Herald-Leader 11: Names to know in 11th Region boys basketball this season
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The 2024-25 Kentucky boys basketball season is scheduled to tip off Dec. 2. Here are 11 of the 11th Region’s best players in order of how they were voted for by the region’s coaches in our @HLpreps preseason survey. Coaches were asked to rank the “top 10 players in the region.” This list includes their height, class, last year’s points per game and a brief note. Each player’s name has a link to their online highlights or social media.
1. Malachi Moreno, Great Crossing (6-11 Sr., 16.0 points): Coach Steve Page hails his center as the “best player in the state and should be Mr. Basketball. He changes the game defensively and continues to evolve offensively.” Moreno grabbed 13.3 rebounds per game last season and has averaged a double-double for three straight years. He got all but one No. 1 player vote from the region’s coaches.
2. Vince Dawson III, Great Crossing (6-5 Sr., 17.8 points): Dawson, a Morehead State signee, got the other No. 1 vote in the region, and he ranked as the Herald-Leader’s No. 7 player in our statewide poll. His game-winning shot in front of a sellout crowd in last season’s 11th Region championship game was legendary.
3. Amari Owens, Bryan Station (6-0 Jr. 22.1 points): Owens’ remarkable speed on the ball and ability to make tough shots helped him earn all-region, first-team all-city and third-team all-state honors after a breakout sophomore season.
4. DeMarcus Surratt, Frederick Douglass (6-3 Jr., 13.6 points): The departures of Armelo Boone to Woodford County and Aveion Chenault to college football leave Surratt as the leading returning scorer for the Broncos. With offers including Eastern Kentucky and Miami (Ohio), he’s poised to step up his game even more.
5. Brock Coffman, Sayre (6-0 Sr., 17.4 points): An Ohio football commit, Coffman is perhaps “the most underrated guard in the region, maybe the state,” coach Robbie Goodman said. He earned all-region and second-team all-city honors last season.
6. Taeshawn Adams, Bryan Station (6-6 Jr, 11.1 points): Last season seemed like merely a glimpse of what Adams could do on a basketball court as he earned second-team all-city honors.
7. Jackson Stephan, Henry Clay (6-4 Jr., 14.5 points): Stephan led the Blue Devils in scoring and rebounding last season. “He continues to grow and is one of the best juniors in the state,” coach Daniel Brown said.
8. Saxton Howard, Lexington Christian (5-11 Sr., 18.3 points): Howard doubled as LCA’s starting quarterback this season, but he’s also an “all-state level” basketball player, according to coach Ted Hall.
9. Javeon Campbell, Western Hills (6-5 Sr., 22.1 points): The state’s No. 1 football recruit and Kentucky commit is also the Wolverines basketball team’s all-time leading scorer. He should top 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds for his career this season.
10. Kayson Brown, Henry Clay (6-1 Sr., 11.3 points): Stepping up as the Blue Devils’ primary ball handler last season, Brown earned all-region and second-team all-city honors.
11. Junius Burrell, Great Crossing (5-9 Sr., 11.1 points): The Warhawks’ point guard knocked down 40.9% of his 3-point attempts last season and has been a consistent double-figure scorer since his freshman year.
OTHERS NOMINATED
Frederick Douglass: Terry Cason, Nate Coen, Jaunte Jenkins; Great Crossing: LJ Holman, Gage Richardson; Lafayette: Tyler Hunt; Lexington Catholic: Ryan Harward, Hank Woodall; Madison Central: Jake Feldhaus, Cody Morrison; Madison Southern: Casen Nobbe.
METHODOLOGY
The 11th Region’s 18 coaches were asked to rank the 10 best players in the 11th Region. The list reflects all the players put forth by the 16 coaches who responded to the top-10 players question in the survey.
This story was originally published November 28, 2024 at 10:00 AM.
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