Kentucky
With KHSAA basketball district tournament action underway, here are 16 numbers to know
For Kentucky high school basketball fans, it’s the best time of the year.
District tournaments are under way, tipping off four straight weeks of action that will culminate with the Sweet 16s.
The Mingua Beef Jerky Girls Sweet 16 is set for March 13-16, and the UK Healthcare Boys Sweet 16 is slated for March 20-23. Both will be held at the University of Kentucky’s Rupp Arena.
Here’s a postseason primer, with (Sweet) 16 numbers you need to know:
Boys
0 – Times Evangel Christian has reached a regional final. The Eagles (24-6) are ranked No. 8 in the state and considered by many to be the favorites to take the Sixth Region title. Evangel has one of the state’s top backcourts in seniors Kyran Tilley (17.5 ppg) and Christian Doerr (16.7 ppg).
5 – Seasons Great Crossing has been playing basketball after the school opened in 2019. The Warhawks have yet to reach an 11th Region final but have even higher goals this postseason as the state’s No. 1-ranked team. Great Crossing (29-1) will carry a 17-game winning streak into the 41st District Tournament and features one of the nation’s top junior recruits in 7-foot-1 Malachi Moreno (15.6 ppg, 13.3 rpg).
19 – Consecutive victories for Newport, the longest current winning streak in the state. The No. 3 Wildcats (27-3) haven’t lost since dropping a 76-71 overtime decision to Trinity on Dec. 23 in the fifth-place game of the King of the Bluegrass Holiday Classic at Fairdale. Newport returned four starters from last season’s team that won the Ninth Region and captured the All “A” Classic state title last month. Tay Kinney (18.7 ppg) is the No. 1-ranked sophomore in the state.
29 – Years since St. Xavier won its last Seventh Region championship in 1995, a team that included current head coach Kevin Klein. The No. 7 Tigers (27-3) are poised to end that drought this season behind an offense that ranks second in the state in scoring (83 ppg). All five starters are underclassmen, led by junior Chance Dillingham (18.2 ppg) and sophomore Jeremiah Jackson (14.3 ppg).
32.3 – Average points per game for Oldham County senior Max Green, the state’s leading scorer. The 6-foot-6 guard also ranks second in the state in 3-pointers made (136). The Holy Cross signee was named Eighth Region Player of the Year and is looking to make a deep postseason run with the Colonels (22-8), who will host rival South Oldham (16-12) at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in a 29th District semifinal.
42.6 – Points per game allowed by Danville Christian, the No. 1-ranked defense in the state. The Warriors (23-5) are in their sixth season of varsity play and are 16-0 against 12th Region opponents this season. Behind 6-4 senior Emmanuel Dut (13.6 ppg) and 6-10 sophomore Geu Ateny (10.5 ppg, 12.2 rpg), Danville Christian could make its first-ever trip to the Sweet 16.
1986 – The last year Ballard didn’t reach the Seventh Region Tournament. The Bruins (13-14) are in danger of finishing with a losing record for the first time in program history. They’ll face Christian Academy at 6 p.m. Monday in a win-or-go-home 28th District semifinal at Eastern. CAL is 2-0 against Ballard this season, winning 79-63 and 67-64.
5,260 – Career points for Lyon County senior Travis Perry, who passed “King” Kelly Coleman as Kentucky’s all-time leading scorer at last year’s Sweet 16. Perry ranks second in the state in scoring this season (30.0 ppg) and is looking to lead the No. 5 Lyons (state-best 87 ppg) to the state tournament for the third straight year. The University of Kentucky signee is the front-runner for the Mr. Basketball award that will be presented March 17.
Girls
3 – Consecutive Sweet 16 championships for Sacred Heart, which will try to become the first program in state history — boys or girls — to win four consecutive titles. The No. 1-ranked Valkyries (22-7) have won 64 straight games against Kentucky competition and feature one of the nation’s top juniors in ZaKiyah Johnson (19.5 ppg, 7.6 rpg).
5 – Consecutive Second Region titles for Henderson County, which has reached the Sweet 16 in 10 of the past 11 seasons. Jeff Haile retired as Henderson County’s head coach after last season — ranking second in state history with 821 victories — and turned the job over to his son, Stephen. The Colonels (21-7) are back on top of the Second Region and enter the postseason with an 11-1 record in their past 12 games.
7 – Years since Butler won its last Sixth Region title in 2017. The Bearettes have five state titles but have struggled in recent years as several coaches have come and gone. Enter Candyce Wheeler, the former Candyce Bingham, who starred as a player at the University of Louisville. Wheeler has helped put Butler (21-8) back on top of the Sixth Region behind a pair of senior stars — Mariah Knight (15.3 ppg, 7.1 rpg, Jacksonville commit) and Ramiya White (11.1 ppg, 7.4 rpg, Kentucky signee).
15 – Years since Franklin-Simpson won its last Fourth Region championship in 2009. The Wildcats (27-1) have blitzed through their schedule and enter the postseason with an 11-game winning streak. Their only loss came to Boyd County, 70-61, on Jan. 14 in the final of the Kentucky 2A Championships. LaReesha Cawthorn, a 5-11 junior, leads the Wildcats in scoring (17.6 ppg) and rebounding (9.8 rpg).
