Category: News

Due to the quickly evolving situation with the COVID-19 Virus, last week the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation decided to postpone the 2020 Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony that was previously scheduled for Sunday, April 5th.  In efforts to ensure that our student athletes, coaches and administrators comply with the KHSAA sanctioned athletic dead period which extends through Sunday, April 12, we will reschedule the Awards Ceremony at the Griffin Gate Marriott in Lexington, KY for a later date.  We had hoped to announce the new date this week, however we believe that we need more time to make the best decision as to when to reschedule the event. Some determining factors include when students will be allowed to return to school, prom dates, graduation dates, etc.  We expect to learn more in the upcoming weeks that will allow us to select the best date available.

We thank you for your patience as we all go through this difficult and uncharted time in our state and our country due to this on-going challenge.  It is of great importance to us that we are able to host this event to provide a celebration of the multitude of accomplishments of our student athletes who have had a very unfortunate ending to their high school careers up to this point.

We will continue to monitor the situation and follow any guidelines and precautions recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Kentucky Public Health officials.  The health of our student athletes and their families, as well as our other attendees and our volunteers is our top priority.

Information will be shared with candidates, family members, coaches and school administrators as it becomes available.

Congratulations to the following Kentucky senior student athletes who have been selected as the 2020 Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball candidates as well as the Regional Players of the Year by the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches.

Miss Kentucky Basketball 

Region 1: Charlee Settle – Calloway County

Region 2: Emilee Hope – Henderson County

Region 3: Hannah McKay – Owensboro Catholic

Region 3: Kendall Wingler – Meade County

Region 4: Elizabeth Bertram – Barren County

Region 5: Whitney Hay – Elizabethtown

Region 6: Taziah Jenks – Mercy

Region 7: Erin Toller – Sacred Heart

Region 7: Shelby Calhoun – Christian Academy of Louisville

Region 8: Maggie Jones – Simon Kenton

Region 9: Maddie Scherr – Ryle

Region 10: Kennedy Igo – George Rogers Clark

Region 11: Malea Williams – Scott County

Region 12: Lauren Lee – Casey County

Region 13: Alley Collett – South Laurel

Region 13: Amerah Steele – South Laurel

Region 14: Lexy Meyers – Leslie County

Region 15: Katie Ball – Belfry

Region 16: Julia Parker – Ashland Blazer

 

Mr. Kentucky Basketball 

Region 1: Jackson Sivills – McCracken County

Region 2: Kenny White – Madisonville North Hopkins

Region 3: Kaeveon Mitchell – Breckinridge County

Region 4: Dre Boyd – Warren Central

Region 5: Alex Matthews – John Hardin

Region 5: JJ Traynor – Bardstown

Region 6: Trey Minter – Butler

Region 7: Tyren Moore – Male

Region 8: Dayvion McKnight – Collins

Region 9: Grant Disken – Covington Catholic

Region 10: Amirion Joyce – Bourbon County

Region 11: Marques Warrick – Henry Clay

Region 12: Brayden Sebastian – Garrard County

Region 13: Matt Cromer – South Laurel

Region 14: Joe Benton – Estill County

Region 15: Cody Potter – Shelby Valley

Region 16: Sam O’Keefe – Lewis County

 

 

The Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation will host the 9^th Annual Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony on Sunday, April 5, 2020 at the Griffin Gate Marriott in Lexington, KY.  Previously, this event was held the Tuesday prior to the Boys Sweet Sixteen tournament at the Lexington Center.  Due to the construction currently taking place at the Lexington Center along with scheduling conflicts, leaders at the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation consulted with leadership at the Kentucky High School Athletics Association and Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches who agreed that changing the date and location for the 2020 and 2021 events will ensure that proper space is available for this prestigious event.  The 2021 event will be held the evening of Sunday, March 14, 2021.

While the date and location of the Awards Ceremony is changing, the focus of the event will remain to celebrate the achievements of the top high school basketball players in the state of Kentucky as well as to raise support and awareness of the mission of the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation.  To celebrate the athletes, the special evening will include a dinner, silent auction, presentation of various awards, and the announcement of Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball.

“After conferring with several groups and individuals, the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation has decided to move the Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony to the Marriott due to numerous factors.  We are confident that the Griffin Gate Marriott is the best location for the event these next two years.  We look forward to using their newly renovated space to honor some of the greatest student athletes from across the state and to showcase the meaningful work of our Foundation,” said Lindy Lamkin, Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation Executive Director.

As part of the continuing partnership between the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation (KLEF) and the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches (KABC), the nominations for the 2020 Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball candidates / Regional Players of the Year will be sent out to Kentucky high school basketball coaches and select members of Kentucky media in December 2019.

All sports fans and those interested in supporting this great event and the athletes that will be celebrated are invited to attend the 2020 Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony.  Tickets will be available soon at http://www.mrandmisskybasketball.com or by calling 800-232-5308.  The 9^th 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.  The Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation provides vision services through education, detection, prevention, treatment and empowerment.  Each year, more than 40,000 Kentuckians are impacted by the services provided by KLEF.   For more information, please contact KLEF at 502-583-0564 or go to http://www.kylionseye.org.