KSR's Kentucky High School Basketball Preseason Preview: Regions 7 and 8

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On3 image — Photo by Les Nicholson | Kentucky Sports Radio

It’s basketball time in the Bluegrass, and there’s no better feeling in the world. Throughout the preseason and now into the first couple of regular season weeks, KSR has been rolling out our Kentucky high school basketball season previews. Most teams have played about five or so games at this point in the schedule, so we have a small sample size to work with.

We’re over halfway through the state’s 16 regional previews, and will dive into Regions 7 and 8 today. Make sure to check out the regional previews we’ve already touched on below.

Highlighted numbers in parentheses are what the team is ranked in the entire state, according to KSR’s preseason rankings. Let’s jump right in.

Region 7 Preview

2021-22 champion: Male

The Byrdwell Pre-Season Top 8

1. Trinity (3-0) (#4)

Exactly a week ago, the Trinity Shamrocks hosted the former champion. In an early season clash, Trinity toppled Male 64-57. There’s no better way to decide who is number one in the rankings than for the two top teams to just play. Senior shooting guard Cam McClain scored 23 points for the Shamrocks and has averaged 14.7 ppg this season (down from his 17 last year). McLain plays with one of the best backcourts in the entire state. Junior Andrae Vasser has had a great year so far, and freshman Jayden Johnson has been the electrifying youngster that great teams need.

Johnson started his career with Male in middle school, however, he decided Trinity would be where he spends his high school years. Andrae Vasser on the other hand is also a transfer; he spent his first two years of high school ball at Jeffersontown. He seems to have carved out a great role for the Shamrocks’ backcourt, as he is averaging 13.7 ppg and 9.3 rebounds per game.

Coach Mike Szabo needs to develop the frontcourt in order to make Trinity the favorites to not only win the 7th region, but to win the state championship. Forwards CJ Walls and Alex Johnson will need to step up this season to achieve the goals of Szabo’s squad. With three of the top players in the entire region (Vasser, McClain, and Johnson) the Shamrocks are my pick to take home the 27th district and the 7th Region.

2. Ballard (2-0) (T7)

The story for Ballard in the offseason was the transfer of Gabe Sisk to Prolific Prep in California. Sisk is a three-star prospect that averaged 12 ppg last year for the Bruins. However, only a week ago Sisk decided to return to Ballard and has recently been cleared to play. This turned the complexion of the Bruins season upside-down. In my opinion, the best player on the Bruins this year will be junior Miles Franklin.

He may be the most underrated player in the region, and through two games he’s proven it. In a November 29th matchup with Seneca, Franklin dropped an easy 26 points. In the following game against DeSales, he scored 19 points. Look for junior Sam Frazier and senior Tim Fuller to round out a great Bruins lineup. It’s hard to imagine that Sisk and Franklin won’t be lighting up all of Region 7 this season.

3. DuPont Manual (2-2)

The Crimsons are led by junior point guard Damone King. King leads the team in three-pointers made (6) and points per game with 20.2, and also is a great passer. Sophomore small forward Justice Decker has scored 11 points per game this year and will look to continue to develop throughout the season. Coach Miquel Coleman will look to avenge the overtime loss to St. X last season in the first round of the Region 7 tournament.

King may be a shoe-in for the most talented player in the region. As a sophomore, he averaged 15 per game. In their win over St. Xavier this season, he scored 24 of his team’s 59 points. Another name to keep tabs on this year is sophomore point guard Malachi Coleman.

