Northern Kentucky basketball fans will get a local all-guard combo for the annual Kentucky-Indiana All-Star Series next month, just not the one they thought they’d get.
Holy Cross’ Jacob Meyer, the leading scorer in the state – and the nation – the last two seasons will be there but Covington Catholic two-time all-stater Evan Ipsaro will not be. However, in something of a surprise, NKU-bound Jeremiah Israel of Lloyd Memorial will be.
The 6-foot-3 Israel, a wing, had said after the season that he would not be playing all-star games in order to get ready for college. But with Miami of Ohio-bound Ipsaro’s surprise decision not to play, Israel will, in effect, be taking his place, so there will be that local rooting interest when the All-Stars meet for the 147th and 148th times June 9 at the Owensboro Sportscenter and June 10 at Indianapolis’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Beginning May 5, tickets will be available through the sponsoring kentuckybasketballcoaches.org website.
Clearly Ipsaro’s decision was a surprise to the Covington Catholic basketball community as was his decision not to play in the recent Ohio-Kentucky game at Thomas More.
Scott Chalk, executive director of the sponsoring Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches, said this about the final roster: “Many of the other top players that are not on the roster chose not to play due to various conflicts and other commitments.”
Kentucky’s boys and girls teams will be led by the respective Mr. and Miss Basketballs – North Laurel’s Reed Sheppard, who is heading to the University of Kentucky, and Rowan County’s Haven Ford, who led the Kentucky stars past Ohio at Thomas More and is headed to Murray State.
For the Kentucky Girls All-Stars, another Northern Kentucky duo is possible with Ryle’s Abby Holtman, heading to the University of Cincinnati, wearing jersey No. 5 and Cooper’s Whitney Lind, heading to Lehigh, wearing jersey No. 6.
Winning 44 of the last 52 games, Indiana’s boys lead the series, 102-44. The girls’ matchup has Indiana leading but much more narrowly, 52-40.
The Kentucky rosters:
BOYS: Marcus Eaves (Madisonville-North Hopkins), Crew Gibson (DeSales), Kenyon Goodin (Collins), Jeremiah Israel (Lloyd Memorial), Cyr Malonga (Evangel Christian), Jacob Meyer (Covington Holy Cross), Teagan Moore (Owen County), Reece Potter (Lexington Catholic), Gabe Sisk (Ballard), Gerard Thomas (Henderson County), Chappelle Whitney (Warren Central). Head coach – Rod Drake (Owensboro). Assistant coach – Jeff Morrow (Iroquois).
GIRLS: Haven Ford (Rowan County), Brianna Byars (George Rogers Clark), Kylee Dennis (Sayre), Emma Filiatreau (Bethlehem), Abby Holtman (Ryle), Whitney Lind (Cooper), Love Mays (Danville), Saniyah Shelton (Bowling Green), Ayden Smiddy (Southwestern), Destiny Thomas (McCracken County), JaKayla Thompson (Manual), Meadow Tisdale). Head coach – Pete Fraley (Boyd County). Assistant coach – Kristy Orem (Pikeville).
• ANOTHER SMART SPORTS MOVE BY TMU
No more deserving promotion than that of Thomas More elevating Athletics Director Terry Connor to vice-president for the job he’s done in his 25 years at the Crestview Hills school. The numbers are mind-boggling for a lean administrative staff: 30 intercollegiate teams, some 700 student-athletes and members of associated programs like the band and dance groups, more than 400 student-athletes with a GPA of 3.0 or higher last fall with 130 regular-season championships, 86 national tournament appearances and five national championships.
Connor will continue to oversee the school’s 30 sports teams and the improvements and upgrades to the softball facility and Republic Bank Field as well as the partnering with the Florence Y’alls to acquire Thomas More Stadium in Florence for baseball. Connor will also serve on the President’s cabinet and handle the ongoing transition from the NAIA to the NCAA’s Division II for next year. That’s something Connor has already done the opposite way when TMU successfully transitioned from the NCAA’s Division III to the NAIA four years ago.
• GOOD LUCK TO COVCATH’S FREDRICK ON SAYING GOOD-BYE TO UK
Here’s wishing better fortune to CovCath alum CJ Fredrick, who will be moving on after two injury-plagued seasons at Kentucky. The former Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year who led the Colonels to the 2018 state title before becoming one of the nation’s top outside shooters at Iowa.
Fredrick will have a UK degree and an extra season as he plans to “explore every option for my future,” something he said on his Instagram account Friday. “In addition to considering professional options, I’ll be entering the transfer portal while maintaining my college eligibility.”
Fredrick, who hasn’t had an injury-free season in his first five years in college, will have a sixth season as a result of an NCAA’s waiver as a result of the Covid pandemic.
“I enjoyed coaching CJ,” UK Coach John Calipari said on his Twitter account Friday. “What I loved most was that he never changed as a person or competitor despite dealing with all of the injuries. He got back up every time & did whatever he could for his team. He knows he’ll always have a supporter in me & I wish him nothing but the best.”
Fredrick, who averaged 6.1 points a game last season, has until May 11 to decide on a transfer destination. His departure, which UK clearly expected, leaves the Wildcats with just one returning guard – sophomore Adou Thiero – on the roster.
Running a Kentucky offense considered “archaic” by many basketball insiders, or scoring out of it, has not been a happy place for Wildcat guards in recent seasons as they’re mostly moving on. Now for CJ, it’s just a matter of finding the right fit – and staying healthy.
As for UK, with a top recruiting class featuring four of the five newcomers at guard — including Kentucky Mr. Basketball Sheppard — Wildcat fans can only hope the offense figures out how to get better shots for its shooters.
• GET YOUR FLORENCE Y’ALLS PREVIEW NEXT WEEK
Florence Y’alls fans will have two chances to preview the 2023 season – and help those in the community in need – at exhibition games Tuesday, May 2, and Friday, May 5, at Thomas More Stadium.
Admission to the games will require either three canned food items or a $5 cash donation to benefit the Cincinnati Free Store Food Bank.
Y’alls General Manager Max Johnson said, “We hope that this initiative will be a rousing success to help those in need right here in the Greater Cincinnati area” and at the same time, help the Y’alls get ready for the season.
The Washington (Pa.) Wild Things will be here May 2 with the Lake Erie Crushers here on May 5. The May 2 game will also be a $2 Tuesday once fans are inside the stadium. This year-long promotion features popcorn, hot dogs, 16-ounce fountain drinks and ice cream cones all for just two dollars apiece.
The Y’alls open the regular season Thursday, May 11, against the Gateway Grizzlies at home on a Thirsty Thursday, meaning fans 21 years and older can enjoy one-dollar beers and discounted craft beers for just five dollars.
The games will mark the managing debut of Chad Rhoades, who is returning for his third stint with Florence – he was pitching coach the previous two stops – after a season out of baseball spent living in Portugal.