By Terry Boehmker
NKyTribune sports reporter
Taylen Kinney, a sophomore point guard who’s already flooded with scholarship offers from major college basketball teams, was voted Division II Player of the Year by members of the Northern Kentucky Boys Basketball Coaches Association.
Kinney is averaging 18.7 points, 2.9 assists and 4.1 rebounds for the 27-3 Newport Wildcats, who have been ranked among the state’s top teams all season and take a 19-game win streak into the playoffs that start next week.
The player who finished behind Kinney in the Division II all-conference voting was Lloyd junior forward EJ Walker, who has also received numerous college scholarship offers.
The other Player of the Year nominees were Covington Catholic senior center Caden Miller in Division I and Villa Madonna senior center Henry Thole in Division III.
Both of those post players finished the regular season with double-figure averages in both scoring and rebounding. Miller, who transferred to CovCath for his senior season, is getting 15.5 points and 10.7 rebounds per game. Thole’s averages are 17.9 points and 15.2 rebounds.
In the latest statewide statistics posted on the khsaa.org website, Thole is tied for first in rebounds per game and leads the state in total rebounds with 412. Miller ranks eighth in field goal percentage at 67.9 (180 of 265).
On Friday, Miller and Highlands guard Nathan Vinson were the seniors named co-winners of the 9th Region Player of the Year award by members of the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches. That makes both of them candidates for the prestigious Mr. Kentucky Basketball award.
Winners of the local Coach of the Year awards are Aaron Stamm of Ludlow and Jim Hicks of Bellevue in Division III, Rod Snapp of Newport in Division II and Nate Browning of Boone County in Division I.
Boone County enters the playoffs with an 18-9 record that snapped a five-year string of losing seasons. The Rebels posted a 5-20 record under coach Browning last season.
The coaches association awards banquet for all-conference teams will be at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 17 in the CovCath cafeteria. Winners of the 9th Region Player of the Year and Coach of the Year will also be announced that day.
Three former head coaches who will be inducted into the Court of Honor at the awards banquet are Mike Listerman, Aric Russell and Ron Dawn.
N.KY Boys Basketball Coaches Association All-Conference Teams
DIVISION I
Caden Miller (CovCath), Shaun Pouncy (Cooper), Yamil Rondon (Cooper), Garyn Jackson (Campbell County), Travis Krohman (Simon Kenton), Conner Weinel (Campbell County), Athens McGillis (CovCath), Mason Hall (Boone County), Brady Hussey (CovCath), Finn Louden (Conner), Thomas Williams (Boone County).
Coach of the Year — Nate Browning (Boone County)
Mr. Hustle — Nate Smith (Campbell County)
Defensive Player of the Year — Jaiden Combs (Cooper), Caden Miller (CovCath)
DIVISION II
Tay Kinney (Newport), EJ Walker (Lloyd), Nathan Vinson (Highlands), James Turner (Newport), Nate Rominger (Holy Cross), Jack Sullivan (Beechwood), Brayden Moeves (Highlands), DeShaun Jackson (Newport), Xarek Sarakatsannis (Scott), Isaiah Sebastian (Lloyd), Ian Mann (NewCath), Andrew Reis (St. Henry), Caleb Eaglin (NewCath).
Coach of the Year — Rod Snapp (Newport)
Mr. Hustle — Carson Shea (St. Henry)
Defensive Player of the Year — James Turner (Newport)
DIVISION III
Henry Thole (Villa Madonna), Elijah Perrin (Ludlow), Noah Frommeyer (Bellevue), Spencer Brandenburg (Ludlow), Trent Stone (Heritage), Zach Mertens (Bellevue), Jase Iles (Bellevue), Race Zachary (Calvary Christian), Peyton Morris (Calvary Christian), Ethan Powell (Ludlow).
Coach of the Year — Aaron Stamm (Ludlow), Jim Hicks (Bellevue)
Mr. Hustle — Tommy Wenning (Villa Madonna), Bryan Conley (Ludlow)
Defensive Player of the Year — Ethan Powell (Ludlow)