Preseason Preview: Top Prospects in Regions 5 and 6

<!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Regular season practice has officially tipped off across Kentucky, with scrimmages set to begin soon. As we gear up for another exciting year of high school hoops, I've broken down the top college prospects in each region heading into the season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong>Note:</strong> This list is not a ranking of the top overall players. Instead, it highlights the best <em>college prospects</em> in each region based on their potential to succeed at the next level. </p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>Take a look at the top prospect in the 5th and 6th region!</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Region 5:</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1050509' first='Charlotte' last='McCurry'], <strong>John Hardin (2029)</strong> - The No. 2 ranked prospect in the class of 2029, she averaged 22.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 3.3 steals per game while reaching 1,000 career points and made the All-Region and All-Area First Team last season. She has recently picked up offers from Virginia Tech and Liberty University, bringing her total to seven Division I offers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='961289' first='Ella' last='Buckman'], <strong>Bardstown (2028)</strong> - The top 2028 prospect in Kentucky, she led Bardstown to a district title and a region championship game appearance while averaging 19 points per game and shooting an impressive 83.6% from the free-throw line last season. She enters her sophomore year with over 1,000 career points and five Division I offers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='961302' first='Maliah' last='Courtney'], <strong>Elizabethtown (2028)</strong> - As a freshman, she averaged 23 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3.5 steals per game while shooting 40% from three, helping E-Town finish 24-7 and capture the 17th District title for the first time since the 2021–22 season. She recently added another Division I offer from the University of Memphis, bringing her total to five D1 offers.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='1050025' first='Kennedy' last='Deener'], <strong>Taylor County (2029)</strong> - In the 2024–25 season, she averaged 19 points per game and helped lead Taylor County to a historic year that included a 25-9 record, 20th District and 5th Region championships, and the program's first Sweet 16 appearance in more than 40 years. She currently holds offers from Murray State and Western Kentucky University.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p><strong><span style="text-decoration: underline">Region 6:</span></strong></p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='376764' first='Kylie' last='Downey'], <strong>North Bullitt (2026)</strong> - Committed to Brescia University, she was the leading scorer for North Bullitt last season, averaging 16.4 points per game while helping her team capture the 23rd District title for the second consecutive year all while surpassing 1,500 career points.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='493154' first='Abby' last='Reitzel'], <strong>Mercy (2026)</strong> - Committed to Indiana Tech University, she led Mercy last season with 15.4 points per game, helping the Jaguars capture both the district and region titles and advance to the Sweet 16.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='376790' first='Keziah' last='Renee''], <strong>Butler (2026)</strong> - She averaged a team-leading 16.4 points per game and helped Butler finish 22-7, capturing the 22nd District title. She also reached the 1,000-point career mark and holds several college offers heading into her senior season.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph --> <!-- wp:paragraph --> <p>[player_tooltip player_id='376761' first='Anna' last='Tinelli'], <strong>Bullitt East (2026)</strong> - Committed to Southeastern University, the star lead guard averaged 14.3 points per game for a Bullitt East team that finished 16-12 last season. She scored her 1,000th career point and earned All-Region honors for her standout play.</p> <!-- /wp:paragraph -->