Manual 59 vs. St. X 58 ‼️ This GAME was a THRILLER!! Guard Play was Crazy 😳🔥
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Damone King – 24p/6r/3a
Malachi Coleman – 13p/4r
Justice Decker – 8p/5r
Josh Darst – 6p
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Chance Dillingham – 16p/5a/3s
Nelson Williams – 14p/6r
Jeremiah Jackson – 8p/7r
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DeadStock Way🌡️ pic.twitter.com/FSUp4SJ58W
— DeadStock Visuals (@DeadStock_V) December 9, 2022

4. Male (1-3) (T24)

The defending champions from last season have not enjoyed a great start to the season. If this list would have been made two weeks ago, they may have been 1 or 2 in the region. However, after losses to Butler, Trinity, and DeSales, the Bulldogs have dropped to number 4. Senior guard Jack Eleden leads the Bulldogs with 22 points per game so far this season. Coach Haworth knows how to win, so smart money says that Male will bounce back. They will have every opportunity to do so with a very tough schedule. Senior forward Demetrius White will look to end his high school career with another trip to Rupp Arena.

5. St. Xavier (2-2)

The Tigers are led by senior guard Nelson Williams and sophomore guard Chance Dillingham. The majority of the Tiger roster is very young — this bodes well for the next few years. However, this year Trinity will have the upper hand on Kevin Klein’s Tigers. The good news for St. X fans is that in their two losses this season (at Manuel and at Central) they have losses by a combined five points. In their wins (Fern Creek and Louisville Collegiate) the Tigers have won by a combined 38 points. After Christmas, they will travel to Florida to play in the Bradenton Christian Classic tournament.

6. Eastern (3-1)

The story of the Eastern offseason was the loss of their two best “returning” players. Jaden Johnson (10.3 ppg last season) transferred to Fern Creek and Isaiah Cook left the Eastern basketball program in the summer. This took the Eagles off of a lot of people’s radars for the season. Coach Henley had something to say about that, guiding the Eagles to a 3-1 start. Leading them on the court is senior forward Owen Shee with 20.2 ppg on 44% shooting from behind the arc. Behind him is a formidable lineup including Sam Locke (11 ppg), Sosthene Kamba (10 ppg), and Sam Glass (8.7 ppg).

7. Christian Academy of Louisville (2-3)

The Centurians are coming off of their dominant 3A football state championship. The football squad was led by quarterback Cole Hodge, who will now return to the hardwood to boost the CAL offense. So far this season, CAL has been blown out by North Oldham and Ballard. However, a win over John Hardin makes the season a lot more promising for CAL. The story of the offseason though was losing four-star prospect George Washington III to Chaminade Julienne in Dayton, OH.

8. Kentucky Country Day (1-1)

Coach George Hornstein has made the Bearcats of Kentucky Country Day a formidable opponent in Region 7. The signature win for the Bearcats was on the road with a seven-point win over Eastern. They are led by Cameron Edwards who went for an insane 24 points and 10 rebounds in a loss to Butler. Jeremiah Sutton also scored 21 points in the loss, so they have scoring to play with anyone in the region.

Region 8 Preview

2021-22 champion: North Oldham

The Byrdwell Pre-Season Top 8

1. North Oldham (4-1) (#6)

The Mustangs took home their first Region 8 championship last season. They also made it to the elite eight in the entire state before falling to Lincoln County at Rupp Arena. This season, North Oldham has looked like a team possessed. Through their first five games, the Mustangs are 49 for 76 from three for 51.1%. The Mustangs’ all-time leading scorer David Levitch is in his fifth season in charge of the squad. And since he has taken over, North Oldham has turned into a powerhouse in the region.

Top 10

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The squad will be led by 5th-year point guard (who started in 8th grade) and future all-time leading scorer Dallas Roberts (19.5 ppg). His partner-in-crime has been fellow senior guard Jack Scales (20.7 ppg). Roberts came into the year with 1,649 career points and has added 78 points in four games. The Mustangs also have a supporting cast that can play with some of the best. This cast includes Ian Higdon, Luke Anderson, Grant Neal, Jack Fisher, and Ryan Howard.

2. Spencer County (4-1)

The Bears are led by 6’0” junior Luke Erhardt who averaged 22 points last season as a sophomore. This year, Erhardt is averaging 23 and that number could continue to climb. According to Bluegrasspreps.com Coach Jason Burns said, “We bring pretty much everybody back and expect to be competitive in the region. We have a tough schedule, very tough district, and playing in the King of the Bluegrass. So a lot to be excited about.”

