Great column on Tates Creek and University of Louisville kicker David Akers by Rick Reilly on ESPN.com.

LCA"s Taylor Barnette drives against Tates Creek. (Photo by Mark Cornelison)

Lexington Christian Academy senior Taylor Barnette has a stress fracture that will sideline him from 2 to 4 weeks.

Barnette, a 6-foot-2 guard who has signed with Central Florida, was hurt in last week’s loss to Tates Creek.

LCA Coach Tommy Huston said in an email that Barnette, who’s averaging 21 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 steals, may not be back until the last two weeks of the regular season.

“We will be fine,” Huston said. “Maybe this will make us even stronger in the long run, with the other guys having to increase their responsibilities.”

LCA hosts Lexington Catholic Tuesday night. The Knights aren’t at full strength, either. Craig Floyd, a 6-4 senior starter, is out with a finger injury.

1956

Central City basketball coach Delmas Gish denies that referees Norman O’Nan and Gene O’Nan were threatened by fans with knives after they ejected two players in a game against Butler County . . . Bill Harrell coaches his top-ranked Berea High team to victory over Berea Foundation, then a couple hours later referees the Berea College-Centre game . . . Harlan’s Dicky Parsons, playing his first full game after recovering from a football injury, has 29 points to lead the Green Dragons to a 71-51 pounding of 13th Region favorite Hall . . . Freddy “Bear” Hynson of Henry Clay, who had a school-record 43 points in his previous game against Georgetown Garth, has 28 in a win over Madison-Model . . . Billy Ray Lickert has 25 points in a win over New Albany, Ind., in UK’s Memorial Coliseum . . . Unbeaten Dunbar beats previously unbeaten Lincoln Institute. Vertner Taylor (21 points), James Jones (21) and Julius Berry (16) lead the Bearcats.

1966

Garrard County’s Wayland Long has 25 points and a school-record 35 rebounds in a win over Waynesburg Memorial . . . Unbeaten and top-rated Shelby County beats Ashland 61-51 as Mike Casey and Bill Busey combine for 39 points. Ashland’s 6-foot-7 Clint Wheeler has 17 points and 17 rebounds. UK Coach Adolph Rupp is among the 5,000 fans in Shelbyville . . . Tates Creek Coach Dick Jones says the  new school’s gym is still not ready so the first home game is pushed back to Jan. 29 against Bath County . . .   Phillip Caldwell of Catlettsburg, who is headed to Memphis State to play football, has 33 points in a win over Bellevue . . . Jessamine County’s Randy House has 41 points against Mercer County . . . Danville’s Smith Hundley scores 38 against Corbin . . . Tickets to the state basketball tournament in Freedom Hall go on sale. All-session chairback seats are $16; bleachers $10.

1989

Bryan Station’s Mike Allen boosts his scoring average to 30.2 points after pouring in 50 against Eastern and 44 against Lafayette . . . In a battle of unbeaten 13th Region rivals, Clay County beats host Knox Central 81-78 in front of an overflow crowd of 3,600. Rodger Simms (28 points) and Russ Farmer (19) lead the winners. Knox Central is led by David Mills (27 points) and Darren Mills (23) . . . Louisville Southern beats cross-town rival Central 73-72 when Central’s John Wells mistakenly scores on a fast-break layup at Southern’s basket in the final seconds.  “It’s not the end of the world. It was a freakish thing,”  Central coach Ralph Johnson says . . .  Knox Central junior Kim Mays scores her 2,000th career point . . . Harrison County’s Chris Snopek has 7 three-pointers and  31 points in a 70-62 win over host Mason County in the Royals’ invitational tournament finals . . . Wayne County senior Jimmy John Owens, who missed most of his junior year with a broken ankle,  is averaging 24 points and 11 rebounds for the 12th Region contenders.

