Basketball season is over in the area, but there were plenty of memories made on the hardwood and players that stood out above the rest, earning their way onto The Ledger Independent’s 2018-19 All-Area boys’ basketball team.
Mason County’s Jaylen Lofton, Lewis County’s Sam O’Keefe, Georgetown’s Noah Pack, Ripley’s Jaki Royal and Robertson County’s Alex Schalch all claimed First Team honors, while several others landed on Second Team, Third Team and Honorable Mention lists.
Lofton didn’t light up the scoring column for the Royals, but he stuffed the stat sheet on a nightly basis. The senior led Mason County with 14.7 points per game, shooting 43.5 percent from the field 32.6 percent from 3-point range and 72.7 percent from the free throw line. He brought down 4.7 rebounds per game, dished out 4.2 assists and often got the toughest defensive assignment for the Royals, who finished with a 15-16 record and a 39th District title.
O’Keefe led Lewis County to the winningest season in program history. The Lions went 21-10 and won the 63rd District title with the help of O’Keefe’s 18.5 points per game, 7.1 rebounds per game and 1.8 assists per game. The junior shot over 54 percent from the field and 40 percent from 3-point range.
Pack packed the stat sheet and helped the G-Men finish first in the Southern Buckeye Athletic and Academic Conference National Division standings for the second straight year. The 6-foot-8 Thomas More University signee averaged 17.5 points, 14.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, 2.3 steals and 3.8 blocks. He shot over 58 percent from the field, nearly 72 percent from the free throw line and nearly 33 percent from 3-point range.
After helping lead his team to UD Arena last season, Royal made Ripley go this season and the Blue Jays finished as Southern Hills Athletic Conference Division I champions. The senior averaged 14.5 points, 6 rebounds, 4.6 assists, and 2.2 steals per game this season. He shot 45 percent from the field and 30 percent from beyond the arc.
Schalch was a big part of Robertson County’s second straight 20-win season. The 6-foot-6 forward led the Black Devils in scoring with 19.7 points per game and was second on the team in rebounding, bringing down 7.2 per game. He shot over 58 percent from the field and his points per game average was in the top 50 in Kentucky. Schalch also averaged 3.3 assists and recorded 1.1 steal.
Here’s The Ledger Independent’s full 2018-19 All-Area boys’ basketball team:
BOYS
FIRST TEAM
Jaylen Lofton, Mason County: 14.7 PPG, 4.7 RPG, 4.2 ASP
Sam O’Keefe, Lewis County: 18.5 PPG, 7.1 RPG, 1.8 APG, 0.5 BPG
Noah Pack, Georgetown: 17.5 PPG, 14.4 RPG, 3.6 APG, 2.3 SPG, 3.8 BPG
Jaki Royal, Ripley: 14.5 PPG, 6 RPG, 4.6 APG, 2.2 SPG, .73 BPG
Alex Schalch, Robertson County: 19.7 PPG, 7.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 1.1 SPG
SECOND TEAM
Justin Becker, Robertson County: 18.9 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 3 APG, 1.4 SPG
Stephen Cordle, Augusta: 12.3 PPG, 7.4 RPG, 2.4 BPG
Tad Fisher, Bracken County: 11.2 PPG, 10.1 RPG,
Xylon Frey, Mason County: 10.9 PPG, 6.6 RPG, 1.5 APG
Seth Wright, Lewis County: 15.5 PPG, 4.2 RPG, 3.8 APG
THIRD TEAM
Sebastian Dixon, Robertson County: 13.4 PPG, 2.6 RPG, 2 APG, 1.6 SPG
Nigel Royal, Ripley: 11.7 PPG, 3 RPG, 2.4 APG, 2.5 SPG
Cole Saunders, Fleming County: 14.5 PPG, 3.5 RPG,
Bowan Tomlin, West Union: 15.8 PPG, 5.5 RPG, 2 APG, 2 SPG
Colton Vaughn, Eastern: 10.5 PPG, 9.5 RPG, 1.3 APG, 2.1 SPG
HONORABLE MENTION
Ross Becker, Robertson County: 8.9 PPG, 7.5 RPG, 2.5 APG, 1.3 SPG
Weston Browning, Peebles: 16.6 PPG, 4.5 RPG, 4.8 APG, 2.2 SPG
Kaleb Flanery, Fleming County: 13 PPG, 3.2 RPG,
Jack Gallenstein, St. Patrick: 9.8 PPG, 8 RPG, 1.4 APG
Kason Hinson, Bracken County: 11.4 PPG, 3.7 RPG,
Jeremiah Jones, Mason County: 8.6 PPG, 3.4 RPG, 3.1 APG
Zane Kingsolver, West Union: 13.7 PPG, 8 RPG, 2.7 APG, 2.8 SPG
Patrick McKay, St. Patrick: 11.9 PPG, 2.7 RPG, 2.7 APG
Preston Philpot, Augusta: 13.2 PPG, 3.3 RPG, 1.8 APG
Blake Reed, Augusta: 12.9 PPG, 2.2 RPG, 3.3 APG, 2.1 SPG
