CROSSING CHRISTIAN KNIGHTS
Head Coach: RENZI STONE
2024-2025 Record: 27-4
The Crossings Christian Knights enter this season with championship expectations and a veteran roster hungry to finish what they started. After a 27–4 campaign and a trip to last year’s 4A state title game, the Knights begin a new chapter under first-year head coach Renzi Stone. With a deep returning core, key transfers, and a motivated group of underclassmen, this team is built to contend once again.
Leading the way is senior guard Braden Buckingham, one of the state’s top returning players after a standout junior season. Buckingham averaged 14 points, four rebounds, and two assists while shooting 41 percent from three, and he elevated his play during the state tournament with 54 total points and a blistering 47 percent clip from beyond the arc. A gritty defender, high-IQ playmaker, and elite shooter, he embodies the competitiveness and poise the Knights will lean on.
Senior Rylen Sikes provides a dynamic two-way presence after earning GMAC First Team honors a year ago. His efficiency, 52 percent shooting, 10 points per game, six rebounds, and two steals make him one of the most versatile guards in the conference. Fellow seniors Drake Manuel and Jackson Stone bring toughness and leadership, with Stone serving as a cultural anchor who has led the program in charges taken every season.
The junior class gives Crossings depth, experience, and balance. Braxton Veatch, Wyatt Dalton, and Luke Dubbell return with valuable varsity minutes and an understanding of the team’s identity. Incoming junior transfers Bo Barber and Drew Eckel have quickly made their mark, adding length, competitiveness, and the ability to contribute immediately at both ends.
Sophomores Beckett Buckingham and Slade Black gained meaningful varsity minutes as freshmen during last year’s postseason run, and both are poised for significant growth. Buckingham’s shot-making and feel for the game pair well with Black’s explosiveness and high-energy style.
Rounded out by the guidance of returning assistants Brandon Troutman and Devin Catlin, along with new assistant coach Dillion Coplin, the Knights have the structure, talent, and motivation to chase another deep postseason run. With veteran leadership and a renewed hunger, Crossings Christian steps into the season fully expecting to contend for a championship once again.
