INSIDE THIS ISSUE. Kentucky Football adds a 4-star recruit on National Signing Day. A look at LMU Baseball. 13th Region Basketball Schedules

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1 Volume 15 Number 2 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Kentucky Football adds a 4-star recruit on National Signing Day A look at LMU Baseball 13th Region Basketball Schedules Top 30 scorers in Kentucky High School Basketball The 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame class Keldon Johnson a finalist for the Julius Erving Award Outdoor Truths Ashton Hagans The Magician Photo by Chet White / UK Athletics

2 Kentucky football adds one more to their 2019 recruiting class With the early signing period, Kentucky had most of its 2019 recruiting class locked up before the February 6th signing day. However, the Wildcats did add one more signee, making it a total of 22 for the year. Added on Wednesday was M.J. Devonshire, a Fourstart prospect by Rivals A talented receiver and defensive back from Aliquippa, Pennsylvania. His biography as well as all of the 2019 class that had signed early is listed on this page and the one that follows. Marquez Bembry, Outside Linebacker, 6-3, 240, So-JC, Stone Mountain, Ga. (Mount Vernon Presbyterian/Jones County JC) Recorded 36 tackles during his redshirt freshman season in 2018, helping the Bobcats finish 10-2 overall and 6-0 in conference play Advanced to the MACJC State Championship Led Jones to a 27-7 win over Eastern Arizona in the Mississippi Bowl on Dec. 2, highlighted by his six tackles, including 4.5 TFLs, one QB sack, one forced fumble and a fumble recovery Rated a three-star pass-rushing specialist out of high school by each of the major recruiting services Graduated from Jones in December as a two-time Dean s List member and will enroll at UK in January Will have three years of eligibility remaining Played for head coach Wayne Babbs at Mount Vernon Presbyterian High School Chose Kentucky over Ole Miss and Tennessee. Cavon Butler, Defensive Lineman, 6-3, 300, Fr-HS, Toledo, Ohio (Whitmer) A threestar recruit, who is considered a top-50 interior defensive lineman by Rivals.com and 247sports.com and No. 29 player in Ohio by Rivals Named Three Rivers Athletic Conference defensive player of the year and was selected first-team All-Northwest District and second-team All-Ohio in Division I (largest classification) Helped the Panthers to a 21-4 overall record and two Division I playoff appearances Had 71 tackles as a senior, including nine for loss, along with 7.5 sacks Caused four fumbles, recovered five fumbles, and scored two touchdowns in helping Whitmer compile a 9-3 overall record in 2018 As a junior, had 91 tackles (nine for loss) and 12 sacks Comes from same high school as current Wildcat Phil Hoskins An all-around athlete who also plays basketball and throws the shot put Recruiting finalists were Michigan State and Ohio State before tabbing the Wildcats. Jared Casey, Outside Linebacker, 6-3, 230, Fr-HS, Louisville, Ky. (Ballard) A four-star prospect by all of the major recruiting services Rivals.com ranks him as the No. 15 outside linebacker nationally... Named firstteam All-State defense by the Courier Journal and the Associated Press As a senior, totaled 70 tackles (43 solo), 15.5 TFLs, three sacks and one forced fumble in 13 games Played two seasons at Trinity before transferring to Ballard Chose UK over Oregon and Louisville. Eli Cox, Offensive Line, 6-4, 300, Fr-HS, Nicholasville, Ky. (West Jessamine) A three-star recruit by 247sports.com and Rivals.com Ranked as the No. 14 Kentucky prospect in the class of 2019 by 247Sports Named to first-team All-State offense by the Associated Press Has the versatility to play at either offensive guard or tackle Has been instrumental in West Jessamine improving its win total each season of his prep career Named to the Blue-Grey All- American Bowl watch list Represented West Jessamine at the Louisville vs. Bluegrass Senior All-Star Game Chose UK over Cincinnati, Marshall, Ohio and Toledo. Tae Tae Crumes, Wide Receiver, 6-2, 180, Fr-HS, Louisville, Ky. (Butler) A quality in-state prospect that is ranked as one of the top 10 players in the Commonwealth of Kentucky by Rivals.com and 247sports.com Named to first-team All-State offense by the Associated Press An incredible senior season at Butler with 42 receptions for 877 yards Averaged 73.1 receiving yards per game, which was fourth most among all Class 6A players while his 14 receiving touchdowns were third most in the division Had 30 receptions for 779 yards and 14 touchdowns his junior season Finished his high school career with 35 touchdowns and 2,021 receiving yards Was named to the 2018 Lexington Herald-Leader Class of the Commonwealth and was also tabbed an all-state honoree and all-louisville metro performer this season Speedy wide receiver that has been timed at 4.3 in the 40- yard dash Chose Kentucky over Louisville, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon and Pitt. M.J. (Marlin) Devonshire, Cornerback, 5-11, 180, Fr-HS, Aliquippa, Pa. (Aliquippa) Four-start prospect by Rivals A talented receiver and defensive back at Aliquippa Also returned kicks Helped the Quips win the 2018 WPIAL Championship and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association Class 3A Championship title Offensively, totaled 327 rushing yards and scored 24 touchdowns four different ways The average length of those scores was 42.2 yards Had nine scoring plays of 50 yards or more Averaged 21.1 receiving yards on 27 catches On defense, totaled eight interceptions, including three in the PIAA championship game Was a huge threat on special teams as he posted eight punt returns for touchdowns, one short of the national record Had five returns for touchdowns called back because of penalties Named the 2018 WPIAL co-player of the Year by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Chose Kentucky over Pittsburgh, Penn State and Ohio State. Taj Dodson, Defensive Back, 6-2, 190, Fr- HS, Union Grove, Ga. (Creekside) A consensus three-star recruit by all the major recruiting services Named first-team 6A All-Georgia team defense and first-team AP All-Metro Had 19 returns for 737 yards and two touchdowns, including a 92-yard score Named first-team All-Region 5-6A after totaling 86 tackles, 12 PBUs, two interceptions, one sack and once forced fumble in 2018 Also had seven catches for 106 yards Chose Kentucky over Syracuse, Louisville and Ole Miss Moses Douglass, Defensive Back, 6-2, 200, Fr-HS, Springfield, Ohio (Springfield) Four-star recruit and one the nation s top-30 safety prospects by Rivals.com and 247sports.com The No. 7 prospect in Ohio and one of the nation s top 300 players by Rivals Named first-team All-Ohio defense As a senior, helped lead Springfield HS to a 9-3 record and second round of the state playoffs First-team All-Ohio in Division I (largest classification) Maurice was a defensive back at Kentucky in and went on to an 11-year NFL career with the Chicago Bears and New York Giants Chose Kentucky over Georgia Tech, Louisville and Michigan State. Brandin Echols, Defensive Back, 6-0, 180, Jr-JC, Southaven, Miss. (Southaven/Northwest Mississippi CC) Went to junior college as a receiver but switched to defense back in his freshman season and found his niche A three-star recruit who ranks as the fifth-best cornerback among junior college recruits by Rivals.com Earned NJCAA second- team All-America honors Named first-team All- MACJC and All-Region 23 NJCAA in 2018 after leading the MACJC and