The 2026 Boys’ Sweet 16 field is set. View the bracket and complete schedule.
Sixteen teams are headed for the UK Healthcare Boys’ Basketball Sweet 16 state tournament at Rupp Arena in Lexington next week, and we now know all their names.
The final 10 of the Kentucky High School Athletic Association’s 16 region champions claimed their crowns Tuesday night across the state.
Those 16 champions fill a winner-take-all, single-elimination bracket to decide the state champion March 18-21.
Among them there are four teams back from last season’s field, including defending state champion Great Crossing, who has a completely new starting five from the group at Rupp the last two seasons. Herald-Leader preseason No. 1 St. Xavier went back-to-back in the 7th Region, and Danville Christian and North Laurel were repeat winners of the 12th and 13th regions, respectively.
The field also includes 2022 state champion George Rogers Clark, 2023 state champion Warren Central and 2024 state champion Lyon County, all returning to Rupp after a season away.
The longest drought for the rest goes to 3rd Region champion Grayson County, last in the state tournament in 2009.
The Boys’ Sweet 16 also will showcase seven finalists for this season’s Mr. Basketball award, which will be announced by the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches and the Lion’s Eye Foundation on March 22.
They are Lyon County’s Bray Kirk, St. Xavier’s Jeremiah Jackson, Covington Catholic’s Athens McGillis, George Rogers’ Clark’s Malachi Ashford, North Laurel’s Reece Davidson, Hazard’s Seth Caudill and Boyd County’s Jacob Spurlock.
2026 Boys’ Sweet 16
What: Sixteen-team tournament to decide Kentucky’s high school basketball state champion.
When: March 18-21
Where: Rupp Arena
Tickets: Available for purchase at KHSAA.org/ruppboys/.
MARCH 18 FIRST-ROUND GAMES
11 a.m.: Covington Catholic (31-2) vs. St. Xavier (26-7)
1:30 p.m.: Warren Central (26-3) vs. North Laurel (28-7)
6 p.m.: Taylor County (26-9) vs. Grayson County (25-6)
8:30 p.m.: Danville Christian (23-7) vs. Great Crossing (23-11)
MARCH 19 FIRST-ROUND GAMES
11 a.m.: Butler (26-5) vs. Hazard (25-10)
1:30 p.m.: Marshall County (24-8) vs. Boyd County (28-6)
6 p.m.: North Oldham (25-5) vs. Lyon County (29-6)
8:30 p.m.: George Rogers Clark (29-4) vs. Johnson Central (28-5)
MARCH 20 QUARTERFINALS
11 a.m.: Covington Catholic-St. Xavier winner vs. Warren Central-North Laurel winner
1:30 p.m.: Taylor County-Grayson County winner vs. Danville Christian-Great Crossing winner
6 p.m.: Butler-Hazard winner vs. North Oldham-Lyon County winner
8:30 p.m.: George Rogers Clark-Johnson Central winner vs. Marshall County-Boyd County winner
MARCH 21 GAMES
11 a.m.: Semifinal 1: Winners of Friday’s afternoon session
1:30 p.m.: Semifinal 2: Winners of Friday’s evening session
7:30 p.m.: Championship game
