KSR's Friday night Kentucky high school hoops roundup
It was another busy Friday night for high school basketball action across the Bluegrass State. KSR had boots on the ground in multiple spots all over the Commonwealth, setting up shop in central, western, and northern Kentucky to watch some high-level hoops.
KSR’s Daniel Hager witnessed a buzzer-beater, Piper McCoun saw the top team in KSR’s rankings run away in the second half, and Brady Byrdwell got a taste of one of the best players in the entire state.
How did it all play out? Check out everything that happened below with a trio of recaps from KSR’s talented college interns.
Douglass Hits Layup at Buzzer to avoid Madison Central Upset
BY: Daniel Hager
The Frederick Douglass Broncos just refuse to lose.
After dropping two of their first five games this season, the cardiac Broncos have reeled off 13 consecutive victories, improving their record to 16-2. Without their leading scorer Kai Simpson, the Broncos overcame an early 11-point deficit and stunned the Indians with an Armelo Boone layup at the buzzer.
“I saw the ball come right to me and I was like ‘dang, he really missed it’,” Boone said after his clutch layup. “I just grabbed it and tipped it in for the dub.”
The heroic Boone led Frederick Douglass in scoring with 19 points. Following him was senior Tylon Webb, who finished with 15 points. Madison Central seniors Jayden West (23) & Jaylen Davis (22) combined for 45 of the team’s 59 points, a common theme for their up-and-down season. In last Friday night’s loss to #2 Great Crossing, West & Davis combined for 39 of the team’s 53 points. Get these guys some help!
Friday night continued Madison Central’s run of bad luck against quality opponents, falling to 1-7 on the season against teams currently ranked in KSR’s latest Kentucky High School Basketball Top 25 Rankings. After having the Broncos on the ropes all night, a missed rebound and lapse of judgment led to another tough loss for the Indians.
Madison Central on Top Early
Just as they did against #2 Great Crossing, the Indians jumped out to a hot start on the road against another top-ten opponent. Just a measly four minutes into the first quarter, Madison Central (jumpstarted by Jaylen Davis’ early seven points) held an early 10-4 lead.
The Indians’ defense was lockdown, as they only allowed six first-quarter points to the Broncos. Davis scored 10 of his 22 points in the first quarter and led the Indians to a 17-6 lead after the first eight minutes of play. This lead, however, wouldn’t suffice for long.
After falling behind 19-10, a 10-0 Bronco run, spearheaded by a Tylon Webb three-pointer, would give Douglass their first lead of the night. This one stayed neck and neck for the remainder of the half, as a Logan Busson layup as the buzzer sounded tied this one up at the break.
Slobberknocker at the Farm
The first half of the third quarter was a sight for sore eyes.
The two teams combined to score just five points each in the first five minutes, watching shot after shot hit off the back of the rim. After this rough sequence, the best players finally decided to show up. Jaylen Davis and Armelo Boone began to match each other, flip-flopping the lead back and forth over the last three minutes. By the time the third quarter had concluded, Madison Central held the lead 38-37. The #10 ranked Broncos were officially on upset alert.
Boone continued his stellar play in the fourth quarter, knocking down multiple contested layups. The sweet sound of Ryan Lemond’s play-by-play let the entire gym know that “Melo” was balling out.
After falling behind 49-42 however, the Madison Central squad did not give up. After storming back to cut the deficit to three, senior Jayden West knocked down a clutch three-pointer to knot this one back up.
After the Broncos knocked down two free throws, a contested layup by EKU Basketball commit Robby Todd was immediately answered by an Aveion Chenault contested layup of his own, putting the Broncos on top 57-55 with two minutes remaining.
After a Frederick Douglass inbound hit the ceiling of the gymnasium (literally), the Indians regained possession of the ball. Once they finally inbounded the ball, Jaylen Davis would hit a contested layup to knot this game up with 10 seconds remaining.
We all know what happens next.
Boone Praises Team Chemistry after Intense Victory
After senior Tylon Webb missed an out-of-control layup, the rebound would fall right into the hands of Armelo Boone. Without hesitation, he put it up and in for the game-winner.
“We were struggling with shots, so we focused on that in the second half,” Boone added after the game. “We rebounded hard in the second half and picked up the dub on a game-winner.”
As previously mentioned, Douglass’ star player Kai Simpson was unavailable to play in Friday night’s contest. The senior is averaging 18.6 PPG this season and was undoubtedly missed by his teammates.
“Our team chemistry is going up even though we’re missing another factor on our team, Kai Simpson. We’re missing him, but I think our chemistry is getting better.”
