CovCath, Cooper headline NKY teams in latest statewide media poll

The second 2026 Kentucky high school basketball media poll of the season shows minimal changes at the top of the boys poll after Louisville St. Xavier won its third straight Louisville Invitational Tournament.

Northern Kentucky teams make up 38 percent of the girls poll this week, now that the Bishop Brossart Lady ‘Stangs are ranked for the first time this season.

Each week, 16 media members around the state will vote on the top teams in the state while also listing the top five boys and girls teams in their assigned region. The Enquirer represents the Eighth and Ninth regions. The ballots are compiled by Jason Frakes of the Louisville Courier-Journal.

The full polls are below. First-place votes are in parentheses and local teams are in bold.

Who are the top 16 boys basketball teams in Kentucky?

CovCath junior Braeden Myrick (10) is among the statewide leaders in made three-pointers. He is shooting 52.3 percent from long range.

Rank, school	Record	Points	Last week
1. St. Xavier (15)	14-4	255	1
2. Madison Central	18-1	225	3
3. Male (1)	13-5	223	2
4. Covington Catholic	17-1	219	4
5. Daviess County	16-3	192	5
6. Warren Central	14-1	169	6
7. George Rogers Clark	13-3	156	7
8. Frederick Douglass	10-4	132	8
9. North Laurel	14-4	93	9
10. Jeffersontown	11-3	78	T12
11. Boyd County	15-4	76	T12
12. McCracken County	14-3	72	11
13. Ballard	10-5	66	14
14. North Oldham	11-5	59	10
15. Eastern	15-4	23	NR
16. Lexington Catholic	10-5	22	15

Also receiving votes: Highlands 15, Bryan Station 13, Butler 13, Caverna 12, Bell County 10, Seneca 9, Pikeville 8, Covington Holy Cross 7, Marshall County 5, Ashland Blazer 4, Christian Academy 4, Ohio County 4, Pleasure Ridge Park 4, Campbell County 3, Adair County 2, Grayson County 2, Manual 2, Ryle 1

Who are the top 5 boys basketball teams in each region?

First Region (Steve Springer, Murray Ledger & Times): 1. McCracken County; 2. Marshall County; 3. Murray; 4. Carlisle County; 5. Mayfield

Second Region (Edward Marlowe, WKDZ-FM): 1. Lyon County; 2. Henderson County; 3. Hopkinsville; 4. Hopkins County Central; 5. Union County

Third Region (Mark Mathis, Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer): 1. Daviess County; 2. Grayson County; 3. Ohio County; 4. Apollo; 5. Owensboro Catholic

Fourth Region (Micheal Compton, Bowling Green Daily News): 1. Warren Central; 2. Clinton County; 3. South Warren; 4. Glasgow; 5. Greenwood

Fifth Region (Josh Claywell, Bardstown Kentucky Standard/LaRue County Herald News): 1. Adair County; 2. LaRue County; 3. Caverna; 4. Nelson County; 5. Taylor County

Sixth Region (Demetrius Stanton, DeadStock Visuals): 1. Jeffersontown; 2. Butler; 3. DuBois; 4. Pleasure Ridge Park; 5. Evangel Christian

Seventh Region (Jason Frakes, The Courier Journal): 1. St. Xavier; 2. Male; 3. Ballard; 4. Manual; 5. Christian Academy

Eighth Region (James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer): 1. North Oldham; 2. South Oldham; 3. Woodford County; 4. Simon Kenton; 5. Anderson County

Ninth Region (Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer): 1. Covington Catholic; 2. Highlands; 3. Lloyd Memorial; 4. Ryle; 5. Covington Holy Cross

10th Region (Evan Dennison, LinkNKY.com): 1. George Rogers Clark; 2. Montgomery County; 3. Campbell County; 4. Nicholas County; 5. Bishop Brossart

11th Region (Jared Peck, Lexington Herald-Leader): 1. Madison Central; 2. Frederick Douglass; 3. Bryan Station; 4. Lexington Catholic; 5. Great Crossing

12th Region (Mike Marsee, Danville freelancer): 1. Danville Christian; 2. Wayne County; 3. Somerset; 4. Pulaski County; 5. Somerset Christian

13th Region (Les Dixon, 13thRegionMediaNetwork.com): 1. North Laurel; 2. Bell County; 3. Clay County; 4. Corbin; 5. South Laurel

14th Region (Brendon Miller, Bluegrass Sports Nation): 1. Letcher County Central; 2. Breathitt County; 3. Powell County; 4. Hazard; 5. Knott County Central

15th Region (Randy White, Appalachian News-Express): 1. Martin County; 2. Pikeville; 3. Johnson Central; 4. Paintsville; 5. Floyd Central

16th Region (James Collier, WLGC-FM): 1. Boyd County; 2. Ashland Blazer; 3. Russell; 4. Lewis County; 5. Raceland

Who are the top 16 girls basketball teams in Kentucky?

