Every donation helps us continue telling the stories that shape our community, hold leaders accountable, and keep our neighbors informed. Local news thrives because of readers like you. Landon Lorms, Ryle: Prolific 6-3 shooting guard and tremendous dual-sport athlete for the 33rd District runner-up Raiders. Put up a team-best 22.8 points per game, ranking third […]
Every donation helps us continue telling the stories that shape our community, hold leaders accountable, and keep our neighbors informed. Local news thrives because of readers like you.
Landon Lorms, Ryle: Prolific 6-3 shooting guard and tremendous dual-sport athlete for the 33rd District runner-up Raiders. Put up a team-best 22.8 points per game, ranking third locally and 23rd statewide. Snared 6.2 rebounds, third on the team. Shot 48.6% from the field, second among Ryle regulars. Among team leaders with 33% 3-point shooting and 70% free throw accuracy. Scored a school-record 1,546 career points. All NKBBCA Division I. 9th Region all-tournament. 33rd District all-tournament. He’s also a record-breaking wide receiver for the Ryle football team. Considering college basketball and college football offers.
Alex Combs, Domyniq Hadden, Parker Mulberry (Bishop Brossart), Xavier Fancher (Campbell County), Kaymon Coleman (Scott).
Jack Sullivan, Beechwood: Versatile 6-3 swing shooter for the 9th Region All “A” Classic champion. Led the Tigers in scoring with 16.6 points per game and rebounds with 6.3. Shot 53.8% from the field, second among Beechwood regulars. Hit 41.5% from 3-point range, ranking among team leaders, and nearly 70% on free throws. Missed the final two games of the season with an ankle injury and the Tigers dropped both contests. Joined the 1,000-point club in the 9th Region All “A” Classic tournament final. All-NKBBCA Division II. 9th Region All “A” Classic all-tournament and tournament MVP. A Campbellsville University commit.
Jay Bilton, Simon Kenton: Unselfish point guard for three-time defending 32nd District champion Pioneers. Led the team with a scoring average of 12.1 points per game. Third among regular players with 61.8% field goal shooting, ranking among Kentucky’s top 50. Second on the team with 41.3% 3-point shooting and third with 75.5% free throw shooting. Joined the 1,000-point club in February at home against Boone County. All-Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Association Division I. All-8th Region. Eighth Region all-tournament. Eighth Region Tournament MVP. Receiving college offers.
EJ Walker, Lloyd Memorial: Record-breaking 6-8 forward for the 34th District champion and Ninth Region runner-up. The area’s only senior averaging a double-double in scoring and rebounding. Led the Juggernauts with 18.9 points per game. Paced the team with 11.2 rebounds, ranking second in the area and 12th statewide. His 356 total rebounds led the area and ranked eighth in the state. Paced the team with 62% field goal shooting, ranking in the state top 50. Second on the Juggernauts with 47.7% 3-point accuracy. Lloyd Memorial’s all-time scoring and rebounding leader with 1,914 points and 1,186 rebounds. All-NKBBCA Division II. NKBBCA Division II Player of the Year. KABC 9th Region co-Player of the Year and a Mr. Kentucky Basketball candidate. 9th Region all-tournament. 34th District all-tournament. A South Carolina commit.
8th Region
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Aaron Gutman, Walton-Verona: Extremely productive 6-foot-7 center for the 32nd District runner-up and 8th Region All “A” Classic champ. Team leader and northern Kentucky scoring leader with 23.3 points per game, ranking 19th in Kentucky His 771 total points rank 10th statewide. Grabbed a team-high 6.9 rebounds. Third among Bearcats regulars with 49.8% field goal shooting. Among team leaders with nearly 34% 3-point shooting. Bearcats all-time leading scorer with 1,981 points, breaking a 67-year-old school record. All-North Central Kentucky Conference (NCKC). Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches 8th Region co-Player of the Year and a Mr. Kentucky Basketball candidate. All-8th Region. 8th Region all-tournament. 8th Region All “A” Classic all-tournament and tournament MVP. Receiving college offers.
