BULLITT EAST
Coach: Bob Blackburn (third year of second term).
Last season: 21-10, lost to Doss 65-61 in regional semifinal.
Player to watch: G Tyler Sharpe (6-0, Sr., 16.9 ppg., 4.3 rpg.). Sharp is a sharpshooter, especially when the game is on the line. “Tyler had a great summer,” Blackburn said. “He can carry us. He’s a man on a mission. He wants us to be the best team we can be.” Last season, Sharpe scored 524 points, hitting 40.9 percent of his field goal tries, including 68 threes. He sank 120 of 155 free throws for 77.4 percent.
Other top players: G Bailey Rakes (6-0, Sr., 9.1 ppg., 2.3 rpg.); C Jared Farris (6-7, Sr., 11.4 ppg., 6 rpg.); F Brandon Klefot (6-4, Sr., 9.7 ppg, 5.2 rpg.); G Garrett Wilson (6-0, Sr., 2.7 ppg.); G Luke Ezell (5-7, So., 1.3 ppg.); G Jared Osborne (5-11, Jr.); F Conner Green (6-3, Jr.); F Konnor Polson (6-4. Jr.).
Outlook: The Chargers lost 6-9 Troy Bacon off last year’s team, but they still have good size and a lot of experience with Sharpe, Rakes, Farris and Klefot. Ezell played a lot of minutes coming off the bench as a freshman a year ago. Klefot made the all-region team as a sophomore and was his team’s top defender and rebounder last winter. Rakes is really a valuable player. “We lost him for a couple of games last season and we struggled,” Blackburn said.
FERN CREEK
Coach: James Schooler (third year)
Last season: 18-12, lost to DeSales 69-49 in regional semifinals.
Player to watch: G Tony Washington (5-10 Sr., 14.4 ppg.). “Tony has improved his defense and leadership, and is my senior leader,” Schooler said. “He’s one of only two seniors who will play for us. Tony is very athletic and believes he can make every shot. He had 22 points against Conner in the Middletown Classic at Eastern last season.”
Other top players: F Trey Hill (6-3 Sr., 9.9 ppg., 5.1 rpg.); F-G Ahmad Price (6 So., 9.5 ppg., 5.6 rpg.); G Anthony Wale (5-8 So., 9.0 ppg.); G Kyree Hawkins (6-0 Jr., 4.5 ppg., 5.7 rpg.); C-F Daiquan Jones (6-6 Jr., 3.9 ppg., 8.5 rpg.); G Kobe Stanton (5-8 So.); F Tony Rogers (6-2 So., 1.2 ppg.); F-C Darrin Childress (6-6); Clint Wickliff (6-5 So.).
JEFFERSONTOWN
Coach: Miquel Coleman (first year).
Last season: 8-18, lost to Fern Creek 62-50 in district first round.
Player to watch: G Dakota White (5-6, Jr., 6.3 ppg., 1.1 rpg.). “Dakota is real quick and as a point guard, who is smart on the court, he gets the other players involved,” Coleman said. “He has a nice mid-range jump shot.”
Other top players: G-F Deshawn Walker (5-11, Sr., 1.0 ppg); G-F Jimmy Kwizera (5-11, Sr., 5.5 ppg., 3.9 rpg.); G Landus Bellamy (5-10, Sr., 2.7 ppg.); F Jenathan Cunningham (6-0, Jr., will be eligible in second semester); G William Brown (5-8, Jr.); C Delvonte McCloud (6-6, Jr.).
Outlook: Coleman, who was head coach at Shawnee last season, said the Chargers will depend on defense and team play. “We have no superstar,” he said. “Last season, everything went through Brandon Johnson (who averaged 25.8 points per game and now is at College of Charleston). I believe we’ll be in contention for the district.”
WHITEFIELD ACACDEMY
Coach: Billy Edge (second year).
Last season: 16-14, lost to Bullitt East 68-53 in district first round.
Player to watch: G Tyler Woodruff (6-0, Sr., 7.5 ppg., 4.5 apg.). “Tyler was our sixth man last season and the only experienced player we have,” Edge said. “He is explosive off the dribble. He’s a 4.0 student and strong at reading defenses. Our team is built around him.”
Other top players: G Austin Guivas (6-1, Jr.); G Caleb McGiveny (5-8, Sr.); F Tristan Stamps (5-10, So.); F Brett Millier (6-0, Fr.); C Conner Emmitt (6-2, So.); F Brandon Blackwell (6-1, So.); G Tyler Nauert (5-9, So.); F Gavin Johnson (6-3, So.).
Outlook: “Last year we won more games than Whitefield had won since 2000,” Edge said. ”This year, we may be the youngest team in the state with two seniors, one junior, nine sophomores and six freshmen. Six seniors elected not to play this year so we’ve cleaned house. We’re rebuilding from scratch.”