Who are Kentucky’s top 25 boys high school basketball teams for 2024-25?

The Great Crossing Warhawks embrace the expectations.

This season’s Herald-Leader preseason No. 1 boys high school basketball team in Kentucky would have it no other way.

“There are national rankings that have us in various spots,” Great Crossing coach Steve Page noted. MaxPreps has his team at No. 15 in the nation. “Are we that good? Who knows? It’s cool to be talked about and ranked that high, but at the end of the day it means absolutely nothing, especially in high school basketball in the state of Kentucky.”

Featuring a no-doubt Mr. Basketball candidate in the 6-foot-11 Kentucky signee Malachi Moreno, and the proven clutch shooting of Morehead State signee Vince Dawson III, Great Crossing lost only one game to a Kentucky team last season.

Unfortunately, that loss came against eventual Boys’ Sweet 16 champion Lyon County in the state semifinals.

That’s what fuels this season’s fire.

“We’ve been talking to our kids about urgency,” Page said. “I thought (Lyon County’s players) were a little more urgent than we were that day. They knew it was their last chance.”

Moreno, Dawson and their fellow starting seniors Gage Richardson and Junius Burrell know this is their last opportunity to bring a state title to Scott County’s navy blue and kelly green hued high school.

“We know we have a target on our backs,” Moreno said. “We practice every day like someone’s gunning for our spot.”

A state championship run won’t be easy. Great Crossing will have to survive an 11th Region that features four other Herald-Leader preseason top 25 teams. Then, loaded squads like No. 2 St. Xavier or No. 5 Newport could stand in their way at Rupp Arena in March.

“Last year, we felt like we were the best team. But, you know, the best team doesn’t always win,” Page said. “We may be rated No. 1, but it’s not going to mean anything to any 11th Region team we play in the 11th Region Tournament. If we’re fortunate enough to make state, it won’t mean anything there either.”

Here’s a look at this year’s Herald-Leader High School Boys Basketball Preseason Top 25 as voted on by the state’s coaches with a brief summary of what we know about the top 10 teams and a note about each of the next 15. Each team name has a link to its schedule.

THE TOP 10

(No. 1 votes, then last season’s record in parentheses)

1. Great Crossing (91) (36-2): “There are a lot of great teams throughout the state. But we feel like we have unfinished business from last year and we won’t shy away from the target we know will be on our back all season,” coach Steve Page said. The Warhawks have four seniors who have been starting together in the 11th Region since their freshman year. They are, of course, led by 6-11 UK signee Malachi Moreno (16 ppg) and 6-5 Morehead State signee Vince Dawson III (17.8 ppg). Sophomore guard LJ Holman has already generated Division I interest and should join Junius Burrell (11.1 ppg) and Gage Richardson (7.8 ppg) in the starting lineup.

2. St. Xavier (13) (30-4): The 7th Region’s Tigers return nine players who played significant minutes last season led by Chance Dillingham (17 ppg), Jeremiah Jackson (14.8 ppg) and Will Hanke (11.5 ppg). St. X put up 82 points per game, second only to Sweet 16 champion Lyon County. “Team chemistry, a commitment to defense, and excelling in each player’s role will be critical to our success,” coach Kevin Klein said. “In the preseason, the Tigers have shown great promise and unselfish play.”

3. Trinity (Louisville) (1) (27-8): The defending 7th Region champs bring back a mature, deep team that features a pair of 6-6 forwards in four-star junior Jayden Johnson and three-star senior Julius Edmonds who each averaged 11.5 points per game and led the team in rebounding. “What stands out first and foremost is the total buy-in that we’ve had from top to bottom on the roster — a genuine commitment to how we’re going to be successful,” coach Bret Saxton said. “This is a competitive bunch.”

4. Male (22-11): Cole Edelen (21 ppg), a 6-1 junior point guard, returns to lead a 7th Region team coach Tim Haworth believes “can score inside and outside with multiple players who can score double figures.” Joining Edelen are senior forwards Jayson Gasaway (9.9 ppg) and Keashawn Jordan who measure up at 6-5 and 6-7, respectively. Haworth calls Jordan “one of the most improved players I have ever coached. He will average a double-double this season.”

5. Newport (32-4): The defending 9th Region and All “A” Classic champs remain ridiculously talented despite the loss of four-star guard Taylen Kinney to an Atlanta prep school. The Wildcats picked up Cooper transfer Yamil Rondon (13 ppg) and Scott transfer A.J. Lowe (5.8 ppg), both seniors, to bolster a lineup that already includes three players with Division I offers — sophomores Amontae Lowe and Griff Starks and junior James Turner.

6. Adair County (29-8): The defending 5th Region champions return all five starters led by seniors Connor Loy (17.3 ppg), Isaiah Cochran (16.5 ppg) and Brayton Coomer (10.9 ppg). That group reached the Sweet 16 quarterfinals before running into eventual state champion Lyon County.

