Hack, Jordan Blythe; Franklin County: Zac Cox; Great Crossing: Malachi Moreno, Junius Burrell; Henry Clay: Konlin Brown; Lafayette: Abe Nelson; Lexington Christian: Tyler Hall, Saxton Howard, Brayden Mirus, Anderson Green; Madison Central: Will Hardin; Madison Southern: Trent DeVries; Paul Laurence Dunbar: Lionel Kumwimba, Zach Carter; Scott County: Isaiah Haynes, Nick Mosby, Micah Glenn; Tates Creek: Josh Dutoit; Western Hills: Walter, Campbell, Zach Semones.
Methodology: The 11th Region’s 19 coaches were asked to rank the 10 best players in the 11th Region. The list reflects the players put forth by the 14 coaches who responded to the survey.
* Madison Central’s Hagan Harrison was also among the top players nominated for this list, but he has not been declared eligible by the Kentucky High School Athletic Association due to transfer rules.
2021-22 Season Preview
This is the eighth of eight stories the Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com is publishing in the coming days previewing the 2021-22 high school boys’ and girls’ basketball seasons, which are scheduled to tip off Nov. 29.
This story was originally published November 28, 2021 at 1:57 PM.