ranking second in the NJCAA with six interceptions His 12 pass breakups ranked fourth in the country Added 49 tackles, a forced fumble and blocked kick in helping lead Northwest to an 8-2 record and a No. 8 national ranking in the NJCAA Coached by Benjy Parker Totaled 11 total tackles, two sacks and an interception as a senior... Offensively, caught 29 passes for 406 yards and four touchdowns and rushed for 906 yards and eight touchdowns Added 604 return yards with four touchdowns... Also played basketball and ran track as a senior, earning a spot on Clarion-Ledger s All-State boys track team after winning the state championship in the long jump Chose Kentucky over offers from Ole Miss, Houston and Memphis Will have two years of eligibility remaining. Jalen Geiger, Defensive Back, 6-1, 190, Fr- HS, Columbia, S.C. (Spring Valley) Last name is pronounced GI-ger A three-star defensive back by 247Sports.com Considered the No. 9 overall recruit and No. 2 corner in the state of South Carolina by Rivals.com Named first-team All-South Carolina defense Competed in the 82nd Annual Shrine Bowl of the Carolinas and finished with four tackles, including two solo Recorded 71 tackles, three interceptions, four PBUs Helped the Vikings finish 11-2 with a playoff berth as a junior in 2017 Spring Valley after playing two seasons at Cardinal Newman Also a basketball player Chose Kentucky over South Carolina, Virginia and North Carolina. Isaiah Gibson, Defensive Line, 6-4, 300, Fr- HS, Springfield, Ohio (Springfield) Consensus choice as one of the nation s top-50 defensive tackles and one of the top 33 players in Ohio by all the major recruiting services Rated as high as the No. 32 DT by 247sports.com and No. 17 in Ohio by ESPN.com Named first-team All-Ohio offense As a senior, helped lead Springfield HS to a 9-3 record and second round of the state playoffs First-team All-Ohio in Division I (largest classification) Chose Kentucky over Wisconsin, Purdue, Florida and Louisville Joins high school teammate and fellow signee Moses Douglass.

3 (continued) Kentucky football adds one more to their 2019 recruiting class Amani Gilmore, Quarterback, 6-2, 200, Fr- HS, Amite, La. (Amite) A three-star dualthreat quarterback 247Sports.com ranks him as the No. 42 pro-style quarterback nationally in the class of 2019 Led his team to the 2018 Louisiana 2A State Championship, the Warriors first championship in 14 years and just the fifth title in team history Named the game s Most Outstanding Player after accounting for a remarkable 366 of the team s 442 yards total yards and six touchdowns Completed 11-of-17 passes for 286 yards while rushing 23 times for a team-high 80 yards Totaled over 2,000 total yards in his senior year, including 1,000 rushing yards, while also averaging 40.0 points per game Dual-sport athlete as he also excels on the baseball diamond as a lefthanded pitcher and outfielder Head Coach Zephaniah Powell said Throws the ball very well, is very accurate. Can stay in the pocket, can beat you with his arm from the pocket and also can beat you with his legs from out of the pocket. Very good high IQ when it comes to football. He is a gym rat, loves to lift, loves to work out. Chose UK over Tennessee. DeMarcus Harris, Wide receiver, 6-1, 180, Fr-HS, Vero Beach, Fla. (Vero Beach) Considered one of the nation s top 150 receivers A three-star recruit according to 247sports.com and ESPN.com Became Treasure Coast s career record holder with 2,864 receiving yards Only Treasure Coast player to register back-to-back 1,000- yard receiving seasons Had 1,582 receiving yards with 73 receptions and 16 touchdowns as a senior Had eight games with at least 100 receiving yards, including a season-high 238 receiving yards on five catches vs. Treasure Coast High School on Oct. 12 Averaged receiving yards per game for the Indians in 2018, helping them finish 11-1 with the loss coming in the 8-A regional final Recorded 43 catches for 1,001 yards and 11 scores in 2017 and led Vero Beach to the regional finals Earn first-team all-area and all-state honors 2017 Class 8A Player of the Year candidate His coach said He s the total package when it comes to the wide receiver position. As far as wide receivers go, he has a great combination of size and athleticism. His hands have improved to where he s capable of catching all kinds of different balls all kinds of different ways. He s really good when the balls not in his hands, too. An all-around athlete who also excels in basketball and track and field Chose Kentucky over Syracuse, Purdue and UCF. Shawn Kel Knight-Goff, Linebacker, 6-2, 220, Fr-HS, Louisville, Ky. (Doss Magnet Career Academy) Ranks as one of the top 10 players in the state of Kentucky A three-star prospect by both Rivals.com and 247Sports.com 247Sports.com ranks him as one of the 50 best weakside defensive ends in the nation Named first-team Allstate defense by the Courier Journal and the Associated Press and was also tabbed to the Louisville all-metro first team Had 66 tackles, nine sacks, three fumbles forced and one fumble recovered as a senior Also was a led the team in receiving with 16 catches for 180 yards as a senior Posted 50 tackles as a junior with a fumble recovery and interception as a junior Chose Kentucky over Louisville and Purdue. K.D. McDaniel, Outside Linebacker, 6-2, 240, Fr-HS, Tifton, Ga. (Tift County) Consensus pick as one of the nation s top-40 outside linebackers and one of the top-61 players in Georgia by Rivals, 247sports and ESPN First-team all-region as a junior and senior, with this year s all-state teams yet to be selected by signing day Helped lead Tift County to the state playoff quarterfinals in Class AAAAAAA as both a junior and senior Named first-team Class 7A defense in 2018 Chose Kentucky over Ole Miss, Tennessee and South Carolina. Quandre Mosely, Defensive Back, 6-2, 180, Jr-JC, Brunswick, Ga. (Glynn Academy/Eastern Arizona CC) - Signed with Eastern Arizona Community College out of high school in 2016 As a sophomore in 2018, totaled 50 tackles, a leaguehigh six interceptions, one for a touchdown, and a fumble recovery as a safety for the Monsters... Earned 2018 All-WSFL All- League honors Helped Eastern Arizona win the Salt City Bowl game Former wide receiver in high school Helped Glynn Academy go 11-2 as a senior in 2016, including undefeated in region play Named GHSA Region 2-6A All-State Honorable Mention as a wide receiver Chose Kentucky over Utah and Oregon Nik Ognenovic, Tight End, 6-5, 250, Fr-HS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Cardinal Gibbons) A three-star prospect by all of the major recruiting experts and considered one of the nation s top tight ends Caught 11 passes for 170 yards and one touchdown as a senior in helping Cardinal Gibbons win the program s first state title in Class 5A As a junior, caught eight passes for 57 yards and a score The pair teamed together to win the Adidas 7-on-7 National Championship with South Florida Express in the spring of 2018 Also a talented basketball player Chose Kentucky over Pitt, Boston College and Louisville High school teammate of fellow signee Nik Scalzo. Jake Pope, Offensive Line, 6-7, 290, Fr-HS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (St. Thomas Aquinas) A three-star tackle by all of the major recruiting services Listed as one of Florida s top 100 players Helped lead perennial powerhouse St. Thomas Aquinas to a 13-2 overall record, a district championship and the 7A state championship runner-up title in 2018 Selected to play in the Blue-Grey All American Bowl on