Malachi Moreno, ZaKiyah Johnson named Kentucky Mr. and Miss Basketball
For the third straight year, a Kentucky men’s basketball commit has won the state’s top individual high school basketball honor.
Great Crossing’s Malachi Moreno was named the 2025 Mr. Kentucky Basketball winner Sunday night at Lexington’s Griffin Gate Marriott. He joins North Laurel’s Reed Sheppard and Lyon County’s Travis Perry as the third consecutive Wildcat commit to receive the award. The seven-foot center is considered a Top 30 recruit in the country and will lead Great Crossing into the Sweet 16 as one of the few favorites later this month at Rupp Arena.
Moreno becomes the 22nd future Wildcat to win this award. He’s the third-ever from the Scott County area (Rick Jones in 1999 and Scott Hundley in 2000 won back-to-back for Scott County) to do so, but he’s the first from Great Crossing, which was founded in 2019. Moreno averaged 21.6 points, 14.9 rebounds, 3.6 blocks, and 3.5 assists per game this season while shooting 72 percent from the field. His 1,896 career rebounds rank him fourth all-time in state history.
Joining Moreno on stage was Sacred Heart Academy star ZaKiyah Johnson, who was named Kentucky Miss Basketball. Johnson, a Top 15 prospect, is committed to the LSU Tigers and helped lead Sacred Heart to a fifth straight state title over the weekend at Rupp Arena. The 6-foot guard capped off one of the more historic high school runs in state history with four state titles, four Sweet 16 MVPs, and four Kentucky Gatorade Player of the Year awards.
Johnson is considered arguably the greatest high school girls’ player to ever come out of the Bluegrass. She dominated at every stage across her varsity career, finishing her senior season with per-game averages of 21.2 points and 7.3 rebounds on shooting splits of 54.2/39.5/75.7. Johnson is the third straight Kentucky Miss Basketball winner not to play her college ball at UK though. Rowan County’s Haven Ford (2023) and Pikeville’s Trinity Rowe (2024) committed to Murray State and Southern Miss, respectively.
We’ve been blessed with some incredibly talented basketball players in the state over the last few years. Below are the Boys and Girls Region Player of the Year award winners from all 16 regions.
2025 BOYS REGIONAL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
1st Region: Jonah Butler, Calloway County
2nd Region: Rex Blue, Dawson Springs
3rd Region: Ty Price, Butler County
4th Region: Robert “Ant” McAfee, Warren Central
5th Region: Connor Loy, Adair County
6th Region: Noah Glover, Fern Creek
7th Region: Justice Decker, Manual
8th Region: Armelo Boone, Woodford County; Aaron Gutman, Walton-Verona
9th Region: EJ Walker, Lloyd Memorial; Andy Johnson, Cooper
10th Region: Garyn Jackson, Campbell County
11th Region: Malachi Moreno, Great Crossing
12th Region: Trevor Ellis, Mercer County
13th Region: Maddox Huff, Harlan County
14th Region: Evin Eversole, Hazard
15th Region: Jaden Stewart, Pike County Central
16th Region: Zander Carter, Ashland Blazer.
2025 GIRLS REGIONAL PLAYERS OF THE YEAR
1st Region: Hannah Glisson, Graves County
2nd Region: NeVaeh Day, Christian County
3rd Region: Peyton Bradley, Meade County
4th Region: LaReesha Cawthorn, Franklin-Simpson
5th Region: Leah Macy, Bethlehem
6th Region: Noel Smith, Whitefield Academy
7th Region: ZaKiyah Johnson, Sacred Heart
8th Region: Lainey Johnson, Anderson County
9th Region: Caroline Eaglin, Newport Central Catholic
10th Region: Nicole Archibald, Bracken County; Ciara Byars, George Rogers Clark; Brooklyn White, Paris
11th Region: Nataya Strader, Madison Central
12th Region: Grace Mbugua, Danville Christian
13th Region: Brooke Nichelson, North Laurel
14th Region: Kyra McAlarnis, Knott County Central
15th Region: Sophie Adkins, Lawrence County
16th Region: Kenleigh Woods, Ashland Blazer.
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