The 2024 All-State Girls Basketball Teams, as presented by the Lexington Herald-Leader, were determined through the votes of high school coaches across Kentucky. Among the exceptional talent in this year’s lineup, ZaKiyah Johnson from Sacred Heart secured the top spot for the third consecutive year as the Herald-Leader Girls Basketball Player of the Year. Standing at 6 feet tall, Johnson, a five-star recruit, and the No. 5 junior in the nation according to ESPN’s HoopGurlz ratings, played a pivotal role in leading the Valkyries to their fourth consecutive Girls’ Sweet 16 championship with an impressive 18.9 points and 7.2 rebounds per game.
Gathering a total of 79 player of the year votes and featured on 101 of the 106 All-State ballots submitted by Kentucky high school girls basketball coaches, Johnson’s skill and talent shone brightly on the court. Leah Macy from Bethlehem, another remarkable 5-star junior who is ranked as the No. 8 recruit in the nation, secured the second spot in the voting. Macy, together with Trinity Rowe of Pikeville, who was crowned as this year’s Miss Basketball, received six player of the year nods each. In addition, Claire Johnson of McCracken County garnered the most top votes among All-State first-teamers.
The first team also includes remarkable juniors such as Grace Mbugua of Danville Christian and Ciara Byars of George Rogers Clark, alongside standout seniors Shaelyn Steel from Russell, Reagan Bender from Sacred Heart, Dea Bradley from Hart County, and Marian Knight from Butler. The coaches’ selections in a statewide survey conducted by the Lexington Herald-Leader/Kentucky.com served as the basis for the Herald-Leader All-State Teams, with players listed in order of point totals based on coaches’ votes.
An extensive selection process resulted in ZaKiyah Johnson and Leah Macy, among others, emerging as the top talents in the 2024 Lexington Herald-Leader All-State Girls Basketball Team. The teams were drawn from three groups of 10 players, as well as 20 honorable mentions. The teams and voting process are a testament to the incredible achievements and abilities of these outstanding individuals on the basketball court.
Moreover, an email-based survey was utilized to compile the All-State teams, sent to all 264 KHSAA girls’ basketball coaches in Kentucky, with scores determined based on the coaches’ preferences. With a high level of participation from 106 coaches, the results are a genuine reflection of the exceptional talent and abilities of the athletes who have earned their places on the prestigious 2024 All-State Girls Basketball Team.
In conclusion, the 2024 Lexington Herald-Leader All-State Girls Basketball Team is a testament to the outstanding skills and talent of the players who have been named in the highly prestigious lineup. With an extensive selection process and the involvement of coaches from across the state, the teams reflect the remarkable abilities and achievements of these remarkable individuals on the basketball court.