Jan. 5, 2019 in Tampa, Florida Chose Kentucky over Michigan State and N.C. State. Nik Scalzo, Quarterback, 6-0, 175, Fr- HS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (Cardinal Gibbons) A three-star prospect by all of the major recruiting services Rated one of Florida s top-10 quarterbacks A dualthreat passer who led Cardinal Gibbons to a combined 32-6 record in his three seasons as a starter Completed 59.6 percent of his passes (522 for 876) for 6,471 yards with 74 touchdowns to only 23 interceptions in three seasons Also rushed for 613 yards on 147 carries with four scores in his career Helped lead the Chiefs to their first Florida 5A state championship as a senior, completing 173-of-279 passes for 2,185 yards and 24 touchdowns before injury sidelined him in the regional semifinal Earned first-team All-State and first-team All-County honors by the Sun Sentinel As a junior, completed 175-of-307 passes for 2,065 yards and 23 touchdowns in leading the Chiefs to an 11-2 overall record and his second straight FHSAA Class 5A playoff appearance As a sophomore, threw for 2,221 yards and 27 touchdowns in leading the Chiefs Air-Raid offense to a 9-2 season and regional semifinal appearance High school teammate of fellow signee Nik Ognenovic Travis Tisdale, Running Back, 5-9, 175, Fr- HS, Valdosta, Ga. (Lowndes) A four-star recruit and one of the nation s top-300 players by ESPN The nation s No. 18 running back by ESPN and the No. 11 all-purpose back nationally by Rivals Rated as high as the No. 33 prospect in Georgia Region Player of the Year as a senior as he rushed for 1,903 yards and 21 touchdowns, with allstate teams yet to be announced Led Lowndes HS to a 10-4 record and a berth in the Class AAAAAAA (largest classification) state playoff semifinals Named first-team Class 7A offense Dynamic all-purpose back with difference-maker speed and quickness according to ESPN Senior season was highlighted by 413 yards and six touchdowns both of which are school records against crosstown rival Valdosta High School Also a 1,000-yard rusher as a sophomore, he set the LHS career record for touchdowns Dad serves in United States Air Force Chose Kentucky over Nebraska, Ole Miss and Penn State. J.J. Weaver, Outside Linebacker, 6-5, 240, Fr-HS, Louisville, Ky. (Moore Traditional) One of the nation s best linebacker prospects, ranking as the 213th best player in the nation according to Rivals The site also has Weaver as the 14th best player in the class at his position and the fourth-best prospect in the state of Kentucky Rated as a four-star prospect by Rivals and 247sports Named first-team All-state defense in 2018 by the Courier Journal and the Associated Press Recorded 70 tackles, 10 sacks, three interceptions and a fumble recovery this season His strong performance helped Moore win 11 games and advance to the quarterfinals of the state championships Also played tight end in high school and caught six passes for 102 yards and three touchdowns last season Was named to the 2018 Lexington Herald- Leader Class of the Commonwealth Chose Kentucky over Louisville, Miami and Purdue. Tra Wilkins, Linebacker, 6-0, 215, Fr-HS, Stone Mountain, Ga. (Stephenson) Highly recruited linebacker who chose Kentucky over Louisville, Arkansas and South Carolina The nation s No. 46 inside linebacker by 247sports and No. 69 outside linebacker by ESPN One of the top-100 players in the talent-rich state of Georgia by both selectors Helped lead Stephenson HS to a 9-2 record and berth in the Class AAAAAA playoffs as a senior Named first-team All-Class 6A defense Comes from an athletic family as his cousins include linebacker Sam Maxwell, who helped take Kentucky to four straight bowl games from and was an All-SEC linebacker as a senior, and current Georgia wide receiver/kick returner Mecole Hardman.

4 HARROGATE, Tenn. -The Lincoln Memorial baseball team commenced the 2019 campaign with its annual trip to Aiken, S.C. for a three-game series against the USC Aiken Pacers. The following is a comprehensive preview of the upcoming season as the Railsplitters look to become the first team to win three straight South Atlantic Conference titles since Looking Back A look at the 2019 Lincoln Memorial University baseball team The Railsplitters authored another memorable and record-setting season in Things looked bleak in early April, though, as Lincoln Memorial fell to 9-11 in SAC play following a series loss at last-place Coker and lost All-American and career hits leader Logan Augustine to a season-ending injury that same weekend. However, galvanized by adversity, the Railsplitters caught fire and won 12 of their next 15 games, which included an instant classic in the winner-take-all SAC tournament title game. In that contest, Lincoln Memorial rallied all the way back from a 7-2 deficit, forcing extra innings with a three-run, game-tying homer by Tyler Adams in the top of the ninth inning. The Railsplitters then scored twice in the 11th inning to clinch their second straight SAC title and third since 2013 with a 9-7 triumph over the Catawba Indians. For the second straight season, Lincoln Memorial made noise in the Southeast Regional as well, knocking off No. 6 nationallyranked Georgia College 9-4 before succumbing to Belmont Abbey and UNC Pembroke over the next two days. The Railsplitters finished overall to match the 1996 team for the most wins in the program's single-season history and moved to over the past two seasons combined. Discovering Self The Railsplitters return the core of last season's team, including seven of the top-nine hitters in terms of total hits and six of the topeight pitchers in terms of innings pitched. But that hardly means that Lincoln Memorial will be able to simply roll it out and replicate last year's results. "We've got to find this year's identity," said Jeff Sziksai, who is entering his 16th season as the head coach for the Railsplitters with a career record. "Finding what makes this team tick, what motivates this team, what combinations are going to equate to winning for this team. I look forward to the challenge of figuring that out. "We don't have a one size fits all approach. Each team is a little bit different in their makeup in what gets them going." Lincoln Memorial has experienced a ton of success in recent seasons. Along with the Railsplitters' league-leading three SAC tournament titles since 2013, only six-time defending regular-season champions Catawba (222 wins, 119 SAC victories) and Wingate (179 wins, 94 SAC victories) have surpassed Lincoln Memorial in terms of total wins (176) and SAC wins (90) since the 2013 campaign. When a program reaches a level of sustained success, complacency can creep in, but Sziksai, his staff and the players have worked hard to leave every previous season in the past and focused on getting better every day in preparation for the season to come. "One of our mantras throughout the fall and spring has been, 'a dude is a dude every day'. You can't pick and choose which day you want to show up and be excellent. You have to chase excellence every day," he said. "I think complacency is human nature. If you work hard and achieve something, it's human nature to maybe relax a little bit. It goes against human nature and the human condition to go after your goal with the same intensity and enthusiasm as you did before when you've accomplished it. "We brought that to the players' attention that we have to be abnormal in order to go about things the same way with the same hunger when that hunger has been satisfied two years in a row in a way."