With Friday night’s victory, the Broncos improve to 16-2 and will host 6-12 Paul Laurence Dunbar Saturday night at home. Madison Central, after yet another crushing loss, falls to 10-9 and will travel to 14-5 #23 Lincoln County next Tuesday night.
Warren Central remains undefeated in district play after win over South Warren
BY: Piper McCoun
The No. 1 ranked Warren Central Dragons (19-1) racked up a 57-43 win against the South Warren Spartans (11-4) on Friday night, making it their second victory against the Spartans this week. “It’s hard to beat a team twice,” is a widely accepted theory in the sports world. While Warren Central came out victorious in both matchups, this theory remained true.
Head coach William Unseld knew that this game wasn’t going to be an easy notch on the belt. After the Dragons won 71-41 in their matchup against South Warren this past Tuesday, he ensured his team that things were not going to be that easy come Friday.
“I told them it wasn’t going to be the same,” Unseld said. “We’re at their place, they’re gonna play a little different.”
Chess Match
Unseld was right. South Warren played with extreme energy as soon as the ball tipped off. When one team scored, the other would respond. Senior guard Brandon Rowe, who scored six of eight points for the Spartans in the first quarter, was the first to score for South Warren.
After a few traded points, both teams would finish the first quarter at an even score of 8-8. The Spartans began the second quarter charged up. They would go on a 6-1 run to push past the Dragons 14-9 with 4:32 left in the half. Warren Central senior three-man Chappelle Whitney would stop the run with a free throw to give the Dragons some momentum. Senior point guard Omari Glover turned that momentum into points to cut into the Spartans’ lead.
The two teams would score back and forth, jabbing one another with points in the paint and shots from the wing. Warren Central lead by just one point 20-19 at the end of the first half.
Both teams kept the same energy coming out of halftime. There was a clear hunger displayed by South Warren. They continued to spread the floor and utilize the strengths of shooters like sophomores Drew Hudson and Bryce Button. Warren Central remained collected and stuck to their training. The jabs continued all the way through the third quarter and ended with Warren Central leading South Warren 33-31.
Top 10
- 1Breaking
Second CFP Top 25
Newest CFP rankings are out
- 2New
Updated CFP Bracket
12-Team playoff bracket after 2nd CFP Top 25
- 3Trending
Diego Pavia
Court denies Vandy QB temporary restraining order against the NCAA
- 4
Nico Iamaleava
Tennessee QB dealing with concussion ahead of Georgia game
- 5
Governor slams LSU
Live tiger defended, LSU Tigers ripped
Getting in the Groove
It wasn’t until the fourth quarter that there was a noticeable change in the demeanor of both teams. The Dragons reminded everyone watching why they’re the number one team in the state. They started playing looser, and that’s when their talent and athleticism shined through in the fourth quarter.
“When the ball starts going in the net, it’s amazing how you start playing,” Coach Unseld said.
Warren Central outscored South Warren 24-12 in just one quarter — four points more than the Dragons scored in the entire first half.
Junior shooting guard Kade Unseld was a huge contributor for the Dragons, scoring eight in the fourth quarter alone. Combined with efforts from senior point guard Izayiah Villafuerte, the fourth quarter belonged to the Dragons.
Coach Unseld let his players motivate each other and create opportunities to put themselves in a position to win. “It’s y’all’s team now, not mine,” Unseld said to his players at the half. “We’re 20 games in, y’all gotta lead each other.”
“We did a good job at the end of closing out,” Unseld added. The Warren Central Dragons are hoping to keep that same energy going into their next matchup on Saturday against Evangel Christian in Louisville.
Covington Catholic Defeats Lloyd Memorial 54-43 in Tough Encounter
BY: Brady Byrdwell
Senior Evan Ipsaro led the Covington Catholic Colonels to a 54-43 win over Lloyd Memorial on Friday night. The senior guard finished the contest with 25 points on 9-18 shooting and 7-7 from the line. Ipsaro proved why he will play at Miami of Ohio next season and is in the conversation for Mr. Basketball. Junior guard Brady Hussey added 15 points on 6/12 shooting and four threes.
On the other end of the court was NKU commit Jeremiah Israel for Lloyd Memorial. Israel scored 20 points for the Juggernauts, including four threes. These 20 points pushed Israel into the 1,000-point club, an awe-inspiring feat.
Defense wins games
The energy within Covington Catholic’s gym was electric from the opening tip. Lloyd Memorial’s Jeremiah Israel was serenaded with boos from the Colonel student section. However, the entire audience had no idea what type of game they were attending.
