St. Xavier boys basketball snaps Male's run in 26th District championship games
Kevin Klein glanced at the final stat sheet and couldn’t help but smile.
“Efficiency” has become a basketball buzzword, and Klein’s St. Xavier High School squad was an efficient machine Thursday night in winning its first district championship in six years.
The numbers: 54.9% shooting, 19 assists on 28 made baskets, one turnover.
“Hell of a job,” Klein said. “That’s who we’ve been all year. These guys share the ball extremely well. Their team chemistry is through the roof. … When we’re playing for one another, I think we present a lot of tough matchups.”
The Tigers continued to show they’ll be a tough out this postseason, building a big lead in the first half and hanging on to beat visiting Male, 77-66, in the 26th District Tournament final.
St. X ended a five-game losing streak to Male in district finals and picked up its first district trophy since 2018.
No. 7-ranked St. X (29-3) will host a Seventh Region Tournament quarterfinal Tuesday as it tries to reach the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1995, when Klein was a senior on the team.
“It’s been too long,” Tigers junior Graham Krezmien said. “Too long.”
Krezmien and Jeremiah Jackson both scored 20 points to lead the Tigers, who finished 12 of 21 from 3-point range.
Cole Edelen scored 26 points to lead Male (22-10), which will go on the road for a regional quarterfinal Tuesday. The Bulldogs have won the past two Seventh Region titles.
“We have a championship-level team,” Bulldogs coach Tim Haworth said. “That doesn’t mean you’re going to win the region and go to state. But I really feel confident we’re the best team in the region. We just can’t turn the ball over.”
Haworth pointed to one first-half number that forced his team into a big hole — eight turnovers. St. X turned those into 11 points and led by as many as 15 points late in the second quarter.
“If we don’t turn the ball over and finish 2-foot shots,” Haworth said, “we have a great chance.”
Max Gainey’s basket with 1:05 left in the third quarter pulled the Bulldogs within 51-50, but they never got closer. Chance Dillingham hit two 3-pointers as the Tigers pushed their lead to 59-52 early in the third quarter.
Krezmien led St. X’s 3-point attack, going 4 for 6 from behind the arc.
“Once one person gets his shot going, everybody starts getting things going,” he said. “That’s what helped us win tonight.”
The Tigers extended their winning streak to 12 and need three more to make plans for Rupp Arena in mid-March.
Klein has praised his team’s ability to close games all season and saw it again Thursday after Male’s third-quarter run.
“This is the most competitive and connected group I’ve had in my 16 years,” Klein said. “We have a very, very high level of a will to win. Whether it’s a practice drill, a free-throw contest or the lights come on for a trophy, these guys are motivated to win.”
MALE 13 16 23 14 - 66
ST. XAVIER 23 19 14 21 - 77
Male (22-10) – Cole Edelen 26, KeaShawn Jordan 10, Max Gainey 6, Terrence Hall 13, Jayson Gasaway 8, Landon Cowan 3.
St. Xavier (29-3) – Will Hanke 6, Graham Krezmien 20, Chief Cameron 15, Chance Dillingham 6, Jeremiah Jackson 20, Connor Klein 2, Bryce Johnson 5, NoaSosa Freidman 2, Henry Peters 1.
More high school basketball: Manual girls, behind Ashlinn James, top Central for 25th District crown
Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Follow on X @kyhighs.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA basketball: St. Xavier defeats Male in 26th District title game
