This week’s UK Healthcare/KHSAA Sweet 16 will feature some of the top boys basketball backcourts in Kentucky, but Evangel Christian coach Larry Miller believes he has the winning pair.

“I think I have the best,” Miller said.

Seniors Kyran Tilley and Christian Doerr both left big public school programs in Louisville early in their careers and have helped turn Evangel Christian into a state title contender.

The No. 9-ranked Eagles (29-6) won their first Sixth Region championship last week and will open Sweet 16 play at 1:30 p.m. Thursday against Butler County (23-8) at Rupp Arena.

“Definitely high emotions for me and the team,” Tilley said. “Everyone’s pumped up, and we’re ready to go.”

A 6-foot-2 point guard, Tilley leads the Eagles in scoring (17.8 ppg) and 3-pointers (73 of 195, 37.4%).

Tilley played two seasons at Male before transferring to Evangel Christian before the 2021-22 season. He’s in his third season at Evangel after taking advantage of Kentucky legislation that allowed high school athletes to take a supplemental year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tilley said he “for sure” made the right choice to transfer to Evangel.

“I just felt I needed to go somewhere else and try something different,” Tilley said. “It was a very big leap of faith. Coming from a powerhouse like Male, everyone said it was a stupid decision. Sometimes you have to take the risk.”

A 6-3 guard, Doerr ranks second on the team in scoring (17.3 ppg) and first in field-goal shooting at 56.6%. He shoots far fewer 3-pointers than Tilley but excels at getting to the rim.

“Christian is probably the better defender and better passer,” Miller said of his two guards. “Kyran is probably better at the midrange game and is a better dribbler.”

Doerr played two seasons at Manual and then transferred to Evangel prior to last season, not knowing he’d ultimately be able to play his first season there.

“I love everybody over there (at Manual) still, but I just don’t think it was a good fit for me,” Doerr said. “I decided I was going to leave and go to Evangel no matter what, even if I had to sit out last year. I was fine with that.”

“I just needed to focus on myself and get closer to God. I just felt like I made the right move. Luckily, I got cleared.”

Miller said Tilley and Doerr both have the talent to play at the NCAA Division I level, but scholarship offers have been hard to come by.

Tilley is considering offers from Georgetown College and Lindsey Wilson, and Doerr has an offer from Morehead State. Both are hoping to impress coaches at the Sweet 16 this week.

Miller said he sent film on both players to nearly 100 schools last summer.

“You just can’t get Division I schools to call back now,” Miller said. “It’s so different than it’s been in the past because of the (transfer) portal. And the COVID year, I think, is a factor.”

Tilley and Doerr comprise one of the many stellar backcourts in this year’s Sweet 16, joining Lyon County’s Travis Perry and Jack Reddick, Harlan County’s Trent Noah and Maddox Huff and Great Crossing’s Junius Burrell and Vince Dawson, among others.

Tilley and Doerr may not have the name recognition as some of those others, but they’re ready to prove they belong on the state’s biggest stage.

“Most people who play similar, it kind of clashes into each other,” Doerr said. “But we just feed off each other. It’s hard to stop both of us.”

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Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Follow on X @kyhighs.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA Sweet 16: Evangel boasts a top backcourt in Kentucky basketball