2002

West Carter’s girls are shooting an amazing 87% from the free throw line, led by Megen Gearhart (66 of 72 for 92%) and Kayla Jones (43 of 47 for 91%) . . . Frankfort, led by Chris Current (23 points) and Kevin Hill (22), beats St. Raymond (N.Y.) 68-66 in the Stop DWI Classic in New York. “Maybe as big a win as we’ve ever had,” Coach Scott Chalk says . . . Rose Hill Christian is 11-0 behind the play of 7th-grader O.J. Mayo . . . Grayson County’s Chris Gaither is averaging 30 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists and 4 steals . . . Cameron Jackson’s putback gives West Jessamine an 83-82 win over Lexington Catholic . . . Former Harrodsburg star Dennis Johnson’s announcement that he will pass up his final year of football at UK to go in the NFL Draft brought to mind what an imposing figure the 6-7 Johnson was while playing at Harrodsburg. Johnson led the Pioneers to back-to-back state runner-up finishes to Beechwood.  Hanging on the wall in Beechwood Coach Mike Yeagle’s office was a badminton racket  used in practice to replicate Johnson’s long reach when he rushed the quarterback. “That badminton racket was Dennis Johnson’s right arm,” Yeagle said. “It definitely helped us win two state titles.”

Dave Cantrall’s top 25 boys’ and girls’ basketball ratings for this week. Trinity remained No. 1 among boys’ teams, and Manual No. 1 among girls’ teams.

BOYS

1. Trinity (11-2)
2. Bullitt East (13-2)
3. Ballard (11-5)
4. Pleasure Ridge Park (14-3)
5. Madison Central (14-0)
6. Scott County (11-3)
7. Manual (11-5)
8. Southwestern (13-3)
9. Jeffersontown (11-5)
10. Covington Catholic (11-4)
11. Dixie Heights (7-5)
12. Moore (13-3)
13. Clark County (15-2)
14. Butler (9-5)
15. Bowling Green (11-4)
16. Marshall County (14-1)
17. Warren Central (10-5)
18. Cov. Holy Cross (13-1)
19. Lexington Catholic (13-3)
20. Henry Clay (9-6)
21. Perry Central (11-4)
22. Knott Central (13-2)
23. Clinton County (14-1)
24. Newport Catholic (6-4)
25. Rowan County (9-5)

GIRLS

1. Manual (15-0)
2. Marion County (13-2)
3. Monroe County (14-2)
4. Perry Central (15-0)
5. Mercy (11-3)
6. Boone County (13-1)
7. South Oldham (11-3)
8. Clay County (13-1)
9. Notre Dame (11-1)
10. Elizabethtown (11-2)
11. Butler (10-4)
12. Walton-Verona (10-4)
13. Ryle (13-2)
14. Paul Dunbar (14-4)
15. Bowling Green (10-2)
16. Ballard (10-3)
17. Lexington Catholic (10-5)
18. Newport Catholic (8-3)
19. Sacred Heart (9-6)
20. Henderson County (12-2)
21. Anderson County (12-4)
22. Glasgow (10-2)
23. Ashland Blazer (12-3)
24. Louisville Christian (12-6)
25. Letcher Central (11-2)
26. Madison Central (10-3)

Kentucky basketball signees Archie Goodwin of Sylvan Hills ( Ark.), and Alex Poythress of Clarksville (Tn.) Northeast combined for 79 points in their two games in the Dunkin’ Donuts National Shootout at Lexington Catholic Saturday night.

Goodwin, a 6-foot-4 guard, had 37 points and 10 rebounds. He was 12-for-32 from the field, including 4-for-12 on 3s. He hit 9 of 10 free throws. He also had 4  steals, 2 assists and 4 turnovers. But it wasn’t enough as Lexington Catholic beat Sylvan Hills 75-71 in overtime. Jack Whitman had 25 points and 6 rebounds for the winners.