Rank, school	Record	Points	Last week
1. Sacred Heart (11)	12-3	246	3
2. Assumption (1)	11-5	228	1
3. George Rogers Clark (1)	13-2	221	2
4. Calloway County (3)	21-0	199	T4
5. Simon Kenton	19-1	189	T4
6. Cooper	13-3	182	6
7. Frederick Douglass	13-3	168	7
8. Taylor County	16-3	112	9
9. Ashland Blazer	13-1	103	10
10. Campbell County	12-2	95	12
11. Notre Dame	11-5	88	8
12. North Laurel	12-5	75	11
13. South Laurel	14-5	70	13
14. Henderson County	11-7	54	14
15. Covington Holy Cross	14-2	44	T15
16. Bishop Brossart	18-1	39	NR

The Holy Cross Indians have held six of their last seven opponents to fewer than 40 points.

Also receiving votes: Boyd County 14, Butler 9, Ryle 8, Barren County 7, Daviess County 7, Mercy 5, Franklin County 3, Manual 3, Marshall County 3, McCracken County 3, St. Henry 1

Who are the top five girls basketball teams in each region?

First Region (Steve Springer, Murray Ledger & Times): 1. Calloway County; 2. Marshall County; 3. McCracken County; 4. Carlisle County; 5. Ballard Memorial

Second Region (Edward Marlowe, WKDZ-FM): 1. Henderson County; 2. Lyon County; 3. Crittenden County; 4. Hopkins County Central; 5. Christian County

Third Region (Mark Mathis, Owensboro Messenger-Inquirer): 1. Daviess County; 2. Owensboro Catholic; 3. Breckinridge County; 4. Meade County; 5. Edmonson County

Fourth Region (Micheal Compton, Bowling Green Daily News): 1. Barren County; 2. Allen County-Scottsville; 3. Cumberland County; 4. Monroe County; 5. Franklin-Simpson

Fifth Region (Josh Claywell, Bardstown Kentucky Standard/LaRue County Herald News): 1. Taylor County; 2. Bethlehem; 3. John Hardin; 4. Campbellsville; 5. Green County

Sixth Region (Alyx White, Rise Up Sports Media): 1. Butler; 2. Bullitt East; 3. Mercy; 4. North Bullitt; 5. Bullitt Central

Seventh Region (Jason Frakes, The Courier Journal): 1. Sacred Heart; 2. Assumption; 3. Central; 4. Manual; 5. Christian Academy

Eighth Region (James Weber, Cincinnati Enquirer): 1. Simon Kenton; 2. Anderson County; 3. Woodford County; 4. Spencer County; 5. Owen County

Ninth Region (Brendan Connelly, Cincinnati Enquirer): 1. Cooper; 2. Covington Holy Cross; 3. Notre Dame; 4. Ryle; 5. Highlands

10th Region (Evan Dennison, LinkNKY.com): 1. George Rogers Clark; 2. Campbell County; 3. Bishop Brossart; 4. Montgomery County; 5. Nicholas County

11th Region (Jared Peck, Lexington Herald-Leader): 1. Frederick Douglass; 2. Lafayette; 3. Paul Dunbar; 4. Franklin County; 5. Madison Southern

12th Region (Mike Marsee, Danville freelancer): 1. Rockcastle County; 2. West Jessamine; 3. Boyle County; 4. Southwestern; 5. Pulaski County

13th Region (Les Dixon, 13thRegionMediaNetwork.com): 1. South Laurel; 2. North Laurel; 3. Knox Central; 4. Bell County; 5. Corbin

14th Region (Brendon Miller, Bluegrass Sports Nation): 1. Hazard; 2. Letcher County Central; 3. Knott County Central; 4. Breathitt County; 5. Leslie County

15th Region (Randy White, Appalachian News-Express): 1. Johnson Central; 2. Pikeville; 3. Paintsville; 4. Martin County; 5. Floyd Central

16th Region (James Collier, WLGC-FM): 1. Ashland Blazer; 2. Boyd County; 3. Russell; 4. Rowan County; 5. East Carter

This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: CovCath, Cooper headline NKY teams in latest statewide media poll