Lloyd Memorial’s coach Michael Walker had a simple game plan: defend like your lives depend on it. From the get-go, Lloyd guards Mykel King, Elijah Collins, and Israel provided great on-ball pressure. This caused the #3 ranked Colonels to sputter on offense. Once King began to attack the basket and Collins began to hit some threes, it was evident the Juggernauts were bringing their “A” game.
During the second quarter, the two best players on the floor began to go toe-to-toe. Israel and Ipsaro were trading buckets the entire quarter. Watching the two compete was incredible, as neither would give an inch to the other. However, it was Lloyd Memorial’s defense that was able to plant the Juggernauts firmly within the game. And, by the time halftime rolled around, Covington Catholic was hanging on to a slim 24-23 lead over Lloyd.
“It starts with the fact that they got trust in me,” Ipsaro said. “Every time I go to the rim they trust that they’ll either get a wide-open three or I’m gonna make something happen.”
Mr. Basketball candidate shows why he should be considered
Once the clock ticked into the second half, Evan Isparo entered another zone. Almost every Colonels’ possession included a hard drive from Ipsaro. These drives created layups, fouls, and threes for the Colonels offense, including a 13-2 run for Cov Cath.
Most of the Isparo drives resulted in the 5’10 guard taking many hard shots at the rim. However, this is where his mentality was able to shine.
“When I’m getting hit throughout the game, I don’t want my teammates’ minds to be on whether I’m hurt,” Ipsaro said. “So, I always have to bounce right back up.”
This is a DAWG mentality that many college coaches search for when looking at recruits. In fact, after the game, Covington Catholic coach Scott Ruthsatz spoke on Evan’s mentality, saying “Evan’s been like that for the last two years. He’s our leader out there; he can score in many ways.”
By the end of the night, Ipsaro free throws and Brady Hussey 3’s were enough to put the Colonels past the fiesta Juggernauts. It was a matchup in which you can learn a lot about both teams. The Colonels showed they can beat a taller team that plays them tough, and Lloyd Memorial showed they can play with the very best in the entire state.
Coach Ruthsatz spoke on their ceiling, “If we move the ball, and we play defense like we should, I think we’re up there. I’m not saying we’re the best, but we could be in the top five or ten.”
Covington Catholic has a great chance to prove where they stand in the rankings as they play host to North Laurel on Saturday night. It will be a must-see matchup as Isparo takes on four-star Kentucky signee Reed Sheppard.
Scores from around the state
| Cumberland County | 59 | at Monroe County | 55 | 4th Region All “A” Classic |
| Graves County | 93 | vs.Century (Ullin), IL (at Metropolis, IL) | 25 | Superman Classic |
| Ashland Blazer | 84 | vs. Danville Christian | 55 | |
| Atherton | 73 | vs. Highlands Latin | 53 | |
| Ballard | 72 | vs. Eastern | 65 | |
| Barbourville | 77 | at Lynn Camp | 58 | |
| Bardstown | 74 | at Thomas Nelson | 32 | |
| Barren County | 63 | vs. Allen County-Scottsville | 35 | |
| Bethlehem | 73 | vs. Shawnee | 41 | |
| Bowling Green | 65 | vs. Greenwood | 52 | |
| Bracken County | 65 | vs. Fleming County | 62 | |
| Breathitt County | 70 | vs. Wolfe County | 44 | |
| Bryan Station | 67 | vs. Scott County | 54 | |
| Butler | 64 | at Iroquois | 59 | (overtime) |
| Caldwell County | 51 | at Dawson Springs | 37 | |
| Calloway County | 56 | vs. Marshall County | 46 | |
| Carroll County | 51 | at Henry County | 40 | |
| Casey County | 53 | at Campbellsville | 52 | |
| Caverna | 75 | vs. Green County | 48 | |
| Central Hardin | 77 | vs. Fort Knox | 41 | |
| Christian Academy-Louisville | 65 | at Kentucky Country Day | 49 | |
| Collins | 63 | vs. Spencer County | 50 | |
| Conner | 64 | at Ryle | 46 | |