Poythress, a  6-7 forward, had 42 points, 6 rebounds and 3 blocked shots as Clarksville Northeast beat Lafayette 78-68. Poythress was 14-for-24 from the field (1-for-4 on threes) and 13 of 19 from the foul line.

UK Coach John Calipari watched the two future Cats from an end zone perch.

Quan Taylor, a 6-foot-3 junior, is a force inside for Madison Central.

One week into 2012, only four undefeated high school basketball teams are left in Kentucky.

• Madison Central’s boys (13-0). Allen Feldhaus’ Indians figured to be strong since they returned most of last year’s 11th Region runner-up team. Junior point guard Dominque Hawkins is the catalyst, but juniors Kenjah Bosley and Quan Taylor, and seniors Hunter Allen and John O’Bryan are solid, along with a deep supporting cast.  The must-see game for No. 5 Madison Central is a showdown with No. 1 Trinity in the Joe B. Hall Prep Classic at Montgomery County on Jan. 21.

• Anderson County’s boys (11-0). The Bearcats were  rated the fifth best team in the 8th Region in the pre-season, but they’ve gotten off to a great start. They’re shooting 49 percent overall, and 43% from three-point range. That accuracy is not unexpected considering Coach Glen Drury has several veteran guards, including seniors Lowell Gordon (15 ppg), Darrin Laswell (11) and Seth Carmichael (8), and junior Jay Smith (10.5). Anderson County is also getting a lift from Austin Hall, a 6-5 junior transfer from Michigan. The Bearcats’ schedule doesn’t include any opponents currently ranked in the top 25, so it could continue its winning ways for a while.

• 

  Perry Central's Kendall Noble is back after knee surgery last spring.

  Perry County Central’s girls (13-0). Miss Basketball candidate Kendall Noble leads the No. 4 Commodores. Noble, who tore her ACL in the first round of the Sweet Sixteen last March, has rehabbed after surgery and is back in form. Kayla Rankin is also rated as one of the top players in the state.  Coach Randy Napier thinks this is his best team since he guided M.C. Napier to the 1994 state title. The big games on Perry Central’s schedule are a date with No. 6 Clay County in the WYMT Classic at Knott Central on Jan. 12,  a trip to No. 5 Mercy on Jan. 21, and a possible meeting with No. 1 Manual in the Louisville Invitatational Tuornament the last week of the month.

• Manual’s girls (14-0).  The Crimsons  lost to Rockcastle County 62-60 in the Sweet Sixteen finals last year and finished 35-5.  They’re No. 1 now, thanks in part to an impressive showing in winning the Republic Bank Holiday Classic at Lexington Catholic. The closest game they had was a 69-53 win over Mercy. April Wilson and Kara Wright are averaging 24 points between them to lead the way this season. The circled game on the calendar for Stacy Pendleton’s team is a showdown at pre-season No. 1 Marion County on Jan. 14.

Here are teams with the best records in each region, boys and girls:

BOYS

1. Marshall County 12-1
2. Hopkinsville 13-1
3. Ohio County 13-2
4. Clinton County 14-1
5. LaRue County 11-2
6. Bullitt East 12-2
7. Trinity 10-2
8. Anderson County 11-0
9. Covington Holy Cross 13-1
10. Clark County 13-2
11. Madison Central 13-0
12. Southwestern 11-3
13. Barbourville 12-1
14. Knott County Central 11-2
15. Betsy Layne 9-1
16. West Carter 12-3

GIRLS

1. Marshall County  11-3
2. University Heights 11-1
3. Grayson County 12-3
4. Greenwood and Monroe County 13-2
5. Adair County 14-1
6. Mercy 11-3
7. Manual 14-0
8. Owen County 11-2
9. Boone County 12-1
10. Bishop Brossart 11-3
11. Paul Laurence Dunbar 12-4
12. Southwestern 12-2
13. Clay County 12-1
14. Perry County Central 13-0
15. Shelby Valley 11-1
16. Fleming County 11-1

Here are the statistical leaders — teams and individuals — in Kentucky high school boys’ and girls’ basketball as compiled by the KHSAA. Not all schools reported their stats, so the lists are not all-inclusive.