5 (continued) A look at the 2019 Lincoln Memorial University baseball team Knowing What to Expect A massive portion of the 2018 team is back and hungrier than ever to compete for the Railsplitters this season. Offensively, Lincoln Memorial returns nine players that logged at least 60 at-bats last season. Among that group is senior outfielder Seth Hunt, who earned a preseason All-SAC nod after leading the Railsplitters in hits (78) and triples (5) last season while tying for the team-lead in batting average with a.356 clip. Another preseason All-SAC and preseason All-American selection, junior shortstop Tyler Adams, is also back for the Railsplitters. In 2018, as a sophomore he led the team in runs with 72, doubles with a programrecord 23, homers with 12, RBI with 49, total bases with 132, slugging percentage with a.644 clip, walks with 32 and on-base percentage with a.470 mark. Outfielder Will Reddick also earned a spot on the preseason All-SAC team after hitting.332 last season with 62 hits, nine doubles and five home runs. Nate Stinson is back for his junior campaign after batting.329 with 55 hits, 11 doubles, 35 RBI and a.404 on-base percentage in Dalton Dedas hit.295 with seven doubles and three homers in his first season as the starting catcher, while Joe Stucky contributed 47 hits in 44 starts last season. Senior first baseman Chris Salvey returns as well after exploding onto the scene in 2018, amassing 45 hits, a.326 batting average, 10 doubles and 12 homers across 36 starts. He was named to the D2CCA All-Southeast Region squad despite not making his first start until March 10. All told, the Railsplitters bring back all but three major contributors from last season's offensive unit that broke the program singleseason record for runs scored with 479. "I feel good about the potential of our offense," Sziksai said. "We have a chance to be productive. We talk a lot about run production. Of course, we talk about hitting, but we focus more on what leads to run scoring. We don't want to rely on doubles and home runs. You have to score runs in a lot of different ways and be balanced. On the mound, the Railsplitters are also experience-laden with their three weekend starters returning from last season in seniors Ethan Elliott, Joe Bobiak and Matt Mullenbach. Elliott is expected to lead the staff, as the lefty is the reigning SAC Pitcher of the Year and an NCBWA All-American selection. Last season, Elliott posted the second 10-win season of his career and the third 10-win campaign in program history while amassing a program-record 124 strikeouts and a stingy 2.95 earned run average. He enters his senior season as the program's career wins leader with 25 victories and counting. Bobiak matched the team-high mark with 14 starts last season, going 7-1 with a 4.74 ERA and 51 strikeouts across 68.1 innings of work, while Mullenbach went 7-3 overall across 16 appearances and eight starts with 65 strikeouts in 56.0 innings of action. Those three are backed by the veteran core of Ben Wiley, Jake Grenus and Matt Walczak, who are either seniors or have been with the program for four seasons. Wiley led that group in 2018 with 36.1 innings of work, going 2-2 over that span with 35 strikeouts. Junior Kevin Norton is also primed to step into a larger role after emerging as a threat out of the bullpen at the end of last season. In 29 innings of work, the hard-throwing righty struck out 26 batters and led the team with a 2.48 ERA. Despite returning a huge chunk of innings from last season, the Railsplitters' bullpen was hit the hardest of any positional group with the graduation of Dominic Morabito and Chase Randolph, two of the most valuable commodities for LMU over the past four seasons. Randolph led the team with 27 appearances, while Morabito had 15 appearances and six starts in With those two versatile inning eaters gone, the onus will mostly be on the returners to pick up the slack and fill that void when their number is called. "We need guys within the program that haven't been the guy to step up and have a larger role," Sziksai said. "That's why player development is so important. Guys need to keep getting better. improving upon last year." The Railsplitters have returning players that are capable of producing at a high level at nearly every position, but more importantly they have players that know what to expect and what it takes to beat great teams. "I think what experience does for you is you have a frame of reference as to what is good enough to get the job done against a really good team and what is not," Sziksai said. "Our new players don't have that benefit of knowing what's good enough and what's not. They're just trying to learn every day. But our experienced guys have that frame of reference to work off every day." New Faces Volunteer State Community College transfer Brent Richey, freshmen outfielders Tanner Head and Zach Fritts and freshman catcher Scooter Ray all have a chance to contribute for the Railsplitters this season. But with so many players returning that played a significant offensive role for the Railsplitters last season, Lincoln Memorial likely won't have to rely on those four newcomers to carry a heavy burden, especially with longer-tenured players like Grady Wright, Henry Moore, Alex Allen and Marco Rios waiting in the wings. "They're not guys that we are going to have to depend on to go win us a game this year. We can kind of ease them into the fold," said Sziksai. On the mound, the freshmen trio of Patrick Queener, Devin Morris, Eli Wright as well as Lakeland Community College transfer Hudson Widrig will also be in position to eat up some innings as starters or in relief. Consistency and Leadership the Keys External expectations are as high as ever for the Railsplitters, who were picked second in the SAC preseason poll and ninth in the NCBWA Southeast Region rankings. However, as Sziksai notes, external expectations will never exceed the day-to-day internal expectations for the program. "No one outside of our program will ever put higher expectations on the program than I will or the people inside this program," he said. "The expectations and demands within