Last year: 28-4; 2nd District champion; lost to Marshall County in 1st Region semifinals

Three Mustangs — Aaron Adams, Garrett Miller and Harris Moore — named among the region’s best by coaches. Adams and Miller were their No. 2 and No. 4 scorers last season, both averaging right around 10 ppg. Moore, a senior transfer from Murray, was the Tigers’ No. 2 scorer at 13.5 ppg.

Notable games: Nov. 12 vs. Lyon County; Nov. 19 at Madisonville; Dec. 3-5 at Marshall County Hoopfest; Dec. 11 vs. Marshall County; Jan. 2 at Graves County; Jan. 5 vs. St. Mary; Jan. 15 vs. Paducah Tilghman; Jan. 16 vs. Lyon County at Eagles Classic (Graves County); Jan. 23 at Marshall County; Feb. 9 vs. Murray; Feb. 12 vs. Graves County

5 first place votes, 35 total points

Last year: 25-9; 4th District champion; 1st Region champion; lost to George Rogers Clark in state QFs

Marshals lost twice to McCracken (71-66 and 70-67) in the regular season but overcame the region’s top RPI squad in the region semis (before routing Tilghman in the final). Preseason POY Mathew Langhi hit a pair of free throws to seal a 47-44 win, which largely came down to the stripe; Marshall County connected on 12 of 19 free throws while the Mustangs made just 3 of 13.

Notable games: Dec. 3-5 Marshall County Hoopfest; Dec. 11 at McCracken County; Dec. 15. vs. Murray; Dec. 18-22 King of the Bluegrass; Dec. 27-Dec. 30 White, Greer & Maggard Holiday Classic (Lexington Catholic); Jan. 2 New Years Classic at Grayson County; Jan. 15 vs. Graves County; Jan. 16 vs. Taylor County at Eagles Classic (Graves County); Jan. 22 vs. Paducah Tilghman; Jan. 26 vs. Apollo; Jan. 29 at Graves County; Feb. 2 at Murray; Feb. 16 at St. Mary

1 FPV, 30 total points

Last year: 15-15; lost to Paducah Tilghman in 2nd District SFs

Two notable seniors from southern Illinois, Jude Harmon and Silas Kreuter, bolster a roster that returns its five scorers, including sophomore of note Griffin Mayes.

Notable games: Dec. 1 vs. Carlisle County; Dec. 5 vs. North Hardin at Donate Life Classic (St. Xavier); Dec. 11 vs. Graves County; Dec. 19-22 St. Mary Christmas Classic; Dec. 27-29 Jim Rose Central Bank Classic at Lexington Christian Academy; Jan. 2 vs. Paducah Tilghman; Jan. 5 at McCracken County; Jan. 18 vs. Lyon County; Jan. 26 vs. McCracken County; Feb. 13 vs. Grayson County; Feb. 16 vs. Marshall County

20 total points

Last year: 15-13; 3rd District runner-up; lost to Paducah Tilghman in 1st Region first round

Eagles are stacked with seniors — eight total and seven who led them in scoring. Ty Cavette, the leading receiver for Graves’ football team this season (657 yds, 10 TDs entering the first round), tops the list of returnees at 14.2 ppg.

Notable games: Dec. 3-5 at Marshall County Hoopfest; Dec. 5 vs. Bullitt Central at Clem Haskins Classic (Taylor County); Dec. 11 at St. Mary; Dec. 15 vs. Henderson County; Dec. 21-22 Chopped Lawn Care Holiday Classic (South Warren); Dec. 26-28 Taylor County Farm Bureau Holiday Classic (Campbellsville); Jan. 2 vs. McCracken County; Jan. 12 vs. Paducah Tilghman; Jan. 15 at Marshall County; Jan. 23 vs. Apollo at Parker Eye Care Shootout (Trigg County); Jan. 26 vs. Murray; Jan. 29 vs. Marshall County; Feb. 12 at McCracken County; Feb. 16 vs. Carlisle County

16 total points

Last year: 25-7; 1st District champion; lost to Murray in 1st Region first round

Comets’ season ended against Murray just two weeks after they beat the Tigers, 62-53, to close the regular season. Wyatt Rickard, who averaged 20.3 ppg as a junior, shot nearly 60% in the win and under 40% in the loss.

Notable games: Dec. 1 at St. Mary; Dec. 3-5 Marshall County Hoopfest; Dec. 8 vs. Marshall County; Dec. 19-22 St. Mary Christmas Classic; Dec. 28-30 H&H Holiday Hoopfest (Logan County); Jan. 19 vs. McCracken County; Feb. 16 at Graves County

14 total points

Last year: 26-9; 2nd District champion; lost to Calloway County in 1st Region championship

The Mustangs won three straight 1st Region tournaments from 2022-2024. They lost five straight games to Marshall County before nipping the Marshals in last season’s region tournament. LeZharia Bolen, Mason Clements and Ava Hughes bring ample experience to the table as McCracken looks to finish back atop the far west.