7. Woodford County (24-7): The biggest transfer this offseason might be Western Kentucky commit Armelo Boone who averaged 20.8 points per game for Frederick Douglass last year and helped lead the Broncos to the 2022 Boys Sweet 16 semis. Expect this 8th Region powerhouse to get large contributions from senior Omari Jointer (11.9 ppg) and sophomore Thurman Wade (5.9 ppg) and a breakout year for 6-11 senior center Carson Probst.

8. George Rogers Clark (30-3): Junior point guard Malachi Ashford (11.9 ppg) returns from a knee injury suffered in last season’s district finals to lead a young group of Cardinals that includes 6-5 sophomore forward Montez Gay (11.3 ppg) and Bourbon County transfer Amari Bartelson (6.7 ppg), a 6-7 junior.

9. Ashland Blazer (23-11): Liberty signee Zander Carter (22.7), a 6-6 senior, will get help from Morgan County senior transfer Preston Hoskins (14.9 ppg), a 6-4 guard. Football standouts Braxton Jennings (10.1 ppg) and Cam Davis (5.2) help make this the deepest Tomcats roster coach Ryan Bonner remembers in his 10 seasons on the bench.

10. Bryan Station (23-8): Lightning quick point guard Amari Owens (22.1 ppg) and versatile 6-6 forward Taeshawn Adams (11.1 ppg), both juniors, help make the Defenders a potential spoiler in the 11th Region for No. 1 Great Crossing.

THE NEXT 15

(With last year’s record and a brief note)

11. Butler County (23-9): Tennessee Martin signee Ty Price (29 ppg) leads a veteran squad that must adjust to the loss of Western Kentucky commit Lawson Rice, who tore his ACL in October.

12. Frederick Douglass (1) (21-13): Junior guard DeMarcus Surratt (13.6 ppg) and senior workhorse Logan Busson (8.9 ppg) anchor the new-look Broncos who have their fourth coach in four years in Murray Garvin, formerly at Paul Laurence Dunbar.

13. Bowling Green (29-6): Standout quarterback Deuce Bailey (12.8 ppg) is the Purples’ leading returning scorer.

14. Covington Catholic (26-6): Starters Athens McGillis (13.8 ppg) and Cash Harney (11.7 ppg), both juniors, return to lead the Colonels under new coach Jake Thelen, a CovCath alumnus.

15. Manual (28-5): The Crimsons return point guard Malachi Coleman (15.9 ppg) and 6-5 wing Justice Decker (13.8 ppg).

16. Lexington Catholic (32-3): The Knights graduated nine seniors from last season and will be almost entirely new.

17. Cooper (24-9): Andy Johnson (15.3 ppg), a 6-5 Illinois Chicago commit, leads an athletic, veteran squad.

18. South Laurel (19-11): Leading scorers Jordan Mabe (16.3 ppg) and Colton Rawlings (14.2 ppg) return.

19. Jeffersontown (16-17): The Chargers will be bolstered by the addition of Dayvone Harrison (16.7 ppg), who led Moore in scoring as a sophomore.

20. Warren Central (1) (17-12): The revamped Dragons feature three players listed at 6-foot-6 — seniors Ant McAfee and Jarek Kirk and sophomore Armani Byrd.

21. Calloway County (17-11): The Lakers are loaded with double-digit scorers led by Eli Finley (23.8 ppg) and Jonah Butler (17.5 ppg).

22. Pulaski County (23-11): The defending 12th Region champs return four starters and add 6-6 Wayne County transfer Seth Farmer.

23. South Oldham (17-14): No team made (389) or attempted (1,027) as many 3-pointers as South Oldham last year. Four starters return led by Julian Miles (19.9 ppg).

24. Henry Clay (24-7): Three of the Blue Devils’ four leading scores return, led by junior Jackson Stephan (14.5 ppg).

25. Ballard (14-16): Fairdale transfer Blake Russell, a 6-8 senior, adds a post presence to the play-making abilities of Sam Frazier (18.4 ppg) and Nate Richardson (11.6 ppg).

OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES

(Teams mentioned on at least two ballots. In points order)

Harlan County, Boyd County, Evangel Christian, Fairdale, Henderson County, Marshall County, Hazard, Lyon County, North Oldham, Campbell County, Martin County, Montgomery County, Owensboro Catholic, Daviess County.

METHODOLOGY

Our annual survey was emailed to all 274 boys basketball head coaches using their email registered with the Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Multiple attempts were made to encourage every school to participate. Coaches were asked to select their top 10 teams and points were assigned based on a team’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 107 coaches (39 percent) voted in our top-10 teams poll of the 176 coaches (64 percent) who responded to the survey and supplied information about their teams. Every region was represented. Thanks to all.

This story was originally published November 27, 2024 at 10:00 AM.

Jared Peck

Lexington Herald-Leader

859-488-2883

Jared Peck, the Herald-Leader’s Digital Sports Writer, covers high school athletics and has been with the company as a writer and editor for more than 20 years. Support my work with a digital subscription