‘It takes a lot of people to win this.’ Travis Perry, Trinity Rowe are Mr. and Miss Basketball
Lyon County’s Travis Perry, Kentucky boys high school basketball’s all-time leading scorer and a University of Kentucky signee, has been named 2024’s Mr. Basketball, while Pikeville’s Trinity Rowe earned Miss Basketball honors at an awards ceremony Sunday evening.
Perry, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard who has helped lead Lyon County to three consecutive 2nd Region titles, is the 21st future UK player to earn boys high school basketball’s highest individual honor and second in a row, following Reed Sheppard’s win last year.
“It’s a huge honor for anybody to win it and I’m just very thankful, very humbled,” Perry said. “It’s not a one person job … I know for myself I didn’t do it on my own, and she (Rowe) didn’t do it on her own. It’s a lot of people that it takes to win this award, and so I’m very grateful.”
In his senior year, Perry is averaging 29.5 points per game and leads the state in 3-point goals made per game with an average of 4.9 as he heads to this week’s UK HealthCare Boys’ Sweet 16 state basketball tournament in Rupp Arena.
Rowe, a 5-foot-5 point guard signed with Southern Mississippi who has been a varsity starter since seventh grade, helped lead Pikeville to five 15th Region titles in six years, including this season’s crown.
“It’s an unbelievable feeling for me personally,” Rowe said. “Just growing up in Kentucky. This is just the biggest accomplishment. It’s amazing.”
As a senior, Rowe led the Panthers with 16.2 points per game and was among the state’s best 3-point shooters at a 40.3%. She topped 2,300 career points and had more than 1,000 career assists, which rank among her numerous school records.
Perry, also a varsity starter since seventh grade, surpassed Wayland legend “King” Kelly Coleman’s career record of 4,337 points at last year’s Boys’ Sweet 16 and heads into this week’s state tournament with 5,393 career points. Coleman was Kentucky’s first Mr. Basketball when the award originated in 1956.
“It’s such an amazing award. It’s all the players in Kentucky and it has such a legacy behind it,” Perry said.
When his career ends this week, Perry also will hold all-time boys high school career records for field goals made and attempted (currently 1,888 and 3,809), 3-pointers made and attempted (698 and 1,710) and free throws made and attempted (919 and 1,121).
Those accomplishments made Perry a hands-down favorite for Mr. Basketball among 19 boys player of the year honorees. Among the 19 girls honorees, the race for Miss Basketball felt more uncertain.
“Just knowing I played with and against almost all of the candidates, I was like, ‘It’s going to be tough (to win) in my opinion,” Rowe said. “It could have gone multiple different ways. I’m extremely thankful that it went mine.”
The Mr. and Miss Basketball awards were among several honors sponsored and conducted by the Kentucky Lions Eye Foundation in conjunction with the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches. The KLEF is a charitable non-profit organization whose mission is to provide vision services to those in need. The awards were presented at a ceremony and fundraiser Sunday evening at Lexington’s Marriott Griffin Gate Resort.
The Mr. and Miss Basketball awards are reserved for seniors and they are chosen from a previously announced list of KABC boys and girls region players of the year.
OTHER AWARDS
Ralph Beard Lifetime Achievement Award: Scott Hundley, 2000 Mr. Kentucky Basketball from Scott County.
Founders Coaching Award: Tim Davis, 2008 boys Kentucky All-Star coach and longtime Marion County coach.
Kentucky All-Star Hall of Fame Inductees: Karen Hayse, Member of Ky. All-Star Planning Committee (2008-2017), Kentucky Lions Eye; Derek Smith, 1999 Kentucky All-Star, Highlands..
Donna L.J. Murphy Award (for “great” female student athlete): Laken Williams, Martin County.
Wallace C. “Wah Wah” Jones Award (for multi-sport athlete): Brady Hussey, Covington Catholic.