21-1 – Cooper’s record since a 3-3 start, the only loss coming to Sacred Heart, 61-56, in the semifinals of the Louisville Invitational Tournament. The No. 2 Jaguars (24-4) may pose the biggest threat to Sacred Heart’s four-peat hopes. Four senior starters — Logan Palmer (Evansville), Liz Freihofer (Eastern Kentucky), Maleah Alexander (Liberty) and Bella Deere (Gannon) — have committed to colleges, and Haylee Noel (7.8 ppg, 5.4 rpg) is one of the state’s top freshmen.
29.0 – Average points per game for Hart County senior Dea Bradley, the state’s leading scorer and Fifth Region Player of the Year. The 5-5 guard scored her 3,000th career point earlier this season and has committed to Campbellsville University.
70.9 – Scoring average for Bethlehem, the highest-scoring team in the state. The Banshees (21-8) were ranked No. 3 in the state in The Courier Journal’s preseason coaches poll but fell off the radar a bit following a 4-5 start. Star junior Leah Macy (24.2 ppg, 13.3 rpg) missed 10 games with a knee injury but has returned to put Bethlehem back on top of the Fifth Region. The Banshees are 14-2 since the calendar flipped to 2024.
1998 – The last year Whitefield Academy — then called Highview Baptist — reached a regional tournament. The Wildcats (21-8) have the talent this season to make a run in the Sixth Region but must get past Bullitt East at 6 p.m. Wednesday in a 24th District semifinal at Mercy. Whitefield beat Bullitt East 61-48 on Dec. 5. Senior guard Allison Spieker (13.2 ppg) is Whitefield’s top scorer.
Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Follow on X @kyhighs.
Kentucky Mr. and Miss Basketball: Eight from Louisville area among finalists
Kentucky
Kentucky woman, 35, charged with homicide after using abortion pills then burying fetus in backyard
A Kentucky woman was charged with fetal homicide after allegedly using abortion pills and burying the fetus in a Christmas-wrapped lightbulb box in her backyard — when she got pregnant following an affair.
Melinda Spencer, 35, was arrested Wednesday after going to a Campton health care clinic, where she told staff members she used medication purchased online to end her pregnancy, which is illegal in the state, according to Kentucky State Police, FOX 56 reported.
Police said Spencer allegedly admitted to taking the pills on Dec. 26 and burying the fetus — described as a “developed male infant” — two days later in a shallow grave at her Flat Mary Road home.
After obtaining a search warrant, cops found the remains wrapped in a white rag and stuffed in the holiday-decorated box inside a plastic bag, court documents showed.
Spencer later confessed that she allegedly ordered the pregnancy-ending drugs after conceiving with a man who was not her boyfriend, claiming she didn’t want him to find out, police said, per the outlet.
Authorities said she wanted to “abort the fetus on her own.”
It’s unclear how long she was pregnant before taking the pills.
An autopsy has reportedly been scheduled to establish how developed the fetus was.
In Kentucky, nearly all abortions are illegal, with a doctor only authorized to perform one to prevent death or serious injury to the mother.
There are no exceptions for rape or incest.
State law also bars the distribution of abortion medication.
Spencer was charged with first-degree fetal homicide, abuse of a corpse, tampering with physical evidence, and first-degree promoting contraband, the outlet reported.
The homicide offense makes her eligible for the death penalty. She also faces life behind bars if convicted.
Spencer is being held at Three Forks Regional Jail in Beattyville.
LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) – A 3.1 magnitude earthquake hit Kentucky Sunday afternoon with an epicenter between Richmond and Lancaster, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
The USGS “Did You Feel It” survey received reports from people in Richmond, Danville, Stanford, Lancaster and Lexington.
Caroline Boyd, a retired nurse from Lancaster, was reading at home when the earthquake began at 12:47 p.m.
“I wouldn’t necessarily say shaking but it felt like a rumbling in my basement or even outside,” Boyd said.
Boyd said she felt and heard the ground beneath her rumble followed by a loud boom.
“I thought to myself what on earth is that? Because there is no trains or train station nearby, so I knew it was not a train. So, I just sat there and listened. I would say it lasted about 10 to 15 seconds,” Boyd said.
After the tremor, Boyd called her neighbors and then the sheriff’s office. Dispatchers told her there had been an earthquake.
Dustin Price, deputy director and public information officer for Garrad County Emergency Management Agency, said the agency first heard from Bluegrass 911 about reports of a loud boom and shaking.
“Approximately we were able to confirm through the state that there was a confirmed 3.1 magnitude earthquake that hit through Garrad County,” Price said.
No injuries or property damage were reported, according to Price.
Boyd said she was thankful the earthquake did not cause more serious problems.
“Even if I would’ve had to relocate if there was a problem. I have two pets, so it could’ve been really bad,” Boyd said.
Garrad County EMA said they are thankful for all the agencies who helped respond to the incident.
Copyright 2025 WKYT. All rights reserved.
GARRARD COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — Governor Andy Beshear reports that a 3.2 magnitude earthquake has been reported in Garrard County.
“This range does not typically produce sizable damage – just shaking – and thankfully, that is all that’s been reported so far,” Beshear said on social media Sunday.
According to the Lincoln County EMA, the earthquake happened around 12:47 p.m. with a shallow depth of 8 kilometers.
NWS Louisville reports the location of the quake to have been near the Garrard/Madison County line.
Multiple agencies are also reporting no immediate reports of damage.
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