8th grader Pierre Rondo dazzles as North Oldham advances past Lyon County in state tournament

Pierre Rondo might be an eighth grader, but his game is on a higher level.

Behind an impressive performance in his Sweet 16 debut, Rondo led the No. 3 North Oldham Mustangs (26-5) to a 74-61 win over the No. 15 Lyon County Lyons (29-7) in the first round of the state tournament on Thursday night in Rupp Arena. The son of former Kentucky player and multi-time NBA All-Star Rajon Rondo, Pierre looked like his dad against the Lyons — with a little extra flair, too.

The younger Rondo dropped 25 points, seven assists, and four rebounds on 9-12 shooting, including a 4-6 clip from deep. Serving as the Mustangs’ floor general, he bobbed and weaved his way through Lyon County’s second-half press, mixing in tough layups with outside shots. Despite being the youngest varsity player on his team, he looked like a veteran from start to finish.

“I don’t think there was any nerves,” Rondo said postgame about playing on this stage. “I’ve been in big games all my life, so I feel like this was just another step in the right direction.”

Pierre Rondo Jr. GOES OFF for #3 North Oldham!

25 PTS – 7 AST – 75% FG – 4 3PM

Mustangs cruise past #15 Lyon Co 74-61 pic.twitter.com/VGaXRmBHK9

— SterlingVision (@sterlingvis1) March 19, 2026

North Oldham got after it early and often. The Mustangs opened the game making four of their first five three-pointers to break out a 16-6 lead. That advantage grew to a dozen later in the first quarter as the hot shooting continued. By halftime, North Oldham was already up by 15 and was clicking on all cylinders offensively. Rondo had 19 of his points through two quarters as the Mustangs were shooting 9-14 from distance at the break.

“He doesn’t play like an eighth grader. He plays like a senior in high school,” Lyon County head coach Ryan Perry said of Rondo. “…Pierre is a special talent. He’s got the skillset to be elite, but he’s already got a very, very high IQ.

“Hats off to the kid. He’s a really, really good player. I think the sky’s the limit for the kid. I’m a fan. I think he’s doing it the right way, and I think he’s gonna be special.”

Lyon County switched up its defense after the intermission, Perry employing a full-court pressure that gave North Oldham plenty of issues. After just two turnovers in the first half, the Mustangs coughed the ball up 13 times in the second. The Lyons turned those 15 total turnovers into 14 points the other way, but couldn’t fully capitalize on the mistakes. Shooting just 4-20 from long range (0-12 in the second half) and losing the rebounding battle by 10 proved costly in the end.

“We got beat on the boards 32-22 tonight, and that’s probably the first time all season that’s happened,” Perry said.

North Oldham was content burning the clock early in the third quarter before both sides entered into a fastbreak contest to close out the frame. Even with Lyon County’s constant pressure, the Mustangs managed it well enough to go up by 17 heading into the final quarter. Lyon County trailed for the entirety of the game.

Rondo didn’t do it all by himself, either. He was aided by 17 points and five rebounds from junior Oakland Shearer, along with 12 points, seven rebounds, and six blocks from senior Colin Daniels. North Oldham led by as many as 20 points in the second half before cruising down the stretch. The Mustangs return to action for Friday night’s quarterfinals (6:00 p.m. ET) against No. 7 Louisville Butler.

Lyon County’s season came to a close with two players finishing in double-figures. Senior Bray Kirk went for 17 points and five assists while junior Nolan Coffman added 21 points, six rebounds, and four assists. The Lyons won their first All “A” Classic in school history earlier this season.

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