Jaylen Beckham (2009 photo)

Jaylen Beckham had an immediate impact in his return to Lexington high school basketball Tuesday night.

The Bryan Station senior had 13 points (6-for-12 from the field, 0-for-3 from three-point range, 1-for-4 from the foul line), 6 steals, 4 assists, 3 rebounds and 4 turnovers after coming off the bench and playing 26 minutes in the Defenders’ 70-61 victory over Lafayette.

Defenders Coach Mike Allen said Beckham was “productive” in his debut. “However, he will need a good two weeks, plus some practices, to get his timing better” and get in better condition.

Beckham, a 6-foot guard, averaged 11 points as a freshman reserve for Lexington Catholic’s Sweet Sixteen quarterfinal team, and 16 points as a sophomore starter for the Knights.

He left Lexington Catholic after his sophomore year and went to St. Benedict’s Prep in Newark, N.J. He didn’t stay there long before transferring to Huntington Prep in West Virginia. That didn’t pan out either, and he returned to Lexington and enrolled at Bryan Station. He became eligible to play for the Defenders this week.

Betsy Layne's boys grabbed the All 'A' trophy last year. (Photo by Tim Webb)

The Touchstone Energy All “A” Classic boys’ and girls’ basketball tournaments is set for Jan. 25-29  in the Frankfort Civic Center.

Betsy Layne is defending boys’ champ. Owensboro Catholic is defending girls’ champ.

Among the boys’ favorites this year will be Bardstown, Bishop Brossart, Buckhorn, Clinton County, Glasgow, Lexington Christian and Newport Central Catholic.

The girls’ favorites figure to include Glasgow, Murray, Newport Central Catholic, Shelby Valley and Walton-Verona.

The first-round pairings for the small-school shootouts:

GIRLS (Jan. 25)

• 5th Region vs. 11th Region, 8:30 a.m.
• 9th Region vs. 14th Region, 10 a.m.
• 16th Region vs. 6th Region, 11:30 a.m.
• 10th Region vs. 13th Region, 1 p.m.
• 15th Region vs. 2nd Region, 5 p.m.
• 1st Region vs. 3rd Region, 6:30 p.m.
• 7th Region vs. 8th Region, 8 p.m.
• 12th Region vs. 4th Region, 9:30 p.m.

Quarterfinals on Jan. 27; semifinals on Jan. 28; finals on Jan. 29

BOYS (Jan. 26)

• 16th Region vs. 2nd Region, 8:30 a.m.
• 1st Region vs. 15th Region, 10 a.m.
• 11th Region vs. 5th Region, 11:30 a.m.
• 4th Region vs. 3rd Region, 1 p.m.
• 9th Region vs. 13th Region, 5 p.m.
• 8th Region vs. 14th Region, 6:30 p.m.
• 10th Region vs. 7th Region, 8 p.m.
• 6th Region vs. 12th Region, 9:30 p.m.

Quarterfinals on Jan. 27; semifinals on Jan. 28; finals on Jan. 29

University of Kentucky basketball signess Archie Goodwin and Alex Poythress will be in town this weekend to play in the Dunkin’ Donuts National Shootout at Lexington Catholic.

Goodwin, a 6-foot-5 senior guard at Sylvan Hills in Sherwood, Ark., will lead his team against LexCath at  7 p.m. Poythress, a 6-7 senior small forward at Clarksville (Tn.) Northeast, will lead his team against Lafayette at 8:30.

Tickets to the event are on sale at LexCath this week between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. for $9. Tickets at the gate on Saturday will be $10.

Two other games are also on the Dunkin’ Donuts schedule on Saturday. Sayre plays Wolfe County at 3:30 p.m., and Lincoln County takes on Harrison County at 5.