Notable games: Dec. 1 vs. Henderson County; Dec. 4 at Daviess County; Dec. 11 vs. Marshall County; Jan. 16. vs. Bowling Green; Jan. 19 at Carlisle County; Jan. 22 vs. Calloway County; Jan. 23 at Marshall County; Jan. 30 vs. Hopkins County Central; Feb. 4 at Christian County; Feb. 6 vs. Owensboro Catholic; Feb. 12 vs. Graves County; Feb. 16 at Calloway County; Feb. 19 vs. Madisonville

2 first-place votes, 22 total points

Last year: 21-6; 4th District runner-up; lost to McCracken County in 1st Region first round

Lyndon Dunning, who won 71% of his games as the head coach at Graves County, takes the reins of a program that’s just two seasons removed from a state-tournament appearance. (Previous head coach Aaron Beth retired.) Kenzlee Terry (15.9 ppg) and Rylan Darnall (7.6 ppg, 3.6 rpg) lead the returning Marshals.

Notable games: Dec. 3-5 Marshall County Hoopfest; Dec. 11 at McCracken County; Dec. 21-23 Smoky Mountain Christmas Classic (Gatlinburg, Tenn.); Dec. 28-30 Dairy Queen Classic (Ohio County); Jan. 8 at Christian County; Jan. 12 at Calloway County; Jan. 15 vs. Graves County; Jan. 23 vs. McCracken County; Jan. 30 vs. St. Mary; Feb. 5 vs. Calloway County; Feb. 16 vs. Hopkins County Central

1 FPV, 18 total points

Last year: 25-8; 1st District champion; lost to McCracken County in 1st Region SFs

Comets, who’ve won six straight district tournaments, won 9 of their last 11 games in 2025-26. The two losses were lopsided against McCracken, against whom they are 0-8 all-time.

Notable games: Dec. 1 at St. Mary; Dec. 3-5 Marshall County Hoopfest; Dec. 12 vs. Henderson County at Holiday Hoopla Classic (McCracken County); Dec. 19 at Crittenden County; Dec. 28-30 H&H Holiday Hoopfest (Logan County); Jan. 19 vs. McCracken County; Jan. 23 at Ballard Memorial; Feb. 2 vs. Calloway County; Feb. 5 vs. Ballard Memorial; Feb. 16 at Graves County

1 FPV, 16 total points

Last year: 12-19; 3rd District runner-up; lost to Carlisle County in 1st Region first round

Eagles dropped consecutive first-round games in the 1st Region tournament since winning at least one game from 2015-2023, a span that included a Sweet 16 trip and multiple region finals. Longtime area head coach Valerie Waller, in her first year at Graves, looks to reverse course after losing 5 seniors.

Notable games: Dec. 8 at Calloway County; Dec. 10 vs. Trigg County at Graves County; Dec. 11 at St. Mary; Dec. 28-29 Murray Bank Lady Tiger Classic; Jan. 5 at Christian County; Jan. 15 at Marshall County; Jan. 16 vs. McLean County at First Southern National Bank Lady Mustang Classic (Muhlenberg County); Jan. 22 at Ballard Memorial; Jan. 25 vs. Christian County; Jan. 29 vs. Marshall County; Feb. 2 vs. Ballard Memorial; Feb. 9 vs. Calloway County; Feb. 12 at McCracken County; Feb. 16 vs. Carlisle County

13 total points

Last year: 33-3; 4th District champion; 1st Region champion; lost to Assumption in state first round

Lakers put together a remarkable and thrilling season, winning their district and region finals by a single bucket over stalwarts Marshall County and McCracken County, but graduated two Division I players from that team (Jaidan Koch and Sayler Lowe).

Notable games: Dec. 5 vs. Lyon County; Dec. 8 vs. Graves County; Dec. 28-30 KSA Holiday Classic (Gaylord Palms Resort, Fla.); Jan. 12 vs. Marshall County; Jan. 19 at Lyon County; Jan. 22 at McCracken County; Feb. 2 at Carlisle County; Feb. 5 at Marshall County; Feb. 9 at Graves County; Feb. 12 at Henderson County; Feb. 16 vs. McCracken County; Feb. 18 vs. Ballard Memorial

11 total points

Last year: 26-5; 6th District champion; lost to Lyon County in 2nd Region championship

Colonels have played in the last three 2nd Region championship games, winning it in 2025, and nearly repeated after losing almost their entire starting lineup. They’d won 14 straight games before falling in double overtime back in March’s region final (Henderson defeated Lyon, 53-51, early in the streak). Xavion Johnson (14.1 ppg) and Amare Stewart (13.5) are among the four starters back this season.

