Who are Kentucky’s top 25 girls high school basketball teams for 2023-24?
No Kentucky girls high school basketball program has ever won four Sweet 16 titles in a row, but according to the Herald-Leader’s preseason survey, Sacred Heart could be on the verge of history.
The Valkyries garnered an astounding 91 preseason No. 1 votes from the 98 head coaches participating in our survey. Only George Rogers Clark (six) and Bethlehem (1) kept the poll from being unanimous for Donna Moir’s team.
Moir has twice led Sacred Heart to state championship three-peats (2002-2004 and 2021-2023), matching the three straight won by the old Laurel County High School (1977-1979).
Featuring two-time Kentucky Gatorade player of the year ZaKiyah Johnson, who is just a junior, Sacred Heart certainly will be tough to knock off. But both George Rogers Clark and Bethlehem have added standout transfers to boost their chances and the Valkyries always face a stern test from their 7th Region rivals.
Here’s a look at this year’s Herald-Leader High School Girls’ Basketball Preseason Top 25 as voted on by the state’s coaches with a brief summary on what we know about the top 10 teams and a note about each of the next 15.
THE TOP 10
(Last season’s record in parentheses)
1. Sacred Heart (36-3): In addition to ZaKiyah Johnson (22.5 ppg), one of the top-rated juniors in the nation, the Valkyries have a pair of seniors who will certainly be in the mix for Miss Basketball this year— guard Reagan Bender (15.2 ppg) and forward Angela Pelayo (11.7 ppg), a UNC-Wilmington signee. Freshman Amirah “Tootie” Jordan averaged a team-high 11.8 ppg for Male last season. Both @SCNext (No. 9) and @MaxPreps (No. 10) ranked Sacred Heart in their national top 10s.
2. George Rogers Clark (28-8): Clark has been the Kentucky team closest to knocking off Sacred Heart in recent years and returns three starters, including senior guard Ciara Byars (18.2 ppg), whose multiple scholarship offers include Kentucky. Mercer County’s Teigh Yeast (13 ppg) comes over after her father was hired as GRC’s new athletic director. The Cards also picked up Bryan Station transfer Jailenn Green (14.1 ppg) and Central Hardin transfer Khania Jones (10.5 ppg, 11.1 rpg).
3. Bethlehem (28-8): The Banshees picked up perhaps the biggest transfer of this offseason when former Mercy standout Leah Macy (25 ppg), a 6-2 junior, enrolled with younger sister Loren, a 5-7 freshman. They join a team of mostly two-sport standouts who just beat Sacred Heart for a state championship in soccer led by senior point guard Carlie Thurmond (17.2 ppg), along with sisters Tessa Miles (11.9 ppg) and Ashlyn Miles (11.8 ppg).
4. Cooper (29-4): Three starters return as seniors — Eastern Kentucky commit Liz Freihofer (10.3 ppg), Evansville commit Logan Palmer (8.6 ppg), and Liberty-bound Maleah Alexander (3.8) who will try to build on the Jaguars’ back-to-back 9th Region titles and one of the stingiest scoring defenses in the state at 38.1 points allowed per game. Haylee Noel averaged 6.6 points and made 47.2 percent of her 3-pointers as an eighth-grader last season.
5. McCracken County (35-3): Two starters return from last season’s Sweet 16 runners-up — 5-10 Samford signee Claire Johnson (17 ppg) and 5-11 senior Mikee Buchanan (12.4 ppg). Coach Scott Sivills likes his team’s chances for a third straight 1st Region title if the younger players can step up and “play consistent.”
6. Frederick Douglass (24-9): Last year’s 11th Region champs only graduated one senior, so they’ll return an experienced crew looking to repeat that includes the outstanding inside-out duo of Ayanna-Sarai Darrington (13 ppg/11.2 rpg), a 6-2 senior forward who recently signed with Central Michigan, and Niah Rhodes (17.7 ppg), a 5-7 guard who led the state in 3-pointers made per game (3.7).
7. Pikeville (28-6): The Panthers return their entire squad and after a disappointing one-point loss in last season’s 15th Region championship game. “We are hungry,” coach Kristy Orem said. Senior point guard Trinity Rowe (16.2 ppg) keys the offense and recently signed with Southern Miss. Among Pikeville’s six seniors are Kyera Thornsbury (10.2 ppg), a Jacksonville State signee, and Kristen Whited (10.1 ppg), a Centre commit.
8. Owensboro Catholic (26-10): The defending 3rd Region champions return leading scorer Hailee Johnson (12.8 ppg), a 5-8 senior, along with juniors Karmin Riley and Aubrey Randolph to the starting lineup. Coach Michael Robertson hopes an influx of nine freshmen will yield some significant contributors to bolster what he believes to be “a very strong starting five.”
9. Ryle (24-9): The Raiders’ returnees include 6-0 Belmont commit Quinn Eubank, (14.3 ppg), 6-2 Youngstown State commit Sarah Baker (11 ppg) and 5-10 sophomore Jaelyn Jones (5.8 ppg). Notable among this season’s newcomers is Jayden McClain, a 6-5 seventh-grader who is already fielding major college offers — Ohio State, Mississippi State and Cincinnati, so far.