| Cooper | 66 | at Boone County | 37 | |
| Covington Catholic | 54 | vs. Lloyd Memorial | 43 | |
| Crittenden County | 84 | at Livingston Central | 52 | |
| DeSales | 76 | at Doss | 74 | (overtime) |
| DuPont Manual | 57 | at Central | 52 | |
| East Carter | 85 | at Fairview | 64 | |
| East Ridge | 75 | at Twin Valley (Pilgrims Knob), VA | 27 | |
| Edmonson County | 69 | vs. Butler County | 64 | |
| Eminence | 64 | at Trimble County | 51 | |
| Estill County | 79 | at Owsley County | 55 | |
| Fairdale | 60 | at Bullitt East | 55 | |
| Fern Creek | 70 | at Jeffersontown | 61 | |
| Francis Parker | 69 | at Portland Christian | 59 | |
| Franklin County | 70 | vs. Frankfort | 37 | |
| Franklin-Simpson | 70 | at Logan County | 36 | |
| Frederick Douglass | 61 | vs. Madison Central | 59 | |
| Fulton County | 69 | at Fulton City | 51 | |
| Garrard County | 87 | vs.Marion County | 56 | |
| George Rogers Clark | 103 | vs. Paris | 48 | |
| Grayson County | 65 | vs. Trinity (Whitesville) | 52 | |
| Great Crossing | 74 | vs. East Jessamine | 45 | |
| Greenup County | 58 | at Lewis County | 53 | |
| Hancock County | 59 | vs. Meade County | 45 | |
| Harlan | 100 | vs. Middlesboro | 51 | |
| Harrison County | 73 | at Robertson County | 20 | |
| Henderson County | 80 | vs. Evansville Central (Evansville), IN | 59 | |
| Hickman County | 65 | vs. Carlisle County | 60 | (overtime) |
| Holy Cross (Covington) | 67 | at Holmes | 40 | |
| Holy Cross (Louisville) | 70 | at Valley | 34 | |
| Jackson County | 69 | vs. Model | 60 | |
| LaRue County | 69 | vs. Hart County | 40 | |
| Lafayette | 65 | vs. Lexington Christian | 63 | |
| Lawrence County | 63 | vs. Floyd Central | 60 | |
| Letcher County Central | 83 | vs. Magoffin County | 75 | |
| Lyon County | 80 | vs. Trigg County | 38 | |
| Mason County | 84 | at Dixie Heights | 57 | |
| Mayfield | 59 | at Muhlenberg County | 56 | |
| McCracken County | 62 | vs. Paducah Tilghman | 52 | |
| McCreary Central | 71 | at Southwestern | 61 | |
| Mercer County | 67 | at Burgin | 41 | |
| Metcalfe County | 71 | vs. Somerset | 56 | |
| Moore | 65 | at Bullitt Central | 43 | |
| Morgan County | 100 | vs. Lee County | 68 | |
| Murray | 77 | vs. Christian Fellowship | 34 | |
| Nicholas County | 64 | vs. Pendleton County | 51 | |
| North Laurel | 94 | vs. Clay County | 64 | |
| North Oldham | 75 | vs. Oldham County | 65 | |
| Ohio County | 54 | at McLean County | 51 | |
| Owensboro | 94 | vs. Evansville Bosse (Evansville), IN | 92 | |
| Owensboro Catholic | 72 | at Apollo | 31 | |
| Perry County Central | 84 | vs. Jackson City | 53 | |
| Phelps | 66 | vs. Buckhorn | 64 | |
| Pikeville | 60 | at Shelby Valley | 54 | |
| Pleasure Ridge Park | 68 | vs. WEB DuBois | 32 | |
| Pulaski County | 63 | at Rockcastle County | 53 | |
| Russell | 58 | vs. Raceland | 43 | |
| Sayre | 56 | vs. Henry Clay | 47 | |
| Scott | 81 | at Bishop Brossart | 75 | |
| Seneca | 66 | at Trinity (Louisville) | 60 | |
| Simon Kenton | 63 | vs. Grant County | 51 | |
| South Laurel | 73 | vs. Corbin | 55 | |
| Southern | 63 | vs. North Bullitt | 54 | |
| St. Mary | 88 | vs. Community Christian (Paducah) | 68 | |
| St. Xavier | 78 | vs. Male | 71 | |
| Taylor County | 81 | at John Hardin | 50 | |
| University Heights | 62 | vs. Madisonville-North Hopkins | 41 | |
| Walton-Verona | 99 | at Augusta | 94 | (overtime) |
| Warren Central | 57 | at South Warren | 43 | |
| Washington County | 67 | vs. Nelson County | 46 | |
| Wayne County | 72 | vs. Adair County | 46 | |
| Webster County | 59 | vs. Union County | 50 | |
| West Carter | 68 | vs. Elliott County | 57 | |
| Western | 67 | at Waggener | 42 | |
| Whitley County | 81 | vs. Bell County | 71 | |
| Williamsburg | 78 | at Red Bird | 23 |
Discuss This Article
Comments have moved.
Join the conversation and talk about this article and all things Kentucky Sports in the new KSR Message Board.
KSBoard