Historically, the state of Kentucky hasn’t produced a ton of elite college basketball and NBA talent, but over these last few years, that has changed. Reed Sheppard was just a star for the Wildcats and the number three pick in the 2024 NBA Draft. Now, Travis Perry and Trent Noah are on Kentucky’s roster, and they are both elite players from the Bluegrass State.

In the 2025 class, Kentucky has already landed in-state center Malachi Moreno, who is the #1 center in the class. Five-star guard Jasper Johnson is from Woodford County, although he plays for Overtime Elite now. Johnson is one of the best players in the 2025 class. He will be committing on September 5th, and it feels like he will pick the Wildcats unless something drastic happens.

There are even some great players in the 2026 class from Kentucky. Coach Pope needs to keep doing an excellent job of landing these in-state players, and if he secures Johnson, he will have done that in both the 2024 and 2025 classes.

If Johnson does pick Kentucky on September 5th, there is a chance that with Perry, Noah, Moreno, and Johnson, the Wildcats have four in-state players in the rotation.

If Kentucky can start producing more consistent high school basketball talent, it will be huge for Coach Pope and the Kentucky basketball program.

It would be really exciting for Kentucky fans to see a bunch of homegrown players on the floor at one time, and during the 2025-26 season, that will be a real possibility.

Bourbon is the spirit of Kentucky so why not celebrate Bourbon Heritage Month by learning a bit more about its history within the Bluegrass state? Not surprisingly, bourbon is big business. If you’re looking to explore Kentucky’s bourbon industry, here is a list of bourbon events in September during Bourbon Heritage Month.

Know one we missed? Send a note to greed@gannett.com.

WHAT: Kick-off Bourbon Heritage Month at Michter’s Speakeasy. At this Prohibition-Era party, enjoy cocktails by Michter’s Distillery, live jazz with Louisville’s Derby City Dandies, and hors d’oeuvres by RK Bluegrass. Dance the Charleston like Daisy Buchanan and tempt Lady Luck with competitions to win prizes.

WHERE: Frazier History Museum, 829 W. Main St.

WHEN: Sept. 5, 7- 9:30 p.m.

COST: $45, $40 Frazier members includes one complimentary cocktail

MORE INFORMATION: 1920s-themed or cocktail attire is encouraged. fraziermuseum.org.

WHAT: Performers include Jeremy Camp (Sept. 6), Jumping Jack Flash (A Rolling Stones Tribute, Sept. 13), Roots and Boots (Sammy Kershaw, Collin Raye, Aaron Tippin, Sept. 28), Elle King (Oct. 4) and Buckcherry (Oct. 12).

WHERE: The Amp, 225 Dee Head Road, Gethsemane, Kentucky

WHEN: Sept. 6, 13, 28 7 p.m.

COST: Ticket prices vary.

MORE INFORMATION: Parking is $20, cash only. logstilldistillery.com/theamp.

WHAT: This annual Bourbon Heritage Month event brings together world-class design, hospitality, and the “sport of kings.” Professional polo players from across the country will compete in one of America’s most opulent Polo Cups while spectators sip fine Bourbon. Presented by Woodford Reserve.

WHERE: Oxmoor Farm, 720 Oxmoor Ave.

WHEN: Sept. 7, 2 p.m.

COST: Tickets start at $185 for Champagne Garden, upgrade available. Fieldside parking is sold out.

MORE INFORMATION: makerspoloclub.com.

WHAT: Enjoy live music as you take in the sights and sounds of the river while sipping on Castle & Key bourbon. A Castle & Key Brand Ambassador will be on board to provide a tasting and lead a discussion on one of Kentucky’s most iconic distilleries. Performers, Whiskey Bent Valley Boys (Sept. 11), Song Sparrows (Sept. 18), Hickory Vaught & Friends (Sept. 25).

WHERE: Mary M. Miller, 401 W. River Road

WHEN: Sept. 11, 18 and 25, 7 p.m.

COST: $14.99 to $24.99

MORE INFORMATION: belleoflouisville.org.

WHAT: The Art of Bourbon combines Kentucky’s official art museum with Kentucky’s most remarkable product, bourbon, to produce the region’s premier bourbon and whiskey auction party. Bid on rare and hard-to-find bourbon varieties. Proceeds benefit the Speed Art Museum. Join online or in person to bid on some once-in-a-lifetime offerings. In-person includes cocktails, dinner, and auctions.

