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Starting 5: Louisville and Kentucky basketball targets to face each other for title, more

Brooks Warren, Louisville Courier Journal
·3 min read
Woodford County point guard Jasper Johnson battles Warren Central guard Damarion Walkup for control of the ball in the second half of Saturday's KHSAA Boys Sweet 16 semifinal. The Yellowjackets fell to the Dragons 56-48. March 18, 2023
Woodford County point guard Jasper Johnson battles Warren Central guard Damarion Walkup for control of the ball in the second half of Saturday's KHSAA Boys Sweet 16 semifinal. The Yellowjackets fell to the Dragons 56-48. March 18, 2023

Louisville and Kentucky basketball recruiting targets Tyran Stokes, a five-star sophomore from Louisville who plays for Prolific Prep, and Jasper Johnson, a five-star junior from Woodford County who plays for Link Academy, are scheduled to play for a national high school basketball title at the Chipotle Nationals tournament in Brownsburg, Indiana.

Tyran Stokes, a five-star sophomore from Louisville who plays for Prolific Prep, and Jasper Johnson, a five-star junior from Woodford County who plays for Link Academy, are scheduled to play for a national high school basketball title at the Chipotle Nationals tournament.
Tyran Stokes, a five-star sophomore from Louisville who plays for Prolific Prep, and Jasper Johnson, a five-star junior from Woodford County who plays for Link Academy, are scheduled to play for a national high school basketball title at the Chipotle Nationals tournament.

Third-seeded Prolific Prep is set to play sixth-seeded Link at 6 p.m. April 4 in a first-round game. The last time the teams played, Prolific Prep escaped with a 77-76 win in December at the Derek Smith Invitational hosted by St. Xavier.

Around the city: Louisville women's basketball assistant to be inducted into inaugural Hall of Fame class

Louisville women's basketball assistant coach Stephanie Norman will be part of the inaugural A STEP UP Assistant Coaches Hall of Fame induction ceremony.

Norman, who has spent 17 seasons with the Cardinals on Jeff Walz's staff, will enter the Hall of Fame on May 21 in Charlotte, North Carolina.

This year's A STEP UP Assistant Coaches Hall of Fame class includes coaches from the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and Pac-12..

U of L associate head coach Stephanie Norman, right, is scheduled to be inducted into an inaugural Hall of Fame class in May.
U of L associate head coach Stephanie Norman, right, is scheduled to be inducted into an inaugural Hall of Fame class in May.

Around the state: Former KHSAA star, Kentucky basketball standout back on coaching carousel

Travis Ford, a former KHSAA star and Kentucky standout, is back on the coaching carousel after Saint Louis fired Ford on Wednesday. Ford went 146-109 during his eight seasons with the Billikens. The Madisonville North Hopkins alum has coached in seven NCAA Tournaments. He led Eastern Kentucky to the Round of 64 in 2005 as its coach.

Saint Louis fired coach Travis Ford after eight seasons.
Saint Louis fired coach Travis Ford after eight seasons.

High school recruiting: North Oldham track star commits to Penn State

North Oldham senior Brendan Ruggles committed to run for Penn State track. Ruggles is the defending Class 2A state champion in the 800 meters. He ran the fastest 3,200 in school history in February. He also ranks 11th in the state in the 1,600. Ruggles is a top-25 400 runner nationally, and he is the sixth-ranked 200 runner in Kentucky.

More: Sacred Heart's ZaKiyah Johnson named Gatorade Kentucky Girls Basketball Player of Year

Mark your calendars

  • Bellarmine baseball is scheduled to visit Louisville at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The Knights are set to host Jacksonville in an ASUN series beginning at 2:30 p.m. Friday.

  • Louisville softball is set to visit Miami (Ohio) at 5 p.m. Tuesday. The Cardinals are scheduled to host Duke in an ACC series beginning at 6 p.m. Friday.

  • Bellarmine softball is set to visit Stetson for a three-game ASUN series beginning at 5 p.m. Friday.

  • Louisville men’s golf is scheduled to compete at The General Hackler Invitational beginning Monday in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

  • Louisville women’s golf is set to compete at the Clemson Invitational beginning Friday.

  • Bellarmine women's golf is scheduled to play at the Nevel Meade Collegiate beginning Monday in Louisville.

  • Bellarmine men's lacrosse is set to visit Mercer at noon Wednesday and Queens University of Charlotte at noon Saturday.

  • Louisville women’s lacrosse is scheduled to visit Liberty at noon Thursday and North Carolina at 11 a.m. Saturday.

  • Louisville men’s tennis is set to host N.C. State at noon March 24 and Tennessee State at 5 p.m. March 24.

  • Bellarmine men's tennis is scheduled to visit Eastern Kentucky at 2:30 p.m. Monday and host Florida Gulf Coast at 2:30 p.m. Friday.

  • Louisville women’s soccer is set to visit Kentucky at 1 p.m. Saturday.

Reach sports reporter Brooks Warren at bwarren@gannett.com and follow him on X at @Broookksss.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville basketball, Kentucky recruiting targets to play for title