The Henderson County boys’ basketball team endured a choppy start to the 2019-20 season, with three-game win streaks coming on either side of a three-game slide to lead up to the New Year. After going 1-2 at the City of Middletown Holiday Classic at Eastern High School, they topped Union County at home in the first 6th District matchup of the year, before falling 56-48 to Madisonville-North Hopkins in a game that foreshadowed the end of the season for the Colonels.
The loss to the Maroons seemed to ignite Henderson, sending them on a surge that would provide nine wins in ten tries, including home and away victories over district foe Webster County, with the later coming in overtime fashion in Dixon, and a 2-point win over visiting Hopkinsville. The only loss in the stretch was a 2-point overtime setback at Union, but the Colonels still captured the top seed and first-round bye in the district tournament. However, they lost some momentum with a lopsided setback at Owensboro, closing the regular season slate at 19-11.
After awaiting the winner of Webster and Union in the 6th District semifinals, the Colonels and Trojans hooked up for the third time, with Webster County denying the Colonels the season sweep with a 62-56 victory, Henderson’s second-consecutive loss in the championship game. Noah Curry led the Colonels with 18 points, followed by Daymian Dixon with 11 and Lance Skinner with 8. The three also combined for 15 rebounds and each earned a spot on the All-District team.
Looking to advance past the 2nd Region semifinals for the first time since a 64-47 loss to Hopkinsville in the title game in 2013-14, the Colonels drew a matchup with tourney-favorite and 3rd-ranked Madisonville in the first round. After missing the regular season meeting between the two teams, the Maroons’ Ksuan Casey exploded for 27 points and 20 rebounds and Madisonville ended the Colonels’ season for the second year in a row with a 20-point victory.
Head Coach Tyler Smithhart will head into his 9th season at the helm needing to replace leading scorer and All-Region honoree Daymiah Dixon. Dixon scored 15.3 ppg and led the Colonels with 52 3-point makes and 34.3% from behind the arc.
While also bidding farewell to seniors Luke Fulkerson and Wes Owen, a strong core returns, led by senior Noah Curry. Curry was second on the team with 30 3-point makes and third in long-distance percentage at 33%, while also reaching double digits at 11 ppg. He also pulled down a team-leading 5.2 rebounds per outing.
Senior Myekel Sanners also returns after averaging 7.2 ppg to go with 3.8 rpg, joined by fellow seniors Lance Skinner and Xavier Bugg. Skinner scored 5.6 ppg and 2.4 rpg, while Bugg will look to build on his 5.3 pg and 2.7 rpg after earning Regional All-Tourney team honors this year.