will never be consumed by outside expectations because the expectations on a daily basis are so high." One of those expectations and the number one key to the Railsplitters' success, as noted by Sziksai, this season is consistency. Consistency in effort, attitude and approach on a day-to-day basis. "Every college coach and college player at every sport and every level says the same thing which is we need to be consistent," he noted. "But being consistently excellent is really hard to do. People speak of it as if it should be easy to do, but it's not. It's really, really hard to be a dude every single day in practice." Leadership will also play a large part in determining the ultimate destination of the 2019 season, as the Railsplitters have four brand-new captains in Adams, Elliott, Dedas and Hunt. All four of those guys have been with the program since at least 2016, but none has served as a captain before this season. How those four captains - and the entire leadership group - fit into their new role will guide the path the season takes from Sziksai's perspective. "Our returning hitters understand that. We've had some success with that system and that thought process. Getting the new guys to understand the full offensive system takes time, but they are working hard at it." "We need something from our senior pitchers as a core. It's going to be a key to our success that those guys give us quality innings. I don't think we can meet our potential without our senior pitchers really stepping up and

6 13th Region Boys and Girls Basketball for February 2019 BOYS Tuesday February 5 Red Bird at Barbourville Pikeville at Clay County Bell County at Harlan Rockcastle County at Jackson County Oneida Baptist Institute at Lynn Camp Middlesboro at Pineville Wednesday February 6 Oneida Baptist at Leslie County Thursday February 7 Williamsburg at Jellico Harlan County at Perry Central Red Bird at Whitley County Friday February 8 Lynn Camp at Bell County Knox Central at Jackson County Barbourville at Middlesboro Corbin at North Laurel Owsley County at Pineville Lee County at Red Bird Clay County at Scott County Saturday February 9 Oneida Baptist at Barbourville Red Bird at Clay County Whitley County at Cordia Middlesboro at Harlan Bell County at Sayre St. Joseph Altercrest, OH at South Laurel Knox Central at Williamsburg Monday February 11 Pineville at Bell County North Laurel at Harlan South Laurel at Madison Central Red Bird at Middlesboro Barbourville at Williamsburg Tuesday February 12 Pulaski County at Corbin Cordia at Harlan County Middlesboro at Jackson County Clay County at Knox Central Harlan at Lynn Camp Wolfe County at Oneida Baptist Institute Red Bird at Pineville Whitley County at Rockcastle County Leslie County at Oneida Baptist Institute Thursday, February 14, 2019 Clay County at Bell County Bluegrass United (Lexington home school) at Corbin Model at Jackson County Knott County Central at Knox Central Kentucky School f/t Deaf at Oneida Baptist Institute Sheldon Clark at Red Bird South Laurel at Rockcastle County Cumberland Homeschool (Corbin) at Whitley County Pineville at Williamsburg Friday February 15 Harlan at Clay County Whitley County at Harlan County North Laurel at Knox Central Barbourville at McCreary Central Lynn Camp at Middlesboro Bell County at Red Bird Leslie County at Williamsburg GIRLS Tuesday February 5 Bell County 53 Harlan 44 Casey County 70 North Laurel 65 Knox Central 69 Clay County 65 (overtime) Pineville 39 Middlesboro 38 South Laurel 64 Barbourville 21 Whitley County 59 Williamsburg 51 Thursday February 7 Corbin at Barbourville Knox Central at Bell County Clay County at Harlan County Williamsburg at Jellico Middlesboro at McCreary Central Lynn Camp at Oneida Baptist Pineville at Red Bird Whitley County at Wayne County Friday February 8 Oneida Baptist at Breathitt County Lynn Camp at Harlan Williamsburg at Knox Central Barbourville at Middlesboro South Laurel at Scott County Madison Southern at Pineville Saturday February 9 Barbourville at Bell County Clay County at Corbin South Laurel at Dixie Heights Whitley County at Floyd Central Middlesboro at Harlan Knox Central at North Laurel Monday February 11 Pineville at Bell County Lynn Camp at Corbin North Laurel at Estill County Williamsburg at Harlan Whitley County at Knox Central Riverside Christian at Red Bird Clay County at South Laurel Tuesday February 12 Red Bird at Bell County Pineville at Corbin Oneida Baptist at Estill County Leslie County at Harlan County Knox Central at Middlesboro Thursday February 14 Harlan at Barbourville Red Bird at Jackson City Leslie County at Jackson County White Academy at Lynn Camp Hazard at North Laurel Friday February 15 Corbin at Harlan Harlan County at Knox Central Oneida Baptist at Leslie County Pineville at North Laurel Bell County at Whitley County Pinnacle Sports View is published by John & Brenda Engle, PO Box 506, Fourmile, KY It is circulated online and locally in the Bell County, Ky. and surrounding areas. Businesses and other for-profit organizations can contact a Pinnacle Sports View sales representative at ; by mail at PO Box 506, Fourmile, KY 40939; or by to editor@pinnaclesportsview.com. Pinnacle Sports View does not knowingly accept deceptive or fraudulent advertising. Readers are requested to report the appearance of fraud in any display advertisement to the publisher. The publisher reserves the right to reject any advertisement which does not meet the established guidelines for acceptability in this publication. The advertiser agrees that the publisher shall not be held liable for damages as a result of any error in any advertisement beyond the normal and customary charge for the space actually occupied by that portion of the advertisement in which the error occurred; whether such error is due to the negligence of the publisher s servants or otherwise, and there shall be no liability expressed or implied for non-insertion of any advertisemet beyond the sum paid the publisher for such advertisement. All material published in Pinnacle Sports View is the property of Pinnacle Sports View and may not be reproduced without written permission of the publisher.

