Tyler Smithhart enters his 14th season as Henderson County High School Boys Basketball coach.
Henderson County begins a new chapter this winter, coming off one of the most memorable seasons in program history. Last year’s Colonels captured the Region 2 championship and made their first state tournament appearance since 1999, a moment that still resonates with head coach Tyler Smithhart as he prepares for his 14th season at the helm.
“For me, the biggest thing was seeing the joy on those seniors’ faces in the locker room after the win,” Smithhart said. “That’s a core memory I’ll have forever. That group was the culmination of years of preparation, dreams, and work. And for my family to experience that with me meant the world.”
Henderson County graduated the heart of that historic run, including Cooper Davenport, Elijah Suggs, and a deep group of veteran role players who helped redefine the program’s culture. But Smithhart believes the foundation built over the last six to eight years has allowed the next wave to step seamlessly into place.
“This group didn’t miss a beat,” he said. “They stepped right into the intensity of our practices, the commitment to the weight room, and what it means to sacrifice. Our values haven’t changed—only the personnel and the style of play.”
This year’s Colonels will look different on the floor. Smithhart is pushing the tempo, leaning into the team’s athleticism and depth, and asking his players to play faster than any Henderson County team in recent memory.
“We’re trying to play a lot faster,” he said. “Everybody says they want to play fast, but the conditioning and sacrifice it takes to do it is hard. We’re about 25 practices in and just now really starting to turn that corner.”
With just two seniors on the roster, Henderson County enters the season as one of the youngest teams Smithhart has coached. That youth brings energy—but also growing pains.
“Taking care of the basketball will be a challenge,” he said. “We want to play fast, but we can’t be reckless. And defining what a good shot is in late-game situations is something this group has to learn.”
Leadership will come from several places, led by junior point guard Xavion Johnson, who returns as the team’s floor general and lone starter from last year’s championship run.
“He’s been there and done that,” Smithhart said. “He steadies everyone.”
Junior point guard Xavion Johnson returns as the Colonels lone starter. Johnson averaged 8 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists last season.
Junior Amare Stewart has taken on a larger, more physical role this season, leading the team in rebounding during their two scrimmages, while sophomore Malachi Taylor has emerged as a vocal leader among the underclassmen.
Junior Amare Stewart delivered valuable minutes off the bench last season, now must take on a leadership role for the Colonels.
Senior leaders Travis Little and Braden Williams also provide stability.
“They’ll do anything the program needs,” Smithhart said. “That’s leadership in itself.”
One of the biggest additions is transfer Zaden Martin, a physical, athletic slasher who Smithhart compares to former Colonel standout Gerard Thomas. Though still learning the system, Martin’s versatility and energy have already made an impact.
“He’s drinking out of a fire hose right now,” Smithhart said. “But his attitude, his effort, and his positive energy have been a huge lift for us.”
Smithhart believes this group’s biggest strength is its willingness to sacrifice.
“They all understand that the team is more important than the individual,” he said.
Another emerging strength is offensive rebounding—a point of emphasis this season.
“We had 15 offensive rebounds in our last scrimmage,” he said. “We haven’t emphasized that in recent years, but this group’s athleticism gives us a chance to score second-chance points.”
The Colonels’ schedule features early tests, beginning with defending Region 3 champion Daviess County, along with trips to Castle and a demanding Christmas stretch. January brings the heart of Region 2 and district play.
“It’s a diverse schedule,” Smithhart said. “We’ve got a little bit of everything on it.”
In the region race, Lyon County enters as the favorite, returning their entire starting lineup. Hopkinsville, along with Union County and Hopkin County Central are also expected to be major contenders.
“They’ll be the hunted,” Smithhart said of Lyon County. “I like the fact that this year we come in as the challenger with nothing to lose.”
Smithhart pointed to three critical factors for success:
- Blocking out outside noise and staying locked into the locker room
- Being solid defensively in both man-to-man and matchup zone
- Developing late-game execution
“If we stay together and keep learning from every game,” he said, “I like what’s going to happen for this group down the stretch.”
With a new identity, relentless pace, and a young roster eager to grow, Henderson County enters the season looking to defend its region title not as the favorite—but as a dangerous challenger.
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