A new head coach and plenty of new faces on the court will be the story as the 2024-2025 basketball season gets underway for the Christian County Colonels. Dior Curtis takes over the reins of the Colonel basketball program and will have some big shoes to fill in the lineup coming right out of the gate to start the season.
Curtis comes over from Murray High School, where his team last season reached the semifinals of the All A Classic state tournament and the semifinals of the 1st Region tournament, finishing the year with a record of 24-10.
Finding the right pieces to reload the lineup is the first challenge facing Coach Curtis, who had a very successful run at Murray. Gone are the Colonels’ top five scorers: Derrell Bateman (23.2), Jordan Miles (14.6), Prince Northington II (7.7), JaSean Riley (6.4), and Theo Quarles (4.0).
As for where to start on the offensive reload, look for Josh Bridges, Kam Williams, Zyon Wharton, and Rahsean Stevenson to see a big-time increase in their roles for the Colonels. Williams saw the most time of those four on the court last season, playing in 21 games.
Even with the reload, Coach Curtis notes “Our goals are to win the district and have a chance to compete for a regional championship. We just have to continue to improve and we will like our chances at the end of the season.” He goes on to add “I’m excited about the potential for teamwork—whether it’s running plays, supporting each other during tough moments, or celebrating victories together. We have a tough schedule for a new group and we are looking forward to the challenge.”
Since arriving at Christian County, Coach Dior Curtis says his team has been working really hard, and the defense has been coming along. He does point out that the offense has been a little slower. Curtis adds his biggest concern is that they have been missing some key players due to playing other sports so they have missed key developmental time.
Player Under the Radar – Watch out for senior NaDarien Rowe. Rowe saw action in 19 games last season for the Colonels and averaged 1.3 points per contest. Coach Dior Curtis says Rowe “will have a big role for us this season with his dynamic playmaking ability. NaDarien can score in bunches and he is a fearless competitor.”
Big Games – The district games against Hopkinsville and University Heights Academy are always big games. The Hopkinsville games even more so with this likely being the next to last season for those to take place. The first two and a half weeks of the season feature a ‘gauntlet’ of Marshall County, Lyon County, Madisonville, Paducah Tilghman, South Warren, and Bowling Green.
Outlook – At first glance, the 8th District appears to be setting up to be a three-team battle between the Colonels, Hopkinsville, and University Heights. While Christian County could have the ‘youngest’ roster of those three, it could also have the deepest. As has been the case for the past few seasons, outside shooting could determine what kind of season this team has. In their scrimmage against Todd County Central, the Colonels knocked down 10 shots from behind the 3-point line. If they can get that level of performance night in and night out, this team could be a tough out. They will be tested early by a tough schedule and this figures to be a team that will get better as the season goes along.