10. Butler (13-13): An experienced Bruins team led by 6-3 Kentucky commit Ramiya White (8.6 ppg) has added Christian Academy-Louisville transfer Mariah Knight (15.1 ppg/9.4 rpg), a 5-7 senior with a number of Division I offers.
THE NEXT 15
(With last year’s record and a brief note)
11. Franklin County (26-8): Senior shooting guard Rachel Shropshire (10.6 ppg) recently committed to Bellarmine. Had their three-year run as 11th Region champs stopped by Douglass last season.
12. Manual (28-3): The Crimsons’ only three losses came to region rival Sacred Heart. Sophomore Ashlinn James (8 ppg) leads the returnees.
13. Ashland Blazer (26-8): The Kittens return all five starters from their Girls Sweet 16 quarterfinals team, including double-digit scorers Kenleigh Woods (18.6 ppg), Ella Sellars (16.8 ppg) and Jaidyn Gulley (11 ppg).
14. Henderson County (28-5): The torch has been passed from the Colonels’ legendary coach Jeff Haile to his son Stephen Haile, formerly at Daviess County. He inherits a young team led by sophomore Brooklyn Gibson (6.7 ppg) that lost five of its top seven scorers.
15. North Laurel (30-7): The defending 13th Region champs return a ton of experience, including junior Brooke Nichelson (14.9 ppg) who made a huge impression at the Girls Sweet 16.
16. Mercy (25-10): Coach Nick Cann plans to rebuild the Jaguars around defense and the play of their two returning starters, junior Addyson Becker and sophomore Abby Reitzel.
17. Montgomery County (22-13): The Indians add Lafayette transfer Savannah Jarvis (13.3 ppg) to a formidable lineup that already included Youngstown State commit Hayden Barrier (17.3 ppg).
18. Meade County (22-10): The Green Waves are just a year removed from winning the 3rd Region title and have one of the state’s best shooters in junior guard Peyton Bradley (21.9 ppg).
19. Christian Academy-Louisville (20-10): Sophomore Brianna Wilkins (16.5 ppg) is the top returning scorer for a team that also gets back Eastern Kentucky commit Savannah Gardner (8 ppg as a sophomore), who missed all but three games last year with an injury.
20. Boyd County (21-10): Senior Audrey Biggs (17.5 ppg as sophomore), returns from an ACL injury to bolster the Lions, who also have back double-double machine Jasmine Jordan (18.6 ppg/11.7 rpg), a 6-1 senior Rio Grande commit.
21. Pulaski County (26-7): The Maroons return four starters led by senior Sydney Martin (22.7 ppg).
22. Anderson County (26-7): Lainey Johnson (22.2 ppg), a 6-0 junior, and Jenna Satterly (13.8 ppg), a 5-9 senior, lead the charge to get Anderson County back to looking like its old self.
23. Corbin (22-10): How last season ended left a bad taste for the Redhounds, who have the personnel to make a serious run with all five starters back, including Kylie Clem (16.4 ppg), Kallie Housley (16.2 ppg) and Darcie Anderson (11 ppg).
24. Holy Cross (Covington) (26-8): Julia Hunt (13.2 ppg/9.3 rpg), the Indians’ 6-2 Washington volleyball commit, makes a fair basketball player as her side gig and they could contend for another All “A” Classic state title.
25. Russell (22-12): Penn State commit Shaelyn Steele (19.8 ppg) leads a Red Devils team that will want to play fast and should contend for a trip back to the Sweet 16 after a year away.
OTHERS RECEIVING VOTES
(Teams mentioned on at least two ballots in points order)
Central, Simon Kenton, Bullitt East, Bowling Green, Southwestern, Barren County, Notre Dame, Christian County, Knott County Central, Taylor County, Bardstown, Assumption, Madisonville.
METHODOLOGY
Our annual survey was emailed to all 267 girls basketball head coaches using their email registered with the Kentucky High School Athletic Association. Multiple attempts were made to encourage every school to participate. Coaches were asked to select their top 10 teams and points were assigned based on a team’s position on the ballot (10 points for No. 1, nine points for No. 2, eight points for No. 3, etc.), and tabulated across all ballots received. Some schools participated in the survey but declined to vote due to unfamiliarity with players and teams outside of their own area. A total of 98 coaches (36.7 percent) voted in our top-10 teams poll of the 158 coaches (59.2 percent) who responded to the survey and supplied information about their teams. Thanks to all.
2023-24 SEASON PREVIEW
This is the third of eight stories the Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com is publishing in the coming days previewing the 2023-24 high school boys’ and girls’ basketball seasons, which are scheduled to tip off Nov. 27.
Who are Kentucky’s top 25 girls high school basketball players for 2023-24?
Who are Kentucky’s top 25 boys high school basketball teams for 2023-24?
Who are Kentucky’s top 25 boys high school basketball players for 2023-24?
