Author: mrandmisskybasketball

Congratulations to the following Kentucky senior student athletes who have been selected as the 2019 Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball candidates.

Miss Kentucky Basketball 

Region 1: Elizabeth Curtis – Murray

Region 2: Karlie Keeney– Webster County

Region 3: Kayla Young – Breckinridge County

Region 4: Sarah Sutton – Allen County – Scottsville

Region 5: Maddie Wood – Marion County

Region 6: Emma Ralph – Bullitt East

Region 7: Nila Blackford – DuPont Manual

Region 8: Jaclynn Ruble – Anderson Co.

Region 9: Zoie Barth – Highlands

Region 9: Lauren Schwartz – Ryle

Region 10: Madison Kellione – Harrison County

Region 11: Maaliya Owens – Scott County

Region 12: Emma King – Lincoln County

Region 13: Raegan Hubbard – North Laurel

Region 14: Jada Higgins – Knott County Central

Region 15: Anna Keeton – Paintsville

Region 16: Savannah Wheeler – Boyd County

 

Mr. Kentucky Basketball 

Region 1: Conner Guthrie – Mayfield

Region 2: Dekeyvan “Kyky” Tandy – University Heights

Region 3: Kobe Poole – Breckinridge County

Region 4: Jackson Harlan – Clinton County

Region 5: Trevon Smith – Taylor County

Region 6: Blake Butler – Jeffersontown

Region 7: David Johnson – Trinity (Louisville)

Region 8: Dieonte Miles – Walton Verona

Region 9: Tahj Harding – Newport

Region 10: Dontaie Allen – Pendleton County

Region 11: Isaiah Cozart – Madison Central

Region 11: Michael Moreno – Scott County

Region 11: Kyle Rode – Lexington Christian Academy

Region 12: Carter Baughman – Mercer County

Region 13: JJ Ramey – South Laurel

Region 14: Noah Back – Perry County Central

Region 15: Brady Whitaker – Magoffin County

Region 16: Korbin Spencer – Elliott County

 

The Sixth Annual Wallace “Wah Wah” Jones Award will be presented to Kilian Ledford from Harlan Independent High School during the 2019 Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony on March 5th in the Bluegrass Ballroom of the Lexington Center in Lexington, KY starting at 5 PM.

Eighteen nominees were submitted from across the state to the Jones family for this prestigious award for senior multi-sport athletes who excel equally in their classroom and contribute greatly to their community. “This decision is never easy. All of the nominees were very deserving and I’m very impressed with this group of young men that were nominated,” said Wallace “Wah” Jones, Jr.

Kilian Ledford, a senior at Harlan Independent High School, has played basketball, baseball, football and ran track during his high school career, while maintaining an impressive 4.0 GPA.  Ledford’s remarkable career includes a tremendous come back after breaking his wrist during a football game his junior year.  Kilian continued the football season and started basketball season with a broken left wrist until surgery was scheduled and in that time made his 1,000^th point on the basketball court.  “He is a four-sport athlete, a Governor’s Scholar, a MathCounts scholarship winner and a student who possesses outstanding character wherever he is placed,” said Ledford’s track coach Tara Posey.  “There have been times when I’ve pushed him out of his comfort zone and asked him to run a middle distance race when he is a sprinter. Just as I suspected, he rose to the challenge and posted a time, in that unfamiliar distance, that shot him to third in our region.”

Ledford said that through his injury and the training required to come back he has learned to persevere in the face of adversity by keeping a strong mindset and trusting the greater plan of those around him.  He has also found that he wants to pursue a career in the sports medicine field particularly in physical therapy.

Wallace “Wah Wah” Jones, Sr. was a two-sport All-American at the University of Kentucky, playing for legendary coaches Adolph Rupp and Bear Bryant, winning two national championships and an NIT. Jones is the only player at the University of Kentucky to have his jerseys retired in both sports. In addition to basketball and football, Jones was a pitcher with the Wildcats and a member of the UK track and field team. He won a gold medal in the 1948 Summer Olympics with Rupp’s “Fabulous Five” and the Phillip 66ers. After college Jones went on to play in the National Basketball Association with the Indianapolis Olympians. During his tremendous athletic career Jones was the image of sportsmanship and is respected throughout the world.