7 Kentucky HS Basketball Top 30 Scorers (Boys) as submitted to KHSAA Kentucky HS Basketball Top 30 Scorers (Girls) as submitted to KHSAA 1. Spence Macke, Silver Grove Zachary Semones, Frankfort Christian Braden Sebastian, Garrard County Dekeyvan Tandy, University Heights Luke Morrison, South Oldham Mason Rusch, Calvary Christian BradyWhitaker, Magoffin County Chandler Clements, Monroe County Jacob Naylor, Russellville TreVon Smith, Taylor County Dakota Walden, Daviess County Maximo Reyes, Casey County Scotty Draud, Beechwood Jackson Harlan, Clinton County Kelly Niece, Simon Kenton Cody Potter, Shelby Valley Jaz Johnson, Wolfe County Connor Robinson, Clay County Kyle Rode, Lexington Christian Derrin Boyd, Caldwell County Kobe Bowling, Buckhorn Logan Patterson, McLean County Adam Lewis-Durham, Model Blake Stewart, Boyd County Carter Baughman, Mercer County Reid Jolly, Campbell County Wyatt Vieth, St. Henry District Zach Watterson, Lee County Keegan Brewer, DeSales Jackson Sivills, McCracken County Savannah Wheeler, Boyd County Ja Dais Trotter, Seneca Destyne Jackson, Frederick Douglass Hailey Smith, Wolfe County Kendall Wingler, Meade County Allyson Anderson, McCreary Central Lexy Meyers, Leslie County Ivy Turner, Danville Charlee Settle, Calloway County Sarah Sutton, Allen County-Scottsville Whitney Hay, Elizabethtown Kennedi Stacy, Magoffin County Emma Hacker, Menifee County Amerah Steele, South Laurel Ally Collett, South Laurel Kaylee Mathis, Clay County Allie Stone, West Carter Shanice Thomas, Fairdale Lauren Schwartz, Ryle Maaliya Ownes, Scott County Lillie Hall, Williamsburg Ellie Heid, Portland Christian Zoie Barth, Highlands Karlie Keeney, Webster County Olivia Federle, Collins Nila Blackford, DuPont Manual Abigail Ritter, Whitefield Academy Aaliyah Hampton, Christian County Madison Kellione, Harrison County Makazia Swan, Iroquois 18.5

8 Valerie Still named to WBB Hall of Fame Class of 2019 All-time leading scorer in UK history named inductee into 2019 class LEXINGTON, Ky. The all-time leading scorer in both men s and women s basketball history at the University of Kentucky Valerie Still has been announced as one of seven 2019 inductees into the prestigious Women s Basketball Hall of Fame, it was announced Monday night. The Class of 2019 was selected from a list of 12 finalists and announced on ESPN2. The 2019 induction will mark the 21st anniversary of the Women's Basketball Hall of Fame, which held its grand opening and inaugural induction in The Class of 2019 will be officially inducted in Knoxville, Tennessee on June 8. Still is joined in the Class of 2019 by Beth Bass, Joan Cronan, Nora Lynn Finch, Ticha Penicheiro, Ruth Riley and Carolyn Bush Roddy. Although Still played long ago ( ), she remains the top Wildcats in UK s women basketball annals. She was honored as such on Jan. 12, 2003 with a jersey retirement ceremony at halftime of the Alabama game. She became the first female letter winner in any UK sport to have her jersey retired. Still is the leader among all Wildcats (men or women) for career scoring (2,763) and rebounding (1,525). She was a three-time consensus All-American and led the program in scoring four-straight seasons with a career average of 23.2 points. At one point during the season, she led the nation in both scoring and rebounding before finishing second in both categories (24.8 ppg and 14.3 rpg). Still led the Cats to their highest national ranking (4th) in 1983 and helped UK roll up a 30-game home court win streak from In 1983, Still led the sixth-ranked Cats to an upset over powerhouse Old Dominion before a record crowd of 10,622 in UK s Memorial Coliseum. After leaving Kentucky, Still had a successful career in the Italian Professional League. While in Italy, Still was a television actress and hosted her own TV show, Still Basket. She is also an accomplished print model and a professional caliber jazz, pop and concert pianist. Upon her return to the United States, Still became a charter member of the American Basketball League for Women and was a two-time MVP of the ABL Championship Series. Still later played for the Washington Mystics of the WNBA before retiring from basketball. She also was an assistant coach for the Orlando Miracle for two seasons. Still returned to Lexington to complete her degree in animal sciences and graduated with honors in She went on to earn a master s degree in African American and African studies at The Ohio State University. In September 2005, Still was inducted into the charter class in the newly created UK Athletics Hall of Fame. She was the only female of the 88 inductees.

9 The bass fishing tournaments are getting ready to start with a vengeance. Once they begin, each weekend will offer another opportunity to fish for money. All bass tournaments have pretty much the same rules; two fishermen; one boat; the five biggest fish by weight, win. Some men will literally come to blows in pursuing first prize. And first prize can be worth lots of money even in the smaller tournaments. As I have said before these types of events touch both the competitive and outdoorsy side of men. It s enough fun to fish but add in beating somebody in the process and winning cash to do it, makes it an addictive potion. Most of the time, each team will spend the first few hours on the water just trying to catch any size fish. The immediate goal is to get five fish in the boat. After (or if) that is accomplished, the goal changes. Now it s time to cull the smaller ones that are already in the live well for bigger replacements. Remember, it s the five heaviest fish. Sometimes the technique changes just for the purpose of perhaps catching less fish but bigger ones. Again, the lesser ones get tossed back in when a better quality one is caught. And there are occasions when some good fish are thrown back because a great one is caught. Our life is somewhat like these bass tournaments. We know we only have room Outdoor Truths with Gary Miller for so many things in our life as well. Each one of these can be of little or great importance. Our life s pursuit and God s desire for us is to constantly add something that has a greater value than what we already have. What we must remember, however, is sometimes we must get rid of something that is of great worth in order to add something else that is priceless. This decision always comes with a mixed sense of both loss and excitement. As we mature, we understand it just has to be that way. It s just like that exercise shirt that you once wore that said, No Pain; No Gain. This is so true. But never forget, what you give up now will not seem so great a sacrifice when you get to the weigh-in. These types of sacrifices will always put you in the money. Gary Miller gary@outdoortruths.org