Flanking Luke Erhardt are junior Camden Cox (16 ppg), sophomore Jack Armstrong (11.5 ppg), and senior Jonathan Combs (8 ppg). This season, Spencer County has enjoyed wins over Bullitt East (double OT), North Bullitt, Oldham County, and Campbellsville. Their lone loss comes to Seneca in the South End Shootout.

3. Woodford County (1-3) (#23)

Coach Jaron Brown’s Yellow Jackets have been the victim of bad luck this season. In their three losses so far this season, they have yet to lose by more than four points. Ranking them fourth may be harsh, and by the end of the season, they could easily contend for the regional title. However, the teams above have just been better so far this season. The Yellow Jackets are still the second favorite to get to the Sweet 16 out of the region.

A 23-5 record last year was enough to take Woodford deep into the playoffs before falling to North Oldham in the regional championship. Watch out for a hungry Yellow Jackets squad, as once the ball starts bouncing the right way, Woodford County will be rolling. Look for star sophomore Jasper Johnson to make a run for player of the year. Johnson has gotten received from Xavier and Cincinnati, and could be the star in Woodford County for years to come.

4. Collins (5-0)

Chris Gaither’s Titans have started off the year undefeated and have dominated most opponents they have played. After a big win over Madison Southern at Georgetown College, they have not had a close game since. They even beat their cross-county rivals Shelby County by seven points on the road Friday night. The Titans are led by star quarterback and basketball star Kenyon Goodin. After winning district player of the year in football, Goodin is coming for the same award in basketball. Through five games, he has scored 99 points for a 19.5 ppg average. Not only that, Goodin has shot 64.3% from behind the arc.

5. Simon Kenton (3-2)

This may be a case of recency bias, but the Pioneers are the first team in the region to have taken down #1. In a December 9th clash at home, the Pioneers were able to come away with a fairly convincing eight-point win over North Oldham. Junior Travis Krohman walked away with a clean 25 points against a great North Oldham defense. They followed this performance with a 13-point loss to a good DeSales squad. This Simon Kenton team will be tough to read throughout the year. The District 32 squad could give anyone fits on any night. Coach Trent Steiner will look to reach new heights with this squad this season.

6. Oldham County (2-2)

Coach Josh Leslie’s Colonels shocked Woodford County with a victory. This win was led by a two-headed monster of senior Luke Amburgey and junior Max Green. The duo combined for 41 points at home against the Yellow Jackets. They are known for their blue-collar approach to the game, as both will do anything to lead the Colonels to a win. Coach Leslie even said that Green is one of the best shooters he has been around, and that will be huge for spacing the floor this year. All four games that the Colonels have played this season have been very close. This is a testament to the schedule that they have decided to play this season.

7. Grant County (4-0)

The Braves have the best player in the region, and I don’t see it being very close. Through four games this season Dylan Hammonds has averaged 27 points to go along with 14.5 rebounds a game. Now I would say that the Grant County people may be sneaking in Oscar Tshiebwe, but this is Hammonds’ third straight year on the double-double train. Hammonds is putting up video game stats, and it’s hard to imagine anyone competing with him in the region on the stat sheet. However, he will need help in order to take on the best in the region. This help will come from Micah Wills (11 ppg) and Spencer Breeden (10 ppg).

8. Walton-Verona (5-0)

The Bearcats have started out the season about as hot as anyone in the region. With signature wins over Evangel Christian and South Oldham, Coach Mike Hester’s squad is riding high. They are led by the duo of Carter Krohman and Julian Dixon. Both are averaging 19 points per game, and will wreak havoc on defenses together. They have a tough stretch coming up with two of their next three games being against Collins and North Oldham. This stretch will show the rest of the region how legit the Bearcats are this season.