Hubbard named region’s top player

Metcalfe County’s McMurtrey, Monroe County’s Murray tabbed top coaches

By JOHN VERSER

Barren County’s Lee Hubbard was named Fourth Region boys Player of the Year, Glasgow’s Charli Fant was named First Team All-Region on the girls side and Metcalfe County’s Tim McMurtrey and Monroe County’s Dwayne Murray were named boys and girls region coaches of the year, respectively, on the All Fourth Region teams released this week.

On the boys side, Metcalfe’s Trey Shirley was named to the first team and teammate Will Warf was named second team, while Glasgow’s Charlie Mudd and Barren’s Matthew Riley were named to the third team. In addition to Fant, Monroe’s Jerri Beth Gee was named second team on the girls side while Barren’s Courtney Thomas was named second team and Tiffany Jones was named third team.

Hubbard averaged 25 points per game and 9.7 rebounds per game to lead the Trojans to a 26-6 record and regular and tournament 15th District titles.

“Lee’s been extremely valuable to us,” Barren coach Steve Riley said. “Defenses really have to concentrate on him. He’s an experienced player, averaging 25 points and almost 10 rebounds a game while shooting a great percentage. Those are extrodinary numbers for high school player.

“He’s shooting about 60 percent for 2’s, about 37 percent from 3’s and 75 percent from the free throw line. So he’s gotten those points efficiently.”

Hubbard broke the school’s single-game scoring record with 45 points against the Kilsyth Cobras, a team from Australia, on Jan. 5.

“He’s gone from being about the ninth best player on the team as a 7th grader to being the best player in the region,” Riley said. “That says a lot about the work that he’s put in to improve. He’s come a long way and he’s worked real hard to get there.

“This means a lot to Lee and his teammates. They all felt like he deserved it.”

The senior duo of Shirley and Warf averaged over 18 points a game each to lead Metcalfe to a 21-8 record. Shirley, the team’s leading scorer and outside threat, averaged 18.8 points per game. Warf averaged 18 points and over eight rebounds a game.

“They have really played well,” McMurtrey said. “Trey and Will, I know they’re tickled with it. They have both worked very hard and they are both very deserving.

“Will is a very solid player. He’s been consistent for us all season long. Trey is close to being 100 percent again. He’s had a good season for us.”

Glasgow’s Mudd and Barren’s Matthew Riley both made third team All-Region.

McMurtrey was the boys Fourth Region Coach of the Year after guiding the Hornets to a 21-8 season. Metcalfe advanced to the All “A” Classic state tournament this year and survived an injury during the middle of the season to Shirley, the team’s leading scorer. It was an eight game turnaround for the Hornets, who went 13-14 last year and lost in the first round of the district tournament.

Fant led area girls as a selection on the first team All-Region. She averaged 15 points, four rebounds and three assists per game to lead the Lady Scotties to back-to-back Fourth Region Tournament appearances.

Gee and Thomas were second round selections, while Jones was named to the third team.

Thomas averaged 11 points and almost six rebounds a game for the Trojanettes, while Jones averaged 10 points, 4.5 assists and 3.5 rebounds a game.

“I am proud of them,” Barren coach John Butler said. “They’ve had great years this year. I know they’re tickled and I think it’s well-deserved.”

Murray led the Lady Falcons to a 22-4 record and a 5-1 mark in 15th District play in the regular season. Monroe had a 15-game turnaround from last season, after going 7-17 overall and 2-4 in district play.