Top 25 Kentucky Boys High School Basketball State Rankings - Jan. 27, 2026

This week in Kentucky boys high school basketball saw then-No. 3 St. Xavier High School douse former No. 1, and now No. 10, Male High School, with a shower of dunks, last Friday night.
Male's defense became non-existent, at least in the final two minutes, as St. X pulled away for an 83-68 victory. The dunk show propelled St. X up to the No. 2 ranking this week.
Highlands moved up five spots this week, to No. 8, after improving to 17-2, and No. 11 Ballard also climb five spots. No. 24 Woodford County and No. 25 Great Crossing also debut in the rankings this week.
1. Covington Catholic (19-1) Covington
Previous ranking: 1
Last week: Defeated Trinity (Louisville) 78-51
2. St. Xavier (15-5) Louisville
Previous ranking: 3
Last week: Defeated Male 83-68
3. Madison Central (20-1) Richmond
Previous ranking: 2
Last week: Defeated Frederick Douglas
4. Daviess County (18-3) Owensboro
Previous ranking: 4
Last week: Defeated Ohio County 95-58
5. Jeffersontown (12-3) Louisville/Jeffersontown
Previous ranking: 5
Last week: Defeated Shawnee 78-40
6. North Oldham (13-5) Goshen
Previous ranking: 7
Last week: Defeated Oldham County 70-58
7. George Rogers Clark (15-3) Winchester
Previous ranking: 8
Last week: Defeated Paris 91-44
8. Highlands (17-2) Fort Thomas
Previous ranking: 13
Last week: Defeated Cooper 77-57; def. Bellevue 93-35; def. Newport Central Catholic 92-64
9. North Laurel (16-4) London
Previous ranking: 11
Last week: Defeated Clay County 67-55
10. Warren Central (15-2) Bowling Green
Previous ranking: 6
Last week: Lost to Bowling Green 65-59
11. Ballard (12-5) Louisville
Previous ranking: 16
Last week: Defeated Oldham County 81-55; def. Eastern 90-60
Like the Ballard football program, the Bruins play a monster schedule. Ballard locks up with Male Friday night.
12. Male (14-6) Louisville
Previous ranking: 10
Last week: Def. Central 77-37; lost to St. X 83-68
Their fourth quarter against the Tigers left them spiraling to No. 12.
13. Boyd County (15-5) Ashland
Previous ranking: 9
Last week: Lost to Ashland Blazer 93-86
The Lions have been defeated twice this year by Ashland Blazer and will most likely face them again in the 64th District championship game.
14. McCracken County (17-3) Paducah
Previous ranking: 15
Last week: Defeated Marshall County 70-67; def. Calloway County 75-58
15. Frederick Douglass (10-6) Lexington
Previous ranking: 12
Last week: Lost to Madison Central 69-66
16. Ashland Blazer (13-4) Ashland
Previous ranking: 24
Last week: Defeated Boyd County 93-86
17. Eastern (15-5) Louisville
Previous ranking: 17
Last week: Lost to Ballard 90-60
18. Butler (15-5) Louisville
Previous ranking: 18
Last week: Defeated Western 89-68; def. DeSales 75-67
19. Lyon County (15-5) Eddyville
Previous ranking: 22
Last week: Defeated Mayfield 66-42; def. Raceland 74-50
20. Bryan Station (14-5) Lexington
Previous ranking: 20
Last week: Defeated Scott County 58-40
21. Lexington Catholic (11-5)
Previous ranking: 21
Last week: No games
22. Seneca (10-6) Louisville
Previous ranking: 19
Last week: Defeated Atherton 69-54
23. Bell County (15-3) Pineville
Previous ranking: 14
Last week: Defeated Bluegrass United Home School 88-42
24. Woodford County (10-5) Versailles
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Last week: Defeated Collins 71-37
25. Great Crossing (9-9) Georgetown
Previous ranking: Not ranked
Last week: Defeated South Laurel 63-61

Chris Adams has been in sports media since 2013. Currently, he freelances high school sports coverage for the Emporia Gazette (remotely), located in Emporia, Kansas. In 2024, Chris covered sports full-time for The News Enterprise in Elizabethtown, Kentucky. His first stint with the Gazette (remote) began in 2021 and ended in 2023. From 2013 to 2017, he was a reporter at two Texas newspapers, covering high school sports. He began contributing to High School On SI in 2025.