Auction highlights:

• Michter’s 25-Year-Old. Michter’s Limited Release Kentucky Straight Bourbon 25 years old. This rare 25-year-old Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey is made from the highest quality American corn and aged in fire-charred, new American white oak barrels.
• Pappy Van Winkle Vertical signed by Julian Van Winkle. A 6-bottle complete vertical of all of the Van Winkle bottles, each signed by Julian Van Winkle III exclusively for Art of Bourbon.
• Bardstown Bourbon Origin Series Single Barrel Bourbon. Embark on a journey at Bardstown Bourbon Company and experience your very own single-barrel selection. Taste, sip and select your Origin Series Bourbon Single Barrel 6-year-old, 100% estate-distilled, 60% corn/36% rye/4% malted barley mash bill.

WHERE: Speed Art Museum,2035 South Third St.

WHEN: Sept. 12, 6-9:30 p.m.; auction begins at 7 p.m.

COST: $350 per person to participate in person; free to join online (should you win an item; your credit card will be immediately charged).

MORE INFORMATION: To participate in The Art of Bourbon, you must create a proxibid account and register before the event. 502-634-2704; artofbourbon.org.

WHAT: Celebrate America’s Native Spirit (bourbon) and Bourbon Heritage Month at the Bourbon Capital of the World, the city of Bardstown. Bardstown has hosted the Kentucky Bourbon Festival every September since 1991. The festival features more than 60 distilleries offering sample pours and bottle sales, 200 brands and expressions, 55 experts and master distillers, 31 events and panels, music, food trucks, and more.

WHERE: 114 N. Fifth St., Bardstown, Kentucky

WHEN: Sept. 13-15

COST: Sold out.

MORE INFORMATION: kybourbonfestival.com.

WHAT: Bourbon and Boxing brings together the elegance of a black-tie affair with the excitement of live boxing matches and bourbon. Enjoy premium bourbon tastings from renowned distilleries.

WHERE: Caesars Southern Indiana, 11999 Casino Center Drive Southeast, Elizabeth, Indiana

WHEN: Sept. 13. Doors open at 7 p.m. with a reception, mingling in the casino; boxing at 8 p.m.

COST: Tickets start at $75

MORE INFORMATION: bourbonandboxingllc.com/

More: Black-tie Bourbon and Boxing event is heading to Louisville. Here’s how to get tickets

WHAT: Enjoy a three-course meal paired with Horse Soldier Bourbon, led by Regional Brand Specialist Kody Langeland. Menu: Burrata, wedge salad, and shrimp and grits.

WHERE: 2255 Frankfort Ave.

WHEN: Sept. 18, 6:30-9 p.m.

COST: $74 per person, plus tax and gratuity includes dinner, welcome cocktail, and tastings of three Horse Soldier products.

MORE INFORMATION: Limited seating is available. Dietary and allergy restrictions will be accommodated. Reservations are requested. bourbonsbistro.com.

WHAT: Celebrate Bourbon Heritage Month at the world’s largest music, food, and bourbon festival.

Headliners:

• Thursday: Sting, Matchbox Twenty, Beck, Maren Morris, Koe Wetzel, BRELAND, Ole 60, The Record Company, The Sam Bush Band, Sister Sadie.
• Friday: Dave Matthews Band, Black Pumas, Tedeschi Trucks Band, The Head and The Heart, Chris Isaak, Mat Kearney, The Red Clay Strays, Wyatt Flores, The Jerry Douglas Band, New Dangerfield.
• Saturday: Zach Bryan, Whiskey Myers, Cody Jinks, Teddy Swims, Young the Giant, Allen Stone, Wild Rivers, Meg Myers, Tony Trishka’s Earl Jam: A Tribute to Earl Scruggs, Big Richard.
• Sunday: Tyler Childers, The National, My Morning Jacket, The War on Drugs, Milky Chance, Dinosaur JR, X Ambassadors, Lucius, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Local Honeys.

Bourbon:

• The Bourbon Experince: Hosted Amanda Freitag and Chris Blandford.
• The Hunter’s Club. Sip and savor rare, vintage, and experimental expressions.
• The Kroger Big Bourbon Bar. Bourbon from more than 18 distilleries. 

