The Tigers are getting hot at the right time.
As we get into the thick of the season, St. X Basketball is turning it up a notch. The Tigers have their best start to a season in the Kevin Klein era; he’s been the head coach since the 2008/2009 season.
Winning the school’s first LIT Championship since 1965, Coach Klein has done something that hasn’t been accomplished in nearly 60 years, but he also wants to do something that hasn’t been done since 1962.
“We have goals we want to accomplish at the end of the season, and we hope that this experience this week against great competition and great atmospheres will help us get to where we want to be in March,” Klein said in a Courier-Journal interview.
The only two losses on the season come from two out-of-state opponents, including a nine-point loss to Prolific Prep from California. Prolific Prep is home to both of the number one prospects in the 2025 and 2026 class. So, to say the least, they’re pretty good.
The Tigers will play the Rocks at Knights Hall on Jan. 26 in a rematch of the LIT Semifinals, where sophomore Chief Cameron hit the game winner to give the team a one-point win. Therefore, this is one of the most highly anticipated rematches in recent years.
St. X comes into this matchup with a 17-2 record, including eight straight wins, compared to Trinity’s 16-4 record on the year.
In games that end with of a margin of eight points or less, St. X is 5-0, while Trinity is 5-4.
Although there is a significant difference in the number of close games between schools, both teams are almost statistically identical on the season. Trinity has only a .2% better free throw percentage; St. X has a 51.2% field goal percentage, compared to Trinity’s 50.6%. Also, both teams have three players that average at least 10 points per game.
Because of this, one thing the Green and Gold can do to win is to set the tone early.
One thing that’s for sure is that when St. X can score and get hot, they catch on fire. Since Trinity lost in the LIT Semifinals to their biggest rival, they are not only going to be feisty, but they’ll be aggressive, matching the intensity. By setting the tone, whether that is by creating a jump ball or taking a charge, the Tigers can be set up for success. Keep the energy by not letting up on the accelerator, but pressing down on it. If St. X can continue to share the ball and set up quality shots, the tempo should be in the Tigers’ favor.
This one will be extremely competitive and should be decided by key moments throughout. So, in a tough and tight affair like this, expect the Tigers will give it their all.
