Here’s the 2019 Lexington Herald-Leader All-State boys’ basketball team.
Three major awards, three unique winners.
It’s only fitting that the state’s loaded senior class produce another different Player of the Year: Trinity star David Johnson has been named Lexington Herald-Leader/Kentucky.com Player of the Year.
The race for the top spot was one of the tightest: Johnson edged University Heights Academy senior KyKy Tandy by just 17 points in votes tabulated across 77 ballots received. Johnson, this year’s Sweet Sixteen MVP after leading Trinity to its second state championship, has signed with the University of Louisville. Tandy is headed to Xavier University.
Scott County star Michael Moreno, who missed a good chunk of the season before leading the Cardinals to their second state finals, was named to the First Team for a third straight year.
Mr. Basketball winner and University of Kentucky signee Dontaie Allen, who played only 13 games after tearing an ACL and meniscus in December, was ranked fourth overall by the coaches. Lexington Christian Academy senior Kyle Rode, a Liberty University signee, was fifth overall. Madison Central standout Isaiah Cozart, this year’s Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year, gave the 11th Region three of the top six players.
Rounding out the First Team were Walton-Verona’s Dieonte Miles, Campbell County’s Reid Jolly, Clinton County’s Jackson Harlan and South Laurel’s JJ Ramey.
Scott County Coach Billy Hicks, who this season became the first Kentucky coach to reach 1,000 career wins, was named Coach of the Year. Jason Mays (Ashland Blazer), Jared McCurry (John Hardin), Aric Russell (Campbell County) and Mike Szabo (Trinity) were all named on multiple ballots.
2019 BOYS’ ALL-STATE BASKETBALL TEAM
(Players are listed in order of total votes, which were calculated via ballots received from 77 Kentucky boys’ basketball coaches. Most ballots were received before the state tournament, and all coaches in the state were eligible to vote. If available, clicking on a player’s name will take you to their Twitter account.)
FIRST TEAM
Player | School | Height | Class | Ppg | Comment |
| KyKy Tandy | University Heights Academy | 6-1 | Sr. | 26.0 | Led UHA to its first All “A” Classic title in 11 years |
| David Johnson | Trinity | 6-5 | Sr. | 16.2 | Like Allen and Moreno, also missed games due to leg injury |
| Michael Moreno | Scott County | 6-6 | Sr. | 14.8 | Helped Cardinals become first team to three-peat in 11th Region |
| Dontaie Allen | Pendleton County | 6-6 | Sr. | 42.9 | The first in-state player to sign with UK since the 2013 class |
| Kyle Rode | Lexington Christian Academy | 6-5 | Sr. | 23.2 | A significant part of the first three district titles in school history |
| Isaiah Cozart | Madison Central | 6-8 | Sr. | 20.0 | Ended his career with 714 blocks, a state record |
| Dieonte Miles | Walton-Verona | 6-10 | Sr. | 14.8 | Xavier signee led Bearcats to first Sweet Sixteen since the 1940s |
| Reid Jolly | Campbell County | 6-5 | Sr. | 22.5 | Sweet Sixteen star is also a standout on the football field |
| Jackson Harlan | Clinton County | 6-5 | Sr. | 23.9 | Impressed enough at a WKU team camp to earn a scholarship |
| JJ Ramey | South Laurel | 6-4 | Sr. | 17.6 | Will play for Kelly Wells at the University of Pikeville |
SECOND TEAM
Player | School | Height | Class | Ppg |
| Keaston Brown | Henry Clay | 6-1 | Sr. | 12.9 |
| Jackson Sivills | McCracken County | 6-6 | Jr. | 20.0 |
| Alex Matthews | John Hardin | 6-4 | Jr. | 17.5 |
| Kenny White | Madisonville | 6-8 | Jr. | 14.2 |
| Dayvion McKnight | Collins | 6-1 | Jr. | 17.0 |
| Korbin Spencer | Elliott County | 6-1 | Sr. | 28.8 |
| JJ Kalakon | Waggener | 6-4 | Sr. | 12.7 |
| Cody Potter | Shelby Valley | 6-4 | Jr. | 22.1 |
| Brayden Sebastian | Garrard County | 6-4 | Jr. | 27.2 |
| Marques Warrick | Henry Clay | 6-3 | Jr. | 21.1 |
THIRD TEAM
Player | School | Height | Class | Ppg |
| Jacob Hobbs | Central Hardin | 6-7 | Sr. | 18.8 |
| Trevon Smith | Taylor County | 6-2 | Sr. | 25.1 |
| Nick Thelen | Covington Catholic | 6-8 | Sr. | 13.5 |
| Jordan Graham | Clark County | 6-3 | Sr. | 11.9 |
| Kobe Poole | Breckinridge County | 5-9 | Sr. | 20.7 |
| Diablo Stewart | Scott County | 5-9 | Sr. | 14.7 |
| Scotty Draud | Beechwood | 6-5 | So. | 22.7 |
| Connor Guthrie | Mayfield | 6-3 | Sr. | 15.7 |
| Tyren Moore | Male | 5-11 | Jr. | 17.9 |
| Luke Morrison | South Oldham | 6-5 | Jr. | 25.4 |
HONORABLE MENTION
(The next 20 receiving votes, in order)
Logan Patterson, McLean County; Dakota Walden, Daviess County; Glenn Covington, Scott County; Jairus Bibb, Brown; Juanya Frank, Frankfort; Carter Baughman, Mercer County; Spencer Macke, Silver Grove; Troy Coomer, Gallatin County; Darrion Wimsatt, Owensboro; Noah Back, Perry County Central; Jalen Taulbee, Breathitt County; John Parker, Owensboro Catholic; Max Reyes, Casey County; Cameron Wilson, Valley; Connor Roberts, Pikeville; Trey Lewis, Ohio County; Kade Grundy, Somerset; Devaunte Robinson, Ashland Blazer; Tahj Harding, Newport; Jacob Rice, Johnson Central.
SCHOOLS THAT VOTED
Allen County-Scottsville, Bardstown, Belfry, Bell County, Boyle County, Breathitt County, Brown, Buckhorn, Butler, Campbell County, Campbellsville, Carlisle County, Central Hardin, Christian County, Clark County, Clinton County, Collegiate, Collins, Covington Catholic, Danville, Daviess County, Eastern, Fleming County, Franklin County, Fulton County, Gallatin County, Garrard County, Greenup County, Hazard, Henderson County, Henry Clay, Henry County, Iroquois, John Hardin, Johnson Central, Lexington Catholic, Lexington Christian Academy, Louisville Holy Cross, Madison Central, Madison Southern, Male, Marshall County, McCracken County, McLean County, Mercer County, Metcalfe County, Newport, Newport Central Catholic, North Hardin, Oldham County, Owensboro Catholic, Owen County, Paintsville, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Pendleton County, Perry County Central, Pikeville, Prestonsburg, Rowan County, Sayre, Shelby County, Shelby Valley, Sheldon Clark, Simon Kenton, Somerset, Southwestern, St. Henry, St. Xavier, Trinity, University Heights Academy, Villa Madonna, Waggener, Walton-Verona, Warren East, Western Hills, West Jessamine, Williamsburg, Wolfe County
This story was originally published March 20, 2019 at 10:51 AM.