The Courier-Journal (Louisville)

Producing college basketball talent

From area high schools to next level, here’s where you’ll find 2024 standouts this upcoming season

- Brooks Warren

The Louisville area is known for producing college basketball talent. Here is a list of where Class of 2024 seniors are scheduled to play this school year.

Players are listed alphabetic­ally and with name of high school and college/university.

Reagan Bender, Sacred Heart, Louisville

Reagan Bender helped lead Sacred Heart to an unpreceden­ted fourth consecutiv­e state championsh­ip, averaging 13.5 points (second best on the team) and three rebounds per game. Bender committed to U of L shortly after Sacred Heart defeated McCracken County in the title game.

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Jeannae Bolin, PRP, Trevecca

Jeannae Bolin averaged 16.6 points and 7.4 rebounds per game, leading Pleasure Ridge Park to an 1813 record and a Sixth Region Tournament semifinal appearance, falling to eventual Sweet 16 semifinalist Butler.

Isaiah Chitapa, Evangel Christian, Wittenberg

Isaiah Chitapa helped lead Evangel Christian (31-7) to a Sixth Region title and a semifinal appearance in the Sweet 16 Tournament. Chitapa averaged 8.5 points and 5.9 rebounds per game.

Johnny Djema, Evangel Christian, Centre

Johnny Djema averaged 6.2 points and a team-best 6.3 rebounds per game for the Eagles.

Christian Doerr, Evangel Christian, Morehead State

Christian Doerr averaged 17.4 points and 3.6 rebounds per game for Evangel Christian.

Max Green, Oldham County, Holy Cross

Max Green averaged a state-leading 32.1 points per game as a senior. Green led Oldham County to a 22-9 record.

Quel’Ron House, Seneca, Jacksonvil­le State

Quel’Ron House averaged 27.9 points and 5.9 rebounds per game (both team highs). House scored 866 points as a senior. House and Seneca finished 17-16 and were the runners-up in the Seventh Region.

Destiny Jones, Central, West Georgia

Destiny Jones led Central to a 24-10 record, averaging 23.6 points and 11.7 rebounds per game.

Mariah Knight, Butler, Jacksonvil­le

Mariah Knight led Butler in scoring last season, averaging 15.2 points on 49.2% shooting from the floor. She also averaged 7.1 rebounds per game, second best on the team. Knight helped lead Butler to the Sixth Region title and the Sweet 16 semifinals.

Angelina Pelayo, Sacred Heart, UNC Wilmington

Angelina Pelayo averaged 10.6 points and 4.6 rebounds per game for Sacred Heart, which went undefeated against in-state competitio­n.

Claire Russell, Sacred Heart, Centre

Claire Russell joined Bender, Pelayo and Emi-Lee Howe as the only four-time state champions in Kentucky history. Russell, known for her timely rebounding and penchant for diving for loose balls, averaged 4.4 points and 6.4 rebounds per game last season.

Ryan Shene, Manual, Centre

Ryan Shene, who helped lead the Crimsons to a 28-5 record last season, averaged 12 points and 8.5 rebounds per game. The All-Seventh Region secondteam pick led Manual in rebounds, blocked shots and 3-pointers made. He shot 40% from beyond the arc.

Alana Smith, Manual, Pikeville

Alana Smith played a pivotal role in Manual’s 23-8 record and Seventh Region championsh­ip game appearance, its first since 2022. Smith averaged 7.6 points and 1.9 rebounds per game.

Kyran Tilley, Evangel Christian, Central Missouri

Kyran Tilley led the Eagles in scoring last season, averaging 17.8 points a game. He also averaged 3.1 rebounds per game.

Drae Vasser, Trinity, Vincennes

Drae Vasser led Trinity to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 2019 and averaged a teambest 14.2 points and 4.7 rebounds per game.

Ramiya White, Butler, Virginia Tech

Ramiya White helped propel Butler to a 28-9 record and a Sweet 16 semifinal appearance. She averaged 11.9 points and a team-high 7.9 rebounds per game as a senior.

Dayton Williams, Butler, Vincennes

Dayton Williams won the Sixth Region Player of the Year award, averaging 18.9 points and 7.1 rebounds per game.

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 ?? PHOTOS BY SAM UPSHAW JR. AND SCOTT UTTERBACK/COURIER JOURNAL ?? FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: Former Butler standout Mariah Knight led her team in scoring last season. Evangel’s Christian Doerr is headed to Morehead State. Sacred Heart’s Claire Russell helped lead her team to its fourth consecutiv­e state championsh­ip.
PHOTOS BY SAM UPSHAW JR. AND SCOTT UTTERBACK/COURIER JOURNAL FROM TOP TO BOTTOM: Former Butler standout Mariah Knight led her team in scoring last season. Evangel’s Christian Doerr is headed to Morehead State. Sacred Heart’s Claire Russell helped lead her team to its fourth consecutiv­e state championsh­ip.

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