10 CANTON, OHIO "Selection Saturday" resulted in eight "Heroes of the Game" earning election to the Pro Football Hall of Fame. The Hall's 48-person selection committee held its annual meeting today in Atlanta to elect the Class of The new class of Enshrinees was just announced on stage at NFL Honors, a two-hour primetime awards special that will air nationally tonight at 9 p.m. (ET and PT) on CBS. The newest members of the Pro Football Hall of Fame include cornerback CHAMP BAILEY, contributor PAT BOWLEN, contributor GIL BRANDT, tight end TONY GONZALEZ, cornerback TY LAW, center KEVIN MAWAE, safety ED REED, and safety JOHNNY ROBINSON. The annual selection meeting capped a yearround selection process. The newly elected Hall of Famers were chosen from a list o f 18 finalists who had been determined earlier by the Pro Football Hall of Fame's Selection Committee. Representatives of the accounting firm Deloitte & Touche tabulated all votes during the meeting. The Class of 2019 will be officially enshrined into the Pro Football Hall of Fame during the spectacular Enshrinement Ceremony held inside Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium in Canton on Saturday, Aug. 3, The Enshrinement Ceremony is the main event of the Pro Football Hall of Fame Enshrinement Week Powered by Johnson Controls. PRO FOOTBALL HALL OF FAME CLASS OF 2019 The 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees CHAMP BAILEY Cornerback 6-0, 192 Georgia Washington Redskins, Denver Broncos 15 seasons, 215 games Washington's first round draft pick (7th overall) in 1999 NFL Draft Helped Redskins to 10-6 record and division title as rookie Recorded five interceptions in rookie season including three in one game (vs. Cardinals, Oct. 17, 1999) Traded to Broncos in 2004 Key member of secondary that led Denver to five postseason appearances and four division titles including three straight to cap his career Started at left cornerback in two AFC championship games and Super Bowl XLVIII Returned interception 100 yards in Broncos victory over Patriots in 2005 AFC Divisional Playoff Game Tied for NFL lead with career-high 10 interceptions returned for 162 yards and 1 TD, 2006 Racked up 18 interceptions over two-season span ( ) which was most in NFL in more than two decades Exceptional in pass coverage, rarely flagged for pass interference Led Redskins in interceptions once, punt returns once Broncos leading interceptor five seasons Amassed 52 career interceptions returned for 464 yards and 4 TDs Recorded 203 passes defensed Chosen First-Team All-Pro four times, Second-Team All-Pro four times Named All-NFC twice, All-AFC three times Voted to 12 Pro Bowls Selected to NFL All-Decade Team of the 2000s Born June 22, 1978 in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. PAT BOWLEN Owner Oklahoma 1984-Present Denver Broncos Bowlen shaped the Broncos into one of the most storied franchises in NFL history during his 35 years as owner Engrained winning culture into organization with immediate results Broncos posted 13-3 record to win AFC West in Bowlen's first season, 1984 Sustained and unprecedented success over past three decades has resulted in more than 350 victories, seven Super Bowl appearances and regular-season winning percentage of.603 ( ) With Bowlen at helm, Broncos have advanced to playoffs 18 times, won 13 division crowns, seven AFC conference championships and three Super Bowl titles (XXXII, XXXIII and 50) Under his leadership, the Broncos are only NFL team to post 90 or more victories in each of the past three decades Broncos victory total since Bowlen took over as owner is second most in NFL Led effort for state-of-the-art Broncos Stadium at Mile High that opened in Member of numerous NFL committees over career including co-chair of NFL Management Council Executive Committee Key figure to securing NFL's labor and TV contracts As Chair of NFL Broadcast Committee was responsible for negotiations of $18 billion TV contract, the most lucrative in single-sport history Named to Broncos Ring of Fame, 2015 Born Feb. 18, 1944 in Praire du Chien, Wisconsin. GIL BRANDT Contributor Wisconsin Dallas Cowboys, 1995-present National Football League Historic half-century career in pro football As vice president of personnel for the Cowboys, helped build one of most dominant franchises in all of sports Integral talent scout for Cowboys and member of team's brain trust along with Hall of Famers Tex Schramm and Tom Landry since inception in 1960 through 1988 Developed innovative scouting and management of personnel systems Many innovations are standard process for NFL teams today Early user of computer analysis to evaluate players Discovered number of free agents such as wide receiver Drew Pearson and defensive backs Cliff Harris and Everson Walls Responsible for building rosters that led Cowboys to winning records in 20 consecutive seasons ( ) Cowboys registered 10 or more wins in a season 16 times during period Helped Dallas to 13 division titles, six conference championships and two Super Bowl victories (VI and XII) Joined NFL.com at its inception in 1995 and has been key contributor ever since Regarded as top draft expert Serves as resident historian for NFL.com and has provided countless number of columns about league's significant events and players A regular radio personality on SiriusXM NFL Radio Born March 4, 1933 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. TONY GONZALEZ Tight End 6-5, 250 California Kansas City Chiefs, Atlanta Falcons 17 seasons, 270 games First-round pick (13th player overall) by Chiefs in 1997 Named Chiefs' rookie of the year after recording 33 catches for 368 yards and 2 TDs, 1997 Recorded more than 50 receptions in a season in each of his last 16 years (second most all-time) including 14 seasons with 70 or more catches Led NFL in receiving with career-best 102 receptions, 2004 Led Chiefs in receiving eight times Traded to Atlanta in 2009 Led Falcons in receiving, 2012 Set Chiefs record with 26 games with 100 or more receiving yards; added five more 100-yard efforts with Falcons Ranks behind only Jerry Rice in career receptions Career statistics: 1,325 receptions for 15,127 yards, 111 TDs Streak of 211 straight games with a catch, (longest ever by tight end, second longest in NFL history at time of retirement) Career-long 73-yard TD catch vs. division rival Raiders, Nov. 28, 1999 Team leader that helped Chiefs and Falcons to two division titles each Started at tight end for Falcons in 2012 NFC Championship Game, had 8 catches for 78 yards and 1 TD Named First-Team All-Pro seven times ( , 2008, 2012) Voted to 14 Pro Bowls Named Team MVP by Chiefs (2008) and Falcons (2009) Selected to the NFL's All-Decade Team of 2000s Born Feb. 27, 1976 in Torrance, California. TY LAW Cornerback 5-11, 200 Michigan New England Patriots, 2005, 2008 New York Jets, Kansas City Chiefs, 2009 Denver Broncos 15 seasons, 203 games Selected by Patriots in 1st round (23rd player overall) of 1995 NFL Draft Named All-Pro in 1998 and 2003 Voted to five Pro Bowls (1999, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006) Starting left cornerback in four AFC championship games Started at left cornerback in three Super Bowls including Patriots victories in Super Bowls XXXVI and XXXVIII Recorded seven tackles, one assisted tackle, two passes defensed and scored on 47-yard interception return for touchdown in New England's win over Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI Intercepted three or more passes in a season nine times Led NFL in interceptions twice (9 in 1998 with Patriots and career-high 10 in 2005 with Jets) Team's leading interceptor six times (Patriots 4, Chiefs 1, Jets 1) Registered 53 career interceptions for 828 yards and 7 picksixes Career-long 74-yard interception return for touchdown against New England (Dec. 26, 2005) Recorded 37-yard interception return in final game of career Five career sacks Selected to the NFL's All- Decade Team of the 2000s Born Feb. 10, 1974 in Aliquippa, Pennsylvania.

