Boys basketball: Kenton Ridge, Thurgood Marshall advance in D-IV postseason

Kenton Ridge and Thurgood Marshall each won Monday night to set up rematches in the Division IV tournament

Published on Feb. 24, 2026

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Kenton Ridge and Thurgood Marshall each advanced to the next round of the Division IV boys basketball postseason with wins on Monday night. Kenton Ridge defeated Meadowdale 72-52, while Thurgood Marshall pulled away from Bethel for a 65-56 victory. Both teams now face rematches from last season in the next round.

Why it matters

The wins for Kenton Ridge and Thurgood Marshall set up intriguing rematches from last year's postseason. Kenton Ridge will face Oakwood, who ended their season on a last-second shot in 2025. Thurgood Marshall will take on Alter, who blew them out 74-27 a year ago. These games will provide a chance for redemption and an opportunity to advance deeper into the Division IV tournament.

The details

In the first game, Kenton Ridge jumped out to a quick 6-0 lead and never trailed, extending it to 16-5 in the first quarter. They led 35-14 at halftime and cruised to the 72-52 win. Senior Xavier White led the Cougars with 15 points. In the second game, Thurgood Marshall trailed Bethel 32-29 early in the third quarter but responded with a 9-4 run to take the lead. They led by as many as 16 in the fourth quarter before Bethel cut the deficit to 8, but the Cougars held on for the 65-56 victory. Thurgood Marshall senior Jamarion Nelson scored a season-high 28 points.

  • Kenton Ridge and Oakwood will face off for the third straight postseason on an unspecified date.
  • Thurgood Marshall will play Alter on Thursday, February 27, 2026 at 6 p.m.

The players

Kenton Ridge

A high school boys basketball team that advanced to the next round of the Division IV postseason.

Thurgood Marshall

A high school boys basketball team that advanced to the next round of the Division IV postseason.

Oakwood

A high school boys basketball team that Kenton Ridge will face in the next round of the Division IV postseason. Oakwood ended Kenton Ridge's season on a last-second shot last year.

Alter

A high school boys basketball team that Thurgood Marshall will face in the next round of the Division IV postseason. Alter blew out Thurgood Marshall 74-27 last season.

Xavier White

A senior on the Kenton Ridge boys basketball team who scored 15 points in their win over Meadowdale.

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What they’re saying

“We wanted to put a press on, but we didn't want to pressure necessarily to increase their speed. We wanted to slow them down on defense, and we wanted to speed them up when we were on offense.”

— Brian Smith, Kenton Ridge coach (Dayton Daily News)

“They played very well tonight. You know, this being my second year as a varsity coach, it's really exciting coaching these kids. They really played and we came out with a (win) tonight. We've got a tall task (against Alter) Thursday, but on any given day, anybody can be beat.”

— Travis Hogue, Thurgood Marshall coach (Dayton Daily News)

What’s next

Kenton Ridge will face Oakwood in the next round of the Division IV postseason, while Thurgood Marshall will take on Alter on Thursday, February 27, 2026 at 6 p.m.

The takeaway

The wins for Kenton Ridge and Thurgood Marshall set up intriguing rematches from last year's postseason, providing an opportunity for redemption and a chance to advance deeper into the Division IV tournament. Both teams will face tough challenges, but have shown the ability to win tough games and overcome deficits, setting the stage for what should be exciting matchups.