All sports fans are welcome to attend the 2019 Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony. Tickets are on sale now at http://www.mrandmisskybasketball.com or by calling 800-232-5308. General admission tickets are $15 and VIP tickets which include dinner are $65. For questions or to purchase a table (seats 10) call KLEF directly at 502-583-0564 or 800-232-5308.

The 8th annual Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Award Ceremony serves as a fundraiser for the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation, who has announced Mr. Kentucky Basketball since 1954 and Miss Kentucky Basketball since 1976. KLEF’s mission is to prevent and cure blindness. For more information contact KLEF at 502-583-0564 or go to http://www.kylionseye.org.

The Fifth Annual  Donna Murphy Award will be presented to Maaliya Owens of Scott County High School during the 2019 Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony on March 5th in the Bluegrass Ballroom of the Lexington Center in Lexington, KY starting at 5 PM.

Nominations were submitted from across the state for this prestigious award which honors a standout female senior basketball player who exemplifies the meaning of being a great student athlete.  “This year all of the nominees were very admirable and it was a very difficult decision but Maaliya is a stand out player and person on and off the court and she definitely deserves to be recognized,” said Donna Murphy.

Maaliya Owens, a senior at Scott County High School, has played varsity basketball for six years, is a part of the 2,000+ point club at Scott County and holds a 3.9 GPA.  She is a member of Beta Club, Key Club, National Honor Society and a student representative on the principal advisory council.  Maaliya has a basketball scholarship to Tennessee Tech University in the fall.

While constantly focused on bettering herself on the court, Maaliya also takes time to volunteer and participates in several service projects.  “As an aspiring orthodontist who has played varsity since 8th grade I’ve learned that strong commitment to discipline is required to succeed,” said Owens.  “Basketball has taught me many important life skills including the importance of being goal-focused and the ability to handle adversity on and off the court.  As a result, I’m better prepared for college and my career.”

Donna L.J. Murphy played basketball at Newport High School from 1972-76 and went on to become an All-American.  During her senior year she was named Kentucky’s first Miss Basketball in 1976, averaging 35 points and 20 rebounds.  She was awarded the Ted Sanford Award for being named the MVP of the 1975 Kentucky state tournament after she scored 67 points and grabbed 50 rebounds in two games.

More than a great high school basketball player, Murphy was also the State AA high jump champion in 1974 and named All-region in volleyball before graduating fifth in her class. As a highly recruited student-athlete, she chose to attend Morehead State University and graduated magna cum laude twice, with a BA in Communications/ Journalism with Teacher Certification, and a MHE in Counseling.

Murphy remains a highly decorated high school and college student-athlete and a member of eleven Hall of Fames, including the Kentucky Basketball Hall of Fame. Murphy was also the first female student-athlete to have her jersey retired at Morehead State University and Newport High School. She was the first forward drafted in the Women’s Professional Basketball League in 1980 and went on to play for the St. Louis Streak.  After her playing career she transitioned to coaching. She has held coaching positions at the collegiate level and also coached Pro-Am, high school, middle school, AAU and Exposure basketball. Murphy is currently a Professor at Bluegrass Community and Technical College and oversees the Diversity Outreach Services and Intramural Sports. In her free time she is a basketball skills trainer.

All sports fans are welcome to attend the 2019 Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony. Tickets are on sale now at http://www.mrandmisskybasketball.com or by calling 800-232-5308. General admission tickets are $15 and VIP tickets which include dinner are $65.  For questions or to purchase a table (seats 10) call KLEF directly at 502-583-0564 or 800-232-5308.

The 8th annual Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Award Ceremony serves as a fundraiser for the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation, who has announced Mr. Kentucky Basketball since 1954 and Miss Kentucky Basketball since 1976.  KLEF’s mission is to prevent and cure blindness.  For more information contact KLEF at 502-583-0564 or go to www.kylionseye.org.