11 The newly elected members will have a bust of themselves, such as this one of former UK great Dermontti Dawson, on permanent diplay in the hall. Pinnacle Photo (continued) The 2019 Pro Football Hall of Fame inductees KEVIN MAWAE Center 6-4, 289 Louisiana State Seattle Seahawks, New York Jets, Tennessee Titans 16 seasons, 241 games Selected by Seahawks in 2nd round (36th player overall) in 1994 NFL Draft Spent majority of college career as tackle before moving to center during senior year Played in 14 games, and started 11 games during rookie season with Seahawks Named to NFL's All-Rookie Team Played at right guard first two pro seasons, moved permanently to center, 1996 Noted for leadership and steady play Helped Jets to division title and championship game appearance in first season in New York, 1998 Anchored steady Jets offensive line that led way for yard games and seven 1,000-yard seasons by Hall of Fame running back Curtis Martin Blocked for 1,000- yard rusher in 13 of his 16 seasons and five different running backs (Chris Warren, 2; Martin, 7; Travis Henry, 1; LenDale White, 1; and Chris Johnson, 2) Capped career with Pro Bowl season by paving way for 2,000-yard performance by Johnson Named All-Pro six times ( , 2004, and 2008) Voted to eight Pro Bowls including his final two seasons Selected to the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2000s Born Jan. 23, 1971 in Savannah, Georgia. ED REED Safety 5-11, 200 Miami (Fla.) Baltimore Ravens, 2013 Houston Texans, 2013 New York Jets...12 seasons, 174 games Selected by Ravens in first round (24th overall) in 2002 NFL Draft Made instant impact on Baltimore's dominant defense with 5 interceptions as rookie NFL's top interceptor in 2004, 2008, 2010 to become just second player in NFL history to lead NFL in interceptions three times Led AFC in interceptions four times Ravens leading interceptor seven seasons NFL's Defensive Player of the Year, 2004 after picking off league-high 9 passes returned for then-nfl record 358 yards, 1 TD Career statistics: 64 interceptions returned for NFL record 1,590 yards and 7 touchdowns. Owns two longest interception returns in NFL history (107 yards vs. Eagles on Nov. 23, 2008; and 106 yards vs. Browns on Nov. 7, 2004) Registered 140 career passes defensed Also returned 30 punts for 205 yards 3 touchdowns scored on fumble recoveries Leader on Ravens team that advanced to playoffs seven times, won four division titles, and Super Bowl title Started at free safety in three AFC championship games Recorded 5 tackles, 1 interception and 1 pass defensed in Ravens' Super Bowl XLVII win Selected All-Pro six times Voted to nine Pro Bowls Member of the NFL's All-Decade Team of the 2000s Born Sept. 11, 1978 in St. Rose, Louisiana. JOHNNY ROBINSON Safety 6-1, 205 Louisiana State Dallas Texans/Kansas City Chiefs 12 seasons, 164 games Selected in first round of 1960 AFL Draft by Texans and 3rd overall in the 1960 NFL Draft by Detroit Lions Utilized by Texans as running back first two seasons Moved to defense in third season, responded with 4 interceptions Recorded multiple interceptions each season after moving to safety Single-season best 10 interceptions in 1966 (led AFL) and 1970 (led NFL) Lone career pick-six came on 29-yard interception return vs. Boston Patriots, Sept. 25, 1966 Helped team to four division titles Played in three AFL championship game victories Started in two Super Bowls Recorded two tackles, one fumble recovery and intercepted one pass for nine yards in Chiefs' 23-7 win over Minnesota Vikings, Super Bowl IV Named All-AFL five straight seasons ( ), All-Pro, 1969 and All-NFL, 1970 Voted to AFL All-Star Game six times, Pro Bowl once Named to AFL's All-Time Team Intercepted 57 career interceptions, returned for 741 yards and 1 TD Also gained 658 rushing yards, 6 TDs; 77 catches for 1,228 yards, 9 TDs; 21 punt returns for 272 yards, 1 TD; and 3 kickoff returns for 54 yards Scored one TD on fumble return (46 yards vs. Baltimore Colts on Monday Night Football, Sept. 28, 1970) Born Sept. 9, 1938 in Delhi, Louisiana. The first order of business for the Selection Committee meeting was to discuss and debate the merits of the Seniors Finalist, Robinson. He was required to receive at least an 80 percent positive vote to earn election. Next, the careers of Bowlen and Brandt, this year's Contributors Finalists, were reviewed. Like all other Finalists, the Contributors Finalists needed a minimum 80 percent positive vote to be elected. The Hall of Fame's membership, including the newly elected Class of 2019, now stands at 326.

12 Keldon Johnson a finalist for the Julius Erving Award SPRINGFIELD, Mass. Kentucky men s basketball leading scorer Keldon Johnson is one of 10 finalists for the 2019 Julius Erving Award, presented annually to the nation s top small forward by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Named after Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer Julius Erving, a three-time world champion (one NBA title, two ABA titles) and four-time MVP (one NBA MVP, three ABA MVPs) this year s award will be presented at the ESPN College Basketball Awards Show in April. Johnson is looking to become the first Wildcat to win the award since its inception in Previous winners of the award include Mikal Bridges, Villanova (2018); Josh Hart, Villanova (2017); Denzel Valentine, Michigan State (2016); and Stanley Johnson, Arizona (2015). Johnson is the only freshman among the midseason finalists and one of two Southeastern Conference players, along with Tennessee s Schofield. The 6-foot-6 freshman from South Hill, Virginia, is leading the Wildcats in scoring with 14.0 points per game. He s been Kentucky s most consistent scorer this season with a team-high-trying five games with 20 or more points and a team-high-tying 17 games in double figures. Johnson is making 48.6 percent of his shots and 40.8 percent from behind the arc. He s made 31 3-pointers, behind only Tyler Herro s 36, and is also pulling down 5.2 rebounds per game, the third-best mark on the team. As of Feb. 6, Johnson is the only freshman in the country averaging at least 14.0 points per game, shooting at least 48 percent from the field, at least 40 percent from 3-point range and made at least 30 3s. Johnson has been particularly good in Kentucky's biggest games this season. He's averaging 17.6 points per game on 56.4-percent shooting and 50.0 percent from behind the arc, in addition to 5.0 rebounds per game in UK's five matchups with Associated Press Top 25 foes. He scored 21 vs. No. 9/10 North Carolina and 20 at No. 14/12 Auburn. He was 7 for 11 from the floor in both games. Against No. 9/10 Kansas, Johnson posted a double-double with 15 points and 10 rebounds in UK s third victory in three games over an AP Top 25 opponent. Five finalists will be revealed in March with the winner being announced during the annual ESPN College Basketball Awards show on April 12. Keldon Johnson photo by Quinn Foster / UK Athletics