Starting 5: Winningest KHSAA boys basketball coach dies; Charlotte Crush sets record; more

Billy Hicks, the winningest coach in Kentucky boys basketball history, recently died. He was 71.

Hicks retired from coaching in 2019 after 39 years, (three seasons at Evarts, three at Harlan, eight at Corbin and 25 at Scott County) amassing a 1,013-276 record and two state titles in five state championship-game appearances. He was named Coach of the Year three times by The Courier Journal. Hicks also owns the record for most all-time wins in the Sweet 16 (33).

More: Nine finalists, including two from Louisville, named for 2023 Kentucky Mr. Football award

Around the city: Sacred Heart swimming star Charlotte Crush sets national record

Charlotte Crush is now the youngest girl to swim the 100-yard backstroke in less than 50 seconds after she posted a record 49.53 leg as the leadoff of the Lakeside Swim Team's 400-medley relay. Crush is the third girl under 18 to swim under 50 seconds, joining Claire Curzan and Regan Smith.

Crush, a 15-year-old Sacred Heart sophomore, shaved almost a second off her previous-best time of 50.44 that she set in March. Her personal record also set the record for the 15-16 national age group, topping Curzan's previous best of 50.03. Curzan still holds the record for girls under 18 in 49.46.

High school recruiting: Eastern senior Jaylen Bowie commits to Georgetown College

Eastern senior pitcher Jaylen Bowie committed to play baseball at Georgetown College on Dec. 4.

Bowie earned the offer after playing summer ball with Louisville Elite and performing well at Georgetown's prospect camp in the fall. He played on the Eagles' JV team last season after being stuck behind a talented bullpen led by Henry Craig, Landon Waugh and Ben Brown.

More: Sacred Heart basketball's Amirah Jordan making smooth transition to starting lineup

Performance of the week: Bellarmine forward Langdon Hatton drops double-double against Boyce

Langdon Hatton, a junior forward from Georgetown, Indiana, recorded a double-double (12 points, 17 rebounds, including 13 defensive) Dec. 4. Hatton also contributed one steal and a block in Bellarmine's 88-54 win over Boyce.

Mark your calendars

• Bellarmine women's basketball will host Campbellsville-Harrodsburg at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 14.

• Bellarmine men's basketball will host Evansville at 4 p.m. Dec. 16.

Play of the week: Tyran Stokes throws down back-to-back monstrous slams in Derek Smith Invitational homecoming game

Five-star recruit Tyran Stokes returned to Louisville for a homecoming game with Prolific Prep to play perhaps the biggest high school game of the season against defending national champion Link Academy. Prolific Prep outlasted Link, 77-76, with Stokes scoring 12 points. He had back-to-back alley-oop slams in the first half.

Stokes, the consensus top-ranked sophomore in the country, is a U of L and Kentucky recruiting target. Stokes scored 20 against St. Xavier in front of Wildcats coach John Calipari and his staff. Prolific Prep won that game, 83-74.

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

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Charlotte Crush, Sacred Heart star, sets national backstroke record