Kentucky Girls High School Basketball Sweet 16 Preview

LEXINGTON, KENTUCKY — The legendary Rupp Arena will host the Kentucky High School Girls Basketball Sweet 16 this week.

The Action Gets Underway on Wednesday

The first matchup gets underway Wednesday at 11 a.m. when No. 11 Henderson County meets No. 6 Frederick Douglass.

One semi-surprise made the field, and a few programs that fell short were not surprises.

Letcher County Central Is a Surprise Entry

The unranked Letcher County Central Lady Cougars (23-10) battled through the 14th Region Tournament — playing the more favorable side of the bracket — to earn an invite to the Sweet 16 party and a first-round game Thursday evening against No. 20 Owensboro Catholic.

Other unranked teams that punched their Sweet 16 tickets after winning their regional championships were West Jessamine, Pikeville and Bullitt East.

The No. 7 Sacred Heart Academy Valkyries, ranked highly throughout the regular season, faced a No. 3 ranked Assumption High School squad (24-5) Saturday that has continually elevated its play during the season. The Seventh Region programs had been going in opposite directions when they met for the regional championship. The game was punctuated by a Lady Rocket’s monster fourth quarter, which sealed the Valkyries’ 2025-26 fate. Assumption senior and Indiana signee, Ashlinn James, notched 21 points. James will bring her point avalanche to the Sweet 16 as she averaged nearly 20 points per contest in the region tournament.

Assumption Will Face a Challenge Against Calloway County

Assumption will play a quality opponent in first-round action Wednesday. First Region champions Calloway County, ranked No. 4, posted a 33-2 record and had commanded the top spot in the rankings for a brief period. However, they only defeated McCracken County by one point in the First Region title contest. The Lakers are led by Sayler Lowe, a North Alabama signee, and in essence, the top scorer in the state.

Like Assumption, No. 18 Notre Dame Academy (24-7) surged as the season unfolded and prevailed, 40-39, against No. 13 Holy Cross-Covington in the Ninth Region championship matchup; a Holy Cross team that had perhaps lost its footing. The Pandas don’t possess some of the firepower of other programs, but comprise a productive cadre of players who all seem to contribute. The Pandas lock up with Pikeville Wednesday and could be the Sweet 16’s sleeper.

Thursday's Action Offers Intrigue

Two games on Thursday could be intriguing.

First, George Rogers Clark (29-2) meets North Laurel (25-6) in the last contest of the first round. GSR ended the regular season ranked No. 2, and its last loss was to Assumption on Jan. 8. Its only other defeat was to Doral Academy in December. Doral is ranked No. 23 in Florida. The Lady Cardinals are paced by Robert Morris University signee Teigh Yeast, who is also the state’s top triple jumper. No. 5 North Laurel’s last loss was to No. 1 Simon Kenton Jan. 31. Since then, they have dispatched No. 10 South Laurel, West Jessamine, No. 6 Frederick Douglass and No. 16 Ryle. The Lady Jaguars’ Mariella Claybrook posts a season double-double (17.8 ppg and 11 rpg).

Finally, the Simon Kenton Lady Pioneers (31-2) face off against No. 22 Ashland Blazer (36-5). As mentioned numerous times, the Lady Pioneers have not lost to a Kentucky team this season. The Kittens will need to scrap and out-hustle Simon Kenton to notch a victory. And their foursome of Gabby Karle, Brookelyn Duckwyler, Aryanna Gulley and Alexis Troxler will have to bring their “A” game.