Notable games: Dec. 1 at Daviess County; Dec. 15 at Graves County; Dec. 27-Dec. 30 White, Greer & Maggard Holiday Classic (Lexington Catholic); Jan. 9 vs. Male; Jan. 12 at Christian County; Jan. 14 vs. Caldwell County; Jan. 22 vs. Webster County; Feb. 1 vs. Lyon County; Feb. 4 vs. Madisonville; Feb. 5 at Webster County; Feb. 8 vs. Hopkins County Central; Feb. 13 at Trinity; Feb. 19 vs. Owensboro

4 first-place votes, 34 total points

Last year: 29-7; 5th District champion; 2nd Region champion; lost to North Oldham in state first round

Eddyville’s trip to the state tournament in March wasn’t as long as the community’s one in 2024, but Lyon County’s certainly proved that it wasn’t a one-trick pony following the graduation of Travis Perry. Preseason POY Nolan Coffman was a hair shy of averaging a double-double last season (17.8 ppg, 9.6 rpg).

Notable games: Dec. 1 vs. Logan County; Jan. 15 at Christian County; Jan. 16 vs. McCracken County at Eagles Classic (Graves County); Jan. 18 at St. Mary; Jan. 23 Parker Eye Care Shootout (Trigg County); Feb. 1 at Henderson County; Feb. 8 vs. Madisonville; Feb. 15 at Hopkins County Central; Feb. 18 vs. Paducah Tilghman

1 FPV, 28 total points

Last year: 18-10; 7th District champion; lost to Henderson County in 2nd Region SFs

The Storm have reached the state tournament just once in their history (2000). Last season they won the 7th District for the first time since 2009 and for this one they return four of their top five scorers, including leader Samari Pettus (14.6 ppg).

Notable games: Dec. 5 vs. Greenwood at Community Health Tip-Off Classic (Muhlenberg County); Dec. 11 at Madisonville; Dec. 15 at Caldwell County; Dec. 18 vs. Owensboro; Jan. 8 at McCracken County; Jan. 12 vs. Daviess County; Jan. 14 at Ohio County; Jan. 16 vs. Eastern; Jan. 19 vs. Madisonville; Jan. 22 vs. Caldwell County; Jan. 30 vs. Webster County; Feb. 8 at Henderson County; Feb. 12 vs. Marshall County; Feb. 15 vs. Lyon County

21 total points

Last year: First season (Hopkinsville was 18-14, 8th District champion and lost to Lyon County in the 2nd Region SFs; Christian County was 13-14, the 8th District runner-up and lost to Henderson County in the 2nd Region first round)

The name is familiar but this is officially an inaugural season for the new Christian County High School, formed by the consolidation of the previous school and Hopkinsville High School (the new school adopted Hoptown’s mascot, the Tigers). Could two once juggernauts be revived as a single titan? Taking on both the King of the Bluegrass and LexCath holiday tournament projects a lot of confidence.

Notable games: Dec. 1 vs. Madisonville; Dec. 8 at Danville Christian Academy; Dec. 11 vs. Apollo; Dec. 18-22 King of the Bluegrass; Dec. 27-Dec. 30 White, Greer & Maggard Holiday Classic (Lexington Catholic); Jan. 2 at Greenwood; Jan. 8 vs. Marshall County; Jan. 12 vs. Henderson County; Jan. 15 vs. Lyon County; Jan. 19 vs. Graves County; Jan. 23 at North Hardin; Jan. 25 at Warren Central; Feb. 4 vs. McCracken County; Feb. 9 at Bowling Green; Feb. 16 at Owensboro

1 FPV, 20 total points

Last year: 20-9; lost to Union County in 6th District SFs

Area coaches are high on the Trojans, whose season has ended in the district tournament each of the last three seasons. Caleb Bumpus (16.5 ppg) is a big reason why: he was an All-2nd Region selection last season as a freshman.

Notable games: Dec. 4 vs. Caldwell County; Dec. 8 at McLean County; Dec. 15 vs. Paducah Tilghman; Dec. 17 vs. Madisonville; Jan. 9 vs. Carlisle County; Jan. 22 at Henderson County; Jan. 30 at Hopkins County Central; Feb. 2 at Daviess County; Feb. 5 vs. Henderson County; Feb. 16 at Caldwell County

13 total points

Last year: 25-8; 5th District runner-up; lost to Henderson County in 2nd Region first round

A lofty position for the Lyons, who haven’t advanced beyond the first round of the region tournament since 2011. But returning a ton of players, including senior Piper Cotham (19.5 ppg), from a team that set the program record for wins begets higher expectations.