WHERE: Highlands Festival Grounds, Kentucky Exposition Center, 937 Phillips Lane

WHEN: Sept. 19-21

COST: Tickets start at $150 per day

MORE INFORMATION: bourbonandbeyond.com

More: Bourbon & Beyond releases its 2024 lineup: Who’s performing at the bourbon music festival?

WHAT: Known as the world’s most award-winning distillery, Buffalo Trace has been producing top-tier bourbon for over 200 years. Guests will savor a curated selection of Buffalo Trace’s finest offerings, each paired with a specially crafted menu to enhance this iconic spirit’s complex flavors.

Menu:

• First course: Steak tartar crostini; second course: grilled radicchio salad; third course: grilled swordfish and farro salad; fourth course: crispy braised veal cheek, whipped sweet potato, charred shaved brussel sprouts, maple chipotle demi-glace; fifth course: pistachio affogato sundae with an espresso shot on the side

WHERE: Swizzle, Galt House,140 N Fourth St.

WHEN: Sept. 19, 7-9 p.m.

COST: $125

MORE INFORMATION: swizzle25.com/events

WHAT: Celebrate National Bourbon Heritage Month from the Bourbon City’s historic steamboat, the Belle of Louisville. This bourbon-infused event features tastings, and live music as you cruise down the river.

WHERE: Belle of Louisville, 131 W. River Road

WHEN: Sept. 27, 7 p.m.

COST: $49.99

MORE INFORMATION: belleoflouisville.org.

WHAT: Explore the hidden stories of Louisville’s haunted past as you eat and drink your way down Whiskey Row. Meet the resident ghosts of Louisville’s historic downtown, trace the footsteps of bourbon magnates and mobsters, see Al Capone’s secret getaway, discover hidden speakeasies, and learn the shocking truth about Prohibition. This tour includes four stops for libations, as well as an assortment of small bites.

WHERE: Meet at 1st and Washington St.

WHEN: Tuesdays-Thursdays, 5 p.m.; Fridays, 5 and 5:30 p.m. through Dec. 27.

COST: $149

MORE INFORMATION: For ages 21 and older. Wheelchair friendly with advance notice. Tickets must be booked online in advance. 1.5 miles of walking. louisvillefoodtours.com/tours/phantoms-of-the-prohibition-tour.

More: Here are 5 food and bourbon walking tours you can take in Louisville

WHAT: The museum offers a variety of Kentucky Bourbon tastings, tours, exhibitions, and products when exploring the Kentucky Bourbon Trail. Events include Kentucky Hug Bourbon Experience, Flight Club; Ready, Set, Go! Bourbon Experience; Craft Your Own Cocktail Experience and private tastings and tours.

• Kentucky Hug Bourbon Experience. Learn about the history of the bourbon and enjoy a flight of Kentucky bourbons. $24.
• Flight Club: Participants will be given a blind flight of three different bourbons that will challenge their senses and teach them a thing or two about Bourbon. $24.
• Ready, Set, Go! Bourbon Experience: Intended for Kentucky Bourbon Trail visitors and bourbon buffs. With this experience, participants get a multi-brand bourbon tasting, first and second-day admission to the museum, and much more. $34.
• Craft Your Own Cocktail Experience: Learn how to make an iconic cocktail from the Certified Bourbon Stewards. Presented by Old Forester. $24.
• Private tasting and tours: Offering several customizable guided tours and bourbon tastings led by one of Frazier’s certified Bourbon Stewards.
• Whiskey Row Walking Tours. Starting at the Kentucky Bourbon Trail Welcome Center inside the Frazier History Museum. This tour offers tastings at local distilleries with everything you need to learn about the history, distilling, and craftsmanship behind our world-famous Bourbon Whiskey. $89.

WHERE: Frazier History Museum, 829 W. Main St.

WHEN: Seven days a week at designated times that you can opt to book online or enjoy as a walk-in

MORE INFORMATION: The Museum Store sells bourbon and a wide variety of Bourbon-related merchandise. fraziermuseum.org.

WHAT: Sip, savor, and seek thrills with the museum’s unique selection of bourbon experiences. Learn about the rich history of Thoroughbred racing while indulging in Kentucky’s finest spirits.

