A nonprofit publication of the Kentucky Center for Public Service Journalism

Prep Sports Notebook: High-scoring guard named 9th Region Player of the Year by boys coaches


By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter

Highlands junior guard Sam Vinson, the leading scorer in Northern Kentucky high school basketball this season, was voted 9th Region Player of the Year by local coaches.

Vinson scored 791 points in 32 games for a 24.7 average that ranked No. 9 in that state. He also pulled down 8.7 rebounds per game for his Highlands team that made it to the 9th Region final for the first time since 2001 and finished with a 28-4 record.

Sam Vinson

Last year, Vinson averaged 9.6 points and 2.8 rebounds in his first season as a varsity starter for the Bluebirds.

“He’s a tireless worker and the accolades that come to him are entirely deserved,” said Highlands coach Kevin Listerman. “He’s just relentless in the pursuit of becoming the absolute best player he can become.”

In his team’s three regional tournament games, Vinson had 80 points and 30 rebounds. He made all 12 of his free throw attempts in the championship game and ended up shooting 80.2 percent (206 of 257) from line. He also made 52.9 percent (270 of 510) of his field goals this season.

Dave Faust of St. Henry was voted 9th Region Coach of the Year by his counterparts. His team won the Kentucky All “A” Classic state championship and made it to the semifinals of the 9th Region post-season playoffs.

St. Henry finished the season with a 25-5 record. Faust has compiled a 419-360 record in 28 seasons as the Crusaders’ head coach.

Faust and Vinson were supposed to receive their awards at the Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Association post-season banquet on Sunday, but it was called off amid concerns over the coronavirus outbreak.

Basketball officials present college scholarship money to seniors

Ninth Region high school basketball officials selected Abby Mahan of Ludlow and Jared Hicks of Conner to receive $1,500 from the Ray Gabbard Memorial Scholarship Fund to be used toward their college education.

The two senior guards received their checks during the boys and girls 9th Region tournaments. Both of them were also named to region all-tournament teams.

Mahan, who scored 1,517 points during her high school career, was recruited by Thomas More University. Hicks, a two-sport standout, will be playing football for Georgetown College. Both of them are among the top students in their senior class.

Ray Gabbard was a long-time member of the 9th Region Basketball Officials Association. A golf outing is held each year to raise money for the scholarship fund named in his honor. The 2020 golf outing is scheduled for Sept. 19 at Devou Park.

Campbell County graduate finishes basketball career at West Point

Campbell County graduate Matt Wilson ended his college basketball career at West Point Academy with 15 points and 15 rebounds in a 73-68 loss to Lafayette in the quarterfinals of the Patriot League tournament last Thursday.

The 6-foot-9 senior was a force in the low block during his final campaign with the Black Knights (15-15). He averaged 16.4 points and 8.3 rebounds per game while leading the team in field goal percentage (62.1).

Wilson, an All-Patriot League second-team selection, is the second Army basketball player to surpass 1,500 points and 800 rebounds in his career. His final totals were 1,587 points and 852 rebounds in 124 games, including 89 games as a starter. He shot 60.9 percent from the field overall.


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