Notable games: Dec. 5 at Calloway County; Dec. 8 vs. Crittenden County; Dec. 17 at Trigg County; Dec. 28 at Covington Holy Cross; Jan. 2 vs. Barren County at German American Bank Shootout (Bowling Green); Jan. 11 vs. McCracken County; Jan. 12 vs. Caldwell County; Jan. 15 at Christian County; Jan. 19 vs. Calloway County; Jan. 21 vs. Madisonville; Jan. 29 at Crittenden County; Jan. 30 at Henderson County; Feb. 2 at Caldwell County; Feb. 4 vs. Trigg County; Feb. 9 vs. Hopkins County Central

3 first-place votes, 37 total points

Last year: 24-10; 6th District champion; 2nd Region champion; lost to Frederick Douglass in state first round

The Colonels have ruled the 2nd Region for most of this century. Since 2001, only four other schools have combined to win six region tournaments (and two of them just consolidated). Henderson County has won eight straight and while ranked No. 2 is still clearly the giant to slay.

Notable games: Dec. 4 at McCracken County; Dec. 12 vs. Carlisle County at Holiday Hoopla Classic (McCracken County); Dec. 28-30 Lake Cumberland Holiday Hoops (Somerset, Ky.); Jan. 9 at Bowling Green; Jan. 12 vs. Daviess County; Jan. 15 vs. Breckinridge County; Jan. 16 vs. Christian County; Jan. 22 vs. Webster County; Jan. 26 at Madisonville; Jan. 30 vs. Lyon County; Feb. at Webster County; Feb. 8 at McLean County; Feb. 11 at Crittenden County; Feb. 12 vs. Calloway County; Feb. 16 at Owensboro Catholiuc; Feb. 18 at Hopkins County Central

3 FPV, 36 total points

Last year: First season (former Christian County High School was 14-10, won the 8th District and lost to Caldwell County in the 2nd Region first round; Hopkinsville was the 8th District runner-up and lost to Hopkins County Central in the 2nd Region first round)

Kiki Radford, who led the former CCHS since 2016, remains in charge of the new CCHS. She’s excited about what bringing the programs under one umbrella could yield, locally and beyond. “We will be able to compete with the top teams in the region and state,” she said.

Notable games: Dec. 1 vs. Madisonville; Dec. 4 at Hopkins County Central; Dec. 12 vs. McLean County at Holiday Hoopla Classic (McCracken County); Dec. 15 at Bowling Green; Dec. 27-30 Lady Invitational of the South (Allen County-Scottsville); Jan. 5 vs. Graves County; Jan. 8 vs. Marshall County; Jan. 15 vs. Lyon County; Jan. 16 at Henderson County; Jan. 21 vs. Trigg County; Feb. 4 vs. McCracken County; Feb. 9 at Franklin-Simpson

1 FPV, 21 total points

Last year: 20-12; 7th District champion; lost to Henderson County in 2nd Region SFs

Addie Menser (12.7 ppg) was among the best shooters in the state last season as part of a three-pronged scoring attack. The other heads, Calajia Mason (13.6 ppg) and Tyah White (10.3 ppg), graduated but sophomore BriNiyah Dulin (6.8 ppg) could rise.

Notable games: Dec. 4 vs. Christian County; Dec. 11 at Madisonville; Dec. 15 at Caldwell County; Dec. 18-19 Southwire Classic (McLean County); Dec. 21-23 Best of the Twin Lakes Classic (Clinton County; Jan. 11 at Webster County; Jan. 19 vs. Madisonville; Jan. 21 vs. Crittenden County; Jan. 22 vs. Caldwell County; Jan. 30 at McCracken County; Feb. 9 at Lyon County; Feb. 11 vs. Owensboro Catholic; Feb. 16 at Marshall County; Feb. 18 vs. Henderson County

21 total points

Last year: 15-13; 7th District runner-up; lost to Crittenden County in 2nd Region SFs

Tigers last season got back to the region tourney after a five-year absence, then won a game in it for the first time since 2014. They bring back six of the top seven players in their rotation, including the top four scorers, led by Ka Myiah “Tink” Clark (14.6 ppg).

Notable games: Dec. 1 vs. Trigg County; Dec. 4 at Webster County; Dec. 8 vs. Madisonville; Dec. 12 at Daviess County; Dec. 15 vs. Hopkins County Central; Dec. 27-30 Lady Invitational of the South (Allen County-Scottsville); Jan. 12 at Lyon County; Jan. 22 at Hopkins County Central; Jan. 23 at Crittenden County; Jan. 26 at Trigg County; Jan. 29 at Madisonville; Feb. 2 vs. Lyon County; Feb. 9 vs. Crittenden County; Feb. 16 vs. Webster County

11 total points