• Bourbon & Bridles Experience. Start with a tour of Churchill Downs to learn why horse racing and Bourbon are a perfect pair. Then wrap up with a tasting of well-known bourbons. Tuesdays and Fridays, 2 p.m. Tickets start at $80.
• Hermitage Farm and Derby Museum Tour. This is an all-day experience that takes participants from the Museum to the Farm and will leave you with a new-found love and appreciation for all things horse racing and bourbon. Wednesday-Saturday, 9 a.m. Tickets starts at $80.
• Derby Cafe and Bourbon Bar on the Urban Bourbon Trail. The Urban Bourbon Trail includes more than 40 bars and restaurants around Derby City. One of these stops is the Derby Cafe Express at the Museum. The cafe has 170 bourbons, special bourbon flights and specialty cocktails. Stop by for a cocktail.

WHERE: Kentucky Derby Museum, 704 Central Ave.

WHEN: Various times

MORE INFORMATION: 502-637-1111; derbymuseum.org.

WHAT: Enjoy live music, bourbon specials, and delicious barbecue every Wednesday evening at Guy Fieri’s Smokehouse. Features bottle at breakeven price (limited tasting per guest).

WHERE: Guy Fieri’s Smokehouse, 434 South 4th St.

WHEN: Wednesdays, 5-8 p.m. now through Oct. 25. 

MORE INFORMATION: $5 off flights and free side with the purchase of a half-pound of meat. 4thstlive.com/eat-and-drink/guy-fieris-smokehouse.

Reach features news clerk Gege Reed at greed@courier-journal.com.

More: Looking for great Kentucky bourbon? 6 trendy bourbon bars to try in Louisville

Mark Stoops on Kentucky’s 31-0 win over Southern Miss

Self-inflicted mistakes plagued Kentucky in 2023. The term “unearned arrogance” was used following celebrations and unnecessary penalties. It may have been a small sample size, but Mark Stoops saw growth from his players who played unselfish football in the season-opening win over Southern Miss.

The Cats were far from perfect. A true freshman got flagged for some after-the-play shenanigans just before halftime. It happens. The Cats committed four penalties for 45 yards, but for the most part, it was a very clean game.

That’s easier said than done. Emotions run high in the first game of the season. They’ve been itching all summer to hit somebody else, then they were forced to wait an extra two hours to kick the ball off. Once they settled in after a couple of drives, the Cats kept their cool when tempers flared and executed.

Kentucky DL Tre’vonn Rybka Showed Growth by Not Retaliating

There is one player in particular that Stoops was proud of Saturday night. Tre’vonn Rybka is an unsung defensive lineman who is being asked to do more this fall, and it starts in between his ears.

“I thought Tre’vonn had a very good game. He’s a guy that has played a lot of football for us. I’d like to see him take another step and I thought this first game showed that. I thought he was disruptive and did his job a lot of times. Those interior defensive linemen are unsung guys, you know. Nobody talks about them because they’re getting they’re doing a lot of dirty work and cleaning things up inside there, and I thought he played very well,” Mark Stoops said Monday.

On one sequence, Rybka made a great move to get to the quarterback, but let Tate Rodemaker slip away. Rather than hang his head, he got back after the quarterback on the following play and recorded a sack.

“I thought he showed a lot of growth because Tre’vonn has a tendency to be — he’s an emotional guy. There was one late hit (by Southern Mmiss) in particular. I don’t think it was called, but there were some things going on after the play, and normally he would respond in a different way, and he was very frustrated by it. But again, that’s the unselfishness we’re looking for. It takes a bigger, stronger man to take that penalty,” Stoops said.

Rybka did not react and draw a penalty of his own. The same could be said about the offensive line near the goal line when Southern Miss was flagged for a late hit. Instead of reacting and pushing back, Kentucky let it slide and took the free first down to get within an arm’s reach of the goal line.

“It was good by our guys not retaliating. I talked a lot about that because early in the year, all the emotions. I’ve watched a lot of football, you see things happening all the time of just being an unselfish football team and being a smart football team and having a high IQ. We’ve got to be that way.

“We cannot beat ourselves. (It’s) football 101. You can’t beat anybody until you stop beating yourself. And I try to beat that into our guys’ heads. It’s hard in today’s world to be extremely unselfish and play for everybody else, but I think we have a really good group, and I think this is a good start to build from.”

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