The Lyon County Lyons will be looking to ‘flip the script’ as they head off to Rupp Arena this week. The Lyons are preparing to take on the North Oldham Mustangs for the third time in program history, with the previous two meetings not turning out well for the team from Eddyville.
North Oldham and Lyon County met for the first time in the 2022-2023 season in the King of the Bluegrass at Fairdale. Coming off a tough loss to Great Crossing, the Lyons were manhandled by the Mustangs 107-73. However, that season would turn out better for the Lyons than for North Oldham, who was knocked out in the 8th Region semifinals. Lyon County, led by the junior trio of Travis Perry, Brady Shoulders, and Jack Reddick, would go on to win the 2nd Region tournament for the second straight year and reach the quarterfinals of the Sweet 16 before falling to George Rogers Clark 60-56.
Bray Kirk, a freshman that season for Lyon County, hit double figures with 11 points.
The Lyons struggled from the field in that contest, knocking down just 37.5 percent of their shots.
The second meeting between the two programs came earlier this season, again in a holiday tournament, again coming off a tough loss, and again, the Lyons had trouble buying a basket.
A day after losing a tough 68-65 battle to host Lexington Catholic in the White, Greer & Maggard Holliday Classic, the Lyons fell to North Oldham 47-37. It was a frosty cold game from the field for the Lyons, who made just 26.8 percent of their shots from the field and just 4 of 23 from behind the 3-point line.
Cooper Collins led the Lyons that day with 14 points and Nolan Coffman added 10.
Bray Kirk, Cooper Collins, Carson Collins, and Isaac Defew have played in both contests between the Lyons and North Oldham.
Lyon County is led by Bray Kirk, the 2nd Region ‘Player of the Year’ with 21.3 points per game. Nolan Coffman just misses averaging a double-double with 17.9 points and 9.7 rebounds per contest. Isaac Coffman averages 9.4 points and 6.8 rebounds per contest. Cooper Collins and Carson Collins round out the starters, averaging 7.7 points and 6.1 points, respectively.
The Lyons are averaging 70.2 points per game and are shooting at a 49.3 percent clip from the field, including 32.5 percent from behind the arc. Lyon County shoots 72 percent from the free-throw line and averages 32.6 rebounds per game.
North Oldham is led by Thomas Gregg, who averages 14.9 points and 5.4 rebounds per game. Eighth grader Rajon Pierre Rondo, son of former UK and NBA star Rajon Rondo, averages 14 points per game. Oakland Shearer is the Mustangs’ next highest scorer at 7.2 points per game.
The Mustangs average 63.6 points per contest and are shooting 48.9 percent from the field, including 37.5 percent from behind the 3-point line. North Oldham makes 64.1 percent of its free throws and pulls down an average of 28.1 rebounds per game.
Lyon County enters the Sweet 16 with a record of 29-6. The losses have come to Henderson County, North Oldham, Florida Coastal Prep, North Laurel, Butler, and Lexington Catholic. Some of the Lyons’ noteworthy wins have been Henderson County (2nd Region championship game), Collins, Lighthouse Christian, Hopkinsville (twice), Newport (All A Classic semifinals), Caverna (All A championship game), Grayson County (3rd Region champions), and Marshall County (1st Region champions).
All totalled, the Lyons have faced five of the teams appearing in this year’s Sweet 16.
Lyon County enters on a 11 game winning streak with their last loss coming to Henderson County, the night after the Lyons played two games on the same day to win the All A Classic state championship. That is the only loss for the Lyons in 2026.
North Oldham is 25-5 heading into Rupp. The Mustangs’ losses have come to St. Xavier, Covington Catholic, Boyd County, Madison Central, and Jeffersontown. Noteworthy wins have come over Grayson County, Fairdale, Taylor County, Trinity, St. Xavier, Jeffersontown, and Woodford County.
The Mustangs have won 14 straight and have not lost since January 14. They have only lost twice since the calendar flipped to 2026.