William “Mr. Wildcat” Bill Keightley Award (for team manager): Garrett Stearns, Madison Central.
2024 KABC BOYS REGION PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
1st Region: Connor Miller, McCracken County; 2nd Region: Travis Perry, Lyon County; 3rd Region: Elijah Decker, Ohio County; 4th Region: Mason Ritter, Bowling Green; Kade Unseld, Warren Central; 5th Region: Brett Decker, Central Hardin; Ayden Evans, Elizabethtown; 6th Region: Dayton Williams, Butler; 7th Region: Quel’Ron House, Seneca; 8th Region: Max Green, Oldham County; 9th Region: Caden Miller, Covington Catholic; Nathan Vinson, Highlands; 10th Region: Kylan Hinson, Augusta; 11th Region: Tyler Doyle, Lexington Catholic; 12th Region: Ben Godby, Somerset; 13th Region: Trent Noah, Harlan County; 14th Region: Peyton Dixon, Letcher County Central; 15th Region: Aden Barnett, Magoffin County; 16th Region: Adam Hargett, Fleming County.
2024 KABC GIRLS REGION PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
1st Region: Claire Johnson, McCracken County; 2nd Region: Shiyah Forte, Hopkinsville; 3rd Region: Hailee Johnson, Owensboro Catholic; 4th Region: Abigail Varney, Barren County; 5th Region: Dea Bradley, Hart County; 6th Region: Mariah Knight, Butler; Ramiya White, Butler; 7th Region: Reagan Bender, Sacred Hear; Destiny Jones, Louisville Central; 8th Region: Ella Morrison, South Oldham; 9th Region: Quinn Eubank, Ryle; Julia Hunt, Covington Holy Cross; 10th Region: Hayden Barrier, Montgomery County; 11th Region: Ayanna Darrington, Frederick Douglass; 12th Region: Anna Drakeford, Mercer County; 13th Region: Ella Karst, Harlan County, 5-4 guard; 14th Region: Carly Smith, Owsley County; 15th Region: Trinity Rowe, Pikeville, 5-5 guard; 16th Region: Shaelyn Steele, Russell, 5-6 guard, 21.8 points (Penn State).
Past Mr. and Miss Basketball winners
MR. BASKETBALL:
2023: Reed Sheppard (North Laurel)
2022: Turner Buttry (Bowling Green)
2021: Ben Johnson (Lexington Catholic)
2020: Dayvion McKnight (Collins)
2019: Dontaie Allen (Pendleton Co. )
2018: Trevon Faulkner (Mercer Co. )
2017: Taveion Hollingsworth (Paul Laurence Dunbar)
2016: Carson Williams (Owen Co. )
2015: Camron Justice (Knott Co. Central)
2014: Quentin Snider (Ballard)
2013: Dominique Hawkins (Madison Central)
2012: Nathan Dieudonne (Trinity)
2011: Anthony Hickey (Christian Co.)
2010: Elisha Justice (Shelby Valley)
2009: Jon Hood (Madisonville)
2008: Darius Miller (Mason Co.)
2007: Steffphon Pettigrew (Elizabethtown)
2006: Walt Allen (South Laurel)
2005: Domonic Tilford (Jeffersontown)
2004: Chris Lofton (Mason Co.)
2003: Ross Neltner (Highlands)
2002: Brandon Stockton (Glasgow)
2001: Josh Carrier (Bowling Green)
2000: Scott Hundley (Scott Co.)
1999: Rick Jones (Scott Co.)
1998: J.R. VanHoose (Paintsville)
1997: Brandon Davenport (Owensboro)
1996: Daymeon Fishback (Greenwood)
1995: Charles Thomas (Harlan)
1994: Elton Scott (Marion Co.)
1993: Jason Osborne (Male)
1992: Tick Rogers (Hart Co.)
1991: Jermaine Brown (Fairdale)
1990: Dwayne Morton (Central)
1989: Allan Houston (Ballard)
1988: Richie Farmer (Clay Co.)