Garyn Jackson of Campbell County. Photo provided | Charles BoltonGaryn Jackson, Campbell County: Stellar all-around point guard for the 12-time defending 36th District champion. Team assists and steals leader with a penchant for making big shots. Averaged 16.8 points per game, second-best on the Camels. Second on the team with 6.4 rebounds. Paced the squad with 67.9% field goal shooting, ranking seventh in the state. Led the Camels with 83.5% free throw accuracy, which would have ranked in the state top 30 had he qualified (he missed by five attempts). Second among regulars with 39.6% 3-point shooting. Joined the 1,000-point club Jan. 25 at home vs. Harrison County. Finished with more than 500 career assists, 500 rebounds and 250 steals. All-NKBBCA Division I. NKBBCA Division I Defensive Player of the Year. KABC 10th Region Player of the Year and a Mr. Kentucky Basketball candidate. All-10th Region. He’s also an all-area receiver for the Camels football team. Receiving college offers.
Andy Johnson from Cooper. Photo provided | Charles BoltonAndy Johnson, Cooper: Highly talented 6-5 senior swing player for 33rd District and 9th Region champions. Poured in 23.3 points per game, leading the team and ranking second in the area and 20th statewide. Had a team-best 6.4 rebounds and 4.8 assists. Led the regular playing rotation with 38.8% 3-point shooting and also led with 77.7% on free throws. Second among regulars with 50.7% field goal shooting. Became just the third member of the Cooper boys 1,000-point club, finishing with 1,081. All-NKBBCA Division I. NKBBCA Division I Player of the Year. KABC 9th Region co-Player of the Year and a Mr. Kentucky Basketball candidate. KHSAA Sweet 16 all-tournament. 9th Region all-tournament and tournament MVP. 33rd District all-tournament and tournament MVP. A University of Illinois-Chicago commit.
Division II: Carson Blackburn (Beechwood), Will McElheney (Holy Cross), Ian Mann, Louie Collopy (Newport Central Catholic). Division III: Marquel Kennedy (Dayton), Cade Holtman (Heritage Academy), Spencer Brandenburg, Joseph Scott, Byron Conley (Ludlow), Quinn Thomas (Villa Madonna).
Twelve of the 20 players named Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Association Division I and III all-stars are seniors. Seven of the 10 players honored in Division II are seniors. Four area seniors were in on three Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches player of the year awards for the 8th, 9th and 10th Regions because two locals shared the 9th Region honor. Three area seniors are among Kentucky’s top 25 scorers. Many more made their marks on the local hardwood in their final seasons.
9th Region
(Listed alphabetically)
These senior players also earned honors this prep basketball season or were integral parts of their teams’ success.
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Chayse Lambert (Community Christian Academy)
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These players received special mention on the Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Association all-star teams.
Yamil Rondon, Newport: Internationally tested point guard for the three-time defending 36th District champion and 9th Region All “A” Classic runner-up. A gold medal winner for a Puerto Rico U17 junior national basketball team that won the 2023 Centrobasket Championship, an international tournament in Belize. The former Cooper player was new to the Wildcats this season and overcame 13 missed games due to offseason shoulder surgery to lead Newport with a 14.8 scoring average. Shot well from all three levels, hitting 47.4% from the field and 34.7% from 3-point range. He converted 81.8% from the free throw line, ranking in the state top 40. Scored 1,195 points in his local prep career. All-NKBBCA Division II. 9th Region all-tournament. Receiving college offers.
BEST OF THE REST
Kentucky Christian Athletic Association
We can’t let them go without a final curtain call. So, here they are, the top senior boys basketball players in the area. It’s a nifty 50, with a closer look at the top 10.
Jordan Bach, Brayden Polly, Bode Stone (Simon Kenton), Aiden Kerns, Jonathan Strunk (Walton-Verona).
Landon Warner, Conner: Versatile 6-6 swing player with a penchant for tournament-time scoring for the 33rd District semifinalist. Second on the Cougars with a 15.1 scoring average and first with 6.3 rebounds. Averaged nearly 20 points in six in-season tournament games. Put up an average of 21.3 points in three games at the City of Middletown Holiday Classic. Averaged just under 20 points at the three-game Scott Winter Classic. Second among Conner regulars with 58.5% field goal shooting. Shot better than 30% from 3-point range. Converted 75% on free throws. Finished his Conner career with 719 points. All-NKBBCA Division I.
Griffen Derry, Dixie Heights: Savvy swing player and deadly long-range shooter for the 34th District runner-up Colonels. Led the team with a scoring average of 16.3. Added nearly four rebounds per game. Third among regular rotation members with 56% shooting from the field. Led regulars with a 48.3% clip from 3-point range, ranking fifth in the state. Converted 81.5% of his free throws, second among Dixie regulars. Joined the 1,000-point club Jan. 25 at Franklin County. All-NKBBCA Division I. 9th Region all-tournament. Receiving college offers.
10th Region
