Hoops season is right around the corner in the bluegrass state. Teams across Northern Kentucky are gearing up for another run at the state tournament.
Teams parting with their senior leaders from last year turn to a new crop of talented veterans heading into the new year. While there will always be breakout players flying under the radar, certain juniors stood out last year and look to be key contributors in the season to come.
Here are the top 10 seniors in Northern Kentucky boys basketball in the 2025-2026 season.
The Camels’ quarterback on the gridiron, Anthrop should see a much larger role on the court this season. With the departure of Garyn Jackson and Xavier Fancher, both of whom had double-digit scoring averages, Anthrop will have opportunities to build off of a 5.4 points per game average last year.
One of the top sharpshooters in Northern Kentucky last season, Arlinghaus will be part of a dynamic senior duo at Holy Cross in 2025-2026. He set the tone early last season, scoring 25 points on 7-of-8 shooting in season-opening win over Ryle. Arlinghaus finished the season with the team’s highest scoring average at 12.9 points per game with lights out shooting from beyond the arc at 41.3% on the season.
With the departure of first-team All-State recipient E.J. Walker, Blackaar will finally be the centerpiece of the Juggernauts offense. He proved more than up to the task as a junior, dropping a season-high 34 points against Villa Madonna on 16 of 21 shooting. With the offense running through him in his senior year, look for Blackaar to be one of Kentucky’s highest scorers after already finishing as a Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Association (NKBBCA) all-conference selection.
Bouldin was a consistent scoring threat for the Bluebirds last season, already leading the team in scoring with 13.2 points per game. Against Boyle County, Bouldin put up 21 points after making all eight shots from the field. Bouldin ended the season with three straight double-digit scoring performances, signs of another high-scoring season to come.
The Raiders point guard committed to George Washington on the baseball diamond, but on the basketball court Coppola is a skilled scorer and facilitator. He’s a high-volume three-point shooter which makes him an explosive threat from beyond the arc, and he averaged 10.5 points per game as a junior. In a New Year’s Day overtime victory against Holy Cross, he put his scoring on full display with 27 points on 9-of-18 shooting.
The star quarterback for the Colonels, Harney was selected to the NKBBCA all-conference list as a junior. Harney uses his athleticism to push in transition, slash to the rim, and get into passing lanes. A 15.8 points per game scorer, against Holy Cross last year Harney turned in a 25-point performance on a very efficient 10-of-18 shooting.
Louden is a dynamic scorer from multiple levels that was already named to the NKBBCA all-conference list as a junior. In a career-best performance against Beechwood, Louden dropped 34 points on 12-of-19 shooting. Louden will scorch defenders who leave too much space behind the arc but also has the speed to blow by tight defense.
McGillis will be the very best player in Northern Kentucky this season after leading the Colonels in scoring as a junior. Averaging 20.6 points per game, McGillis took over the game time after time to lead Covington Catholic to a 24-9 record. In his senior year, expect him to compete for NKBBCA player of the year honors after finishing on the all-conference list last year.
A NKBBCA all-conference selection in 2024-2025, Rominger uses his 6-foot-4 size to shoot over 50% from the floor. Averaging 12.6 points and 8.2 rebounds per game, his interior ability pairs incredibly well with Arlinghaus’s perimeter scoring.
Turner finished with the most points scored by any Newport player last season, averaging out to 14.2 points a contest in his junior season. At 6-foot-7, Turner dominated the interior with 54.5% shooting from the floor and 7.2 rebounds per game. An NKBBCA all-conference selection in 2024-2025, the sky is the limit for the big man in the upcoming season.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Top Northern Kentucky boys high school basketball players in preseason