1987: John Pelphrey (Paintsville)
1986: Rex Chapman (Apollo)
1985: Tony Kimbro (Seneca)
1984: Steve Miller (Henry Clay)
1983: Winston Bennett (Male)
1982: Todd May (Virgie)
1981: Phil Cox (Cawood)
1980: Ervin Stepp (Phelps)
1979: Dirk Minniefield (Lafayette)
1978: Doug Schloemer (Holmes)
1977: Jeff Lamp (Ballard)
1976: Darrell Griffith (Male)
1975: Dom Fucci (Tates Creek)
1974: Jack Givens (Bryan Station)
1973: Wesley Cox (Male)
1972: Jerry Thruston (Owensboro)
1971: Jimmy Dan Conner (Anderson Co.)
1970: Robert Brooks (Madison)
1969: Ron King (Central)
1968: Terry Davis (Shelby Co.)
1967: Jim McDaniels (Allen Co.)
1966: Mike Casey (Shelby Co.)
1965: Butch Beard (Breckinridge Co.)
1964: Wes Unseld (Seneca)
1963: Mike Redd (Seneca)
1962: Mike Silliman (St. Xavier)
1961: Randy Embry (Owensboro)
1960: Jeff Mullins (Lafayette)
1959: Pat Doyle (North Marshall)
1958: Harry Todd (Earlington)
1958: Ralph Richardson (Russell Co.)
1957: Billy Ray Lickert (Lafayette)
1956: Kelly Coleman (Wayland)
MISS BASKETBALL:
2023: Haven Ford (Rowan County)
2022: Amiya Jenkins (Anderson Co.)
2021: Brooklynn Miles (Franklin Co.)
2020: Maddie Scherr (Ryle)
2019: Savannah Wheeler (Boyd Co.)
2018: Seygan Robins (Mercer Co.)
2017: Lindsey Duvall (Bullitt East)
2016: Erin Boley (Elizabethtown)
2015: Maci Morris (Bell Co.)
2014: Ivy Brown (LaRue Co.)
2013: Makayla Epps (Marion Co.)
2012: Sydney Moss (Boone Co.)
2011: Sara Hammond (Rockcastle Co.)
2010: Sarah Beth Barnette (Lexington Christian)
2009: A’dia Mathies (Iroquois)
2008: Tia Gibbs (Butler)
2007: Rebecca Gray (Scott Co.)
2006: Arnika Brown (Christian Co.)
2005: Carly Ormerod (Sacred Heart)
2004: Crystal Kelly (Sacred Heart)
2003: Megen Gearhart (West Carter)
2002: Erica Hallman (Holmes)
2001: Katie Schwegmann (Brossart)
2000: Jenni Benningfield (Assumption)
1999: Jody Sizemore (Leslie Co.)
1998: Beth Vice (Montgomery Co.)
1997: Rachel Byars (Union Co.)
1996: Jaime Walz (Highlands)
1995: Ukari Figgs (Scott Co.)
1994: Laurie Townsend (Apollo)
1993: Brandi Ashby (Webster Co.)
1992: Becky McKinley (Bullitt East)
1991: Ida Bowen (Sheldon Clark)
1990: Kim Mays (Knox Central)
1989: Lisa Harrison (Southern)
1988: Kim Pehlke (Doss)
1987: Mary Taylor (Marshall Co.)
1986: Kris Miller (Owensboro Catholic)
1985: Brigette Combs (Whitesburg)
1984: Carol Parker (Marshall Co.)
1983: Clemette Haskins (Warren Central)
1982: Connie Goins (Western Hills)
1981: Lillie Mason (Olmstead)
1980: Lisa Collins (Laurel Co.)
1979: Beth Wilkerson (Paris)
1978: Irene Moore (Breathitt Co.)
1977: Geri Grigsby (McDowell)
1976: Donna Murphy (Newport)
