Who will make it to the boys and girls’ Sweet 16s? Here’s who the media picks
Who will win this season’s slate of 16 boys and 16 girls high school basketball regionals and make it to their respective state tournaments?
Members of the Kentucky Media Elite 16 boys and girls high school basketball polls, journalists from across the state, have made their predictions and revealed the favorites, the dark horses and, perhaps, a few even longer shots.
Last year, Josh Claywell of the Bardstown Kentucky Standard/LaRue County Herald News, correctly picked 10 of the UK Healthcare Boys’ Sweet 16 field for bragging rights among this bunch in a wildly unpredictable postseason.
On the girls’ side, yours truly, @HLpreps on X, got 12 teams correct for the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Girls’ Sweet 16 to lead the pack.
I expect past success to be no indication of my prospects this year.
The Girls’ Sweet 16 is set for March 11-14. The boys’ tournament is scheduled the next week, March 18-21. Both will be at Rupp Arena.
The Courier Journal’s Jason Frakes compiled the votes and cast his own. The other voters are: Steve Springer (Murray Ledger & Times), Edward Marlowe (WKDZ-FM), Mark Mathis (Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer), Micheal Compton (Bowling Green Daily News), Josh Claywell (Bardstown Kentucky Standard/LaRue County Herald News), Demetrius Stanton, (DeadStock Visuals), Alyx White (Rise Up Sports Media), James Weber (Cincinnati Enquirer), Brendan Connelly (Cincinnati Enquirer), Evan Dennison (LinkNKY.com), Mike Marsee (Danville freelancer), Les Dixon (13thRegionMediaNetwork.com), Randy White, (Appalachian News-Express) and James Collier (WLGC-FM).
Brendon Miller of Bluegrass Sports Nation (14th Region) declined to participate.
Teams are listed in order of votes received to win their respective regions. For teams that didn’t receive the majority of votes, the voters names are listed.
Girls Sweet 16 picks
1st Region: Calloway County (15).
2nd Region: Henderson County (13); Lyon County (2—Marlowe, Claywell).
3rd Region: Owensboro Catholic (13); Daviess County (2—Compton, Claywell).
4th Region: Barren County (14); Franklin-Simpson (1—R. White).
5th Region: Taylor County (15).
6th Region: Butler (14); Mercy (1—Marsee).
7th Region: Assumption (12); Sacred Heart (3—Springer, Dixon, R. White).
8th Region: Simon Kenton (15).
9th Region: Cooper (12); Ryle (2—Peck, Marsee); Covington Holy Cross (1—Claywell).
10th Region: George Rogers Clark (15).
11th Region: Frederick Douglass (12); Franklin County (1—R. White); Lafayette (1—Weber); Paul Laurence Dunbar (1—Claywell).
12th Region: Boyle County (8); Pulaski County (4—Frakes, Weber, Connelly, Dixon); West Jessamine (3—Dennison, Peck, Marsee).
13th Region: North Laurel (10); South Laurel (5—Claywell, A. White, Connelly, Dennison, Dixon).
14th Region: Hazard (13); Knott County Central (1—Dixon); Letcher County Central (1—Weber).
15th Region: Johnson Central (14); Pikeville (1—Marsee)
16th Region: Ashland Blazer (15).
Boys Sweet 16 picks
1st Region: McCracken County (15).
2nd Region: Henderson County (8); Lyon County (7—Marlowe, Claywell, Weber, Connelly, Dennison, Dixon, Collier).
3rd Region: Daviess County (11); Grayson County (4—Claywell, Weber, Marsee, Dixon).
4th Region: Warren Central (15).
5th Region: North Hardin (8); Caverna (7—Springer, Marlowe, Mathis, Weber, Connelly, Dennison, Peck).
6th Region: Jeffersontown (12); Butler (3—Compton, Weber, Marsee).
7th Region: St. Xavier (8); Ballard (6—Claywell, Frakes, Weber, Peck, Marsee, Dixon); Male (1—R. White).
8th Region: North Oldham (14); Woodford County (1—Peck).
9th Region: Covington Catholic (15).
10th Region: George Rogers Clark (15).
11th Region: Madison Central (13); Frederick Douglass (1—Dennison); Bryan Station (1—R. White).
12th Region: Wayne County (8); Danville Christian (7—Mathis, Claywell, Stanton, Marsee, Dixon, R. White, Collier).
13th Region: North Laurel (8); Bell County (7—Springer, Marlowe, Claywell, Stanton, Dennison, Marsee, Dixon).
14th Region: Knott County Central (8); Hazard (4—Compton, Frakes, Dixon, R. White); Powell County (3—Weber, Peck, Marsee).
15th Region: Pikeville (7); Johnson Central (6—Compton, Stanton, Connelly, Dennison, Marsee, Collier); Martin County (2—Frakes, Weber).
16th Region: Ashland Blazer (7); Boyd County (6—Marlowe, Stanton, Weber, Marsee, Dixon, R. White); Russell (2—Claywell, Connelly).
