2017 Lexington Herald-Leader All-State boys’ basketball team

He had to fend off a late challenge from a rising star, but much as he did so many times over his high school career, Taveion Hollingsworth finished on top.

Hollingsworth, this year’s Mr. Basketball and a Western Kentucky University signee, led all vote-getters in this year’s All-State balloting. The Paul Laurence Dunbar standout finished with 679 points overall based on 80 ballots returned to the Herald-Leader.

Scott’s Jake Ohmer, who will join Hollingsworth in WKU’s backcourt next season after leaving a positive impression on Hilltoppers Coach Rick Stansbury at the Sweet Sixteen, finished with 600 points. No players received more votes than the Bowling Green-bound pair; Hollingsworth was named to all but one ballot while Ohmer was left off four.

Terry Taylor, who was honored as the Sweet Sixteen MVP after leading Bowling Green to its first state championship this season, finished third in the voting. Teammate Zion Harmon, a prolific eighth-grader who was the youngest to ever play on Nike’s EYBL Circuit, was named to the third team.

North Laurel’s Peyton Broughton and Lawrence County’s Tim Dalton finished fourth and fifth in the voting, respectively. Both seniors finished their careers as 3,000-pointer scorers, with Dalton finishing 15th overall on the state’s all-time list (3,209) and Broughton at 22nd (3,141). Bracken County’s Austin Crawford, a third-team member, ended his career as the state’s 16th-leading scorer (3,192).

Michael Moreno, a Scott County sophomore, was the only underclassman voted to the first team. It was a massive leap in recognition for Moreno, who didn’t receive a single All-State vote as a freshman.

Tavin Lovan (Franklin-Simpson), Sean McNeil (Cooper), Torell Carter (Letcher County Central) and Pedro Bradshaw (Russellville) rounded out the coaches’ first-team choices. Lovan was a third-team selection last year, while McNeil and Carter both made the honorable mention list in 2016. Bradshaw had never received an All-State vote before this season.

Lexington Catholic’s Luke Johnson was named to the second team one year after earning an honorable mention. He led the Knights to the 11th Region finals this season, their second appearance in the last three seasons.

Sayre star Jake Duby made the third team, rounding out the Lexingtonians who landed in the top 30. The senior ended his career as the school’s leading scorer and led the Spartans to their first 11th Region Tournament win since 1998 and to a school-record 23 wins this season.

Mercer County junior Trevon Faulkner was one of seven underclassmen named to the All-State teams. He finished as a second-teamer for the second straight season after leading the Titans back to the 12th Region finals one season after the program graduated six impact seniors. Faulkner was joined by fellow junior Andrew Taylor (Corbin) on the second team. Juniors Adam Kunkel (Cooper) and Steven Fitzgerald (Pulaski County) each made the third team.

Dontaie Allen was the only sophomore aside from Moreno who finished among the top-30 vote-getters. The Pendleton County standout, whose unofficial visits have included UK, Xavier and WKU, was named to the second team.

Tim Sullivan, who’s coached Cooper since the school opened and led the school to its first Sweet Sixteen appearance this season, won Coach of the Year honors. He received 24 votes while Bowling Green Coach DG Sherrill finished with 16. Scott Coach Steve Fromeyer was the only other double-digit vote-getter with 10.

Other coaches who received multiple votes were: James Schooler (Fern Creek, 5), Greg Adkins (Elliott County, 4), Rob Goodman (Sayre, 4) Billy Hicks (Scott County, 4), Terrence Brooks (Paris, 2), Shannon Hoskins (Perry County Central, 2), Michael Jones (Harlan County, 2), Kurt Young (Mercer County, 2). Benny Blanton (Rockcastle County), Jeff Breeze (Adair County), Chris Gaither (Collins), Elisha Justice (Pikeville) and Chris Renner (Ballard) each received one vote.

This story was originally published March 25, 2017 at 5:55 PM with the headline "2017 Lexington Herald-Leader All-State boys’ basketball team."