2024 Kentucky Miss Basketball finalists announced. See all 19 players.
Frederick Douglass forward Ayanna Darrington was among 19 Kentucky girls high school basketball seniors who earned region player of the year honors Friday, and with it a nomination for the sport’s highest individual honor, 2024 Miss Kentucky Basketball.
Darrington, a 6-foot-2 forward signed with Central Michigan, averages a double-double with 15.3 points and 11.1 rebounds per game for the No. 12 Broncos, the defending 11th Region champions.
This year’s vote for Miss Basketball could be a close one with no clear front-runner among those eligible. Players like Darrington, Pikeville’s Trinity Rowe, Russell’s Shaelyn Steele, McCracken County’s Claire Johnson and Sacred Heart’s Reagan Bender have been part of region championship teams that have all made it to the Girls’ Sweet 16 over the years. Bender has been part of Sacred Heart’s three straight state championships.
Also notable among the nominees is Covington Holy Cross’s Julia Hunt, who was named Ms. Kentucky Volleyball last fall and will continue her athletic career in that sport for the University of Washington.
The girls and boys region players of the year were announced Friday morning by the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation via its social media channels, including Facebook. In conjunction with the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches, the KLEF conducts a survey each year of coaches and media for the region player of the year awards in advance of a separate vote over the next several days for Mr. and Miss Basketball.
Miss and Mr. Basketball and other honors will be announced at the 13th annual Mr. and Miss Kentucky Basketball Awards Ceremony on March 17 at the Griffin Gate Marriott in Lexington.
Miss Basketball finalists
The 2024 KABC region players of the year with school, height, position, this season’s points per game through Wednesday and (college choice).
1st Region: Claire Johnson, McCracken County, 5-9 guard, 23.2 points (Samford).
2nd Region: Shiyah Forte, Hopkinsville, 6-0 guard, 14.1 points (Southwest Michigan College).
3rd Region: Hailee Johnson, Owensboro Catholic, 5-9 guard, 15.8 points (Undecided).
4th Region: Abigail Varney, Barren County, 5-8 guard, 17.7 points (Undecided).
5th Region: Dea Bradley, Hart County, 5-5 guard, 29.0 points (Campbellsville).
6th Region: Mariah Knight, Butler, 5-7 guard, 15.3 points (Jacksonville); Ramiya White, Butler, 6-5 forward, 11.1 points (Kentucky).
7th Region: Reagan Bender, Sacred Heart, 5-10 guard, 13.2 points (Undecided); Destiny Jones, Louisville Central, 5-9 forward, 23.5 points (West Georgia).
8th Region: Ella Morrison, South Oldham, 5-8 guard, 17.3 points (Undecided).
9th Region: Quinn Eubank, Ryle, 6-0 guard, 16.4 points (Belmont); Julia Hunt, Covington Holy Cross, 6-2 center, 13.8 points (Washington volleyball).
10th Region: Hayden Barrier, Montgomery County, 5-7 guard, 19.4 points (Youngstown State).
11th Region: Ayanna Darrington, Frederick Douglass, 6-2 forward, 15.3 points (Central Michigan).
12th Region: Anna Drakeford, Mercer County, 5-8 guard, 25.9 points (Thomas More).
13th Region: Ella Karst, Harlan County, 5-4 guard, 28.2 points (Virginia-Wise).
14th Region: Carly Smith, Owsley County, 5-6 guard, 16.3 points (Undecided).
15th Region: Trinity Rowe, Pikeville, 5-5 guard, 16.8 points (Southern Mississippi).
16th Region: Shaelyn Steele, Russell, 5-6 guard, 21.8 points (Penn State).
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