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Hopson named AP player of the year in Kentucky

Associated Press
Originally published 11:28 a.m., April 22, 2008
Updated 11:28 a.m., April 22, 2008

LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Coaching boys' basketball at a small high school in western Kentucky has its perks.

Randy McCoy just finished his first season as head coach at 1A University Heights Academy in Hopkinsville after stops at Pikeville College and Morehead State.

Sometimes, the teams were pretty good. But none of them had Scotty Hopson, the Associated Press' Kentucky Boys High School Player of the Year.

"I've coached a lot of people in 30 years, a lot of good players," McCoy said. "And he's right at the top of the list."

Hopson can just add that to the pile of accolades he's received, including McDonald's and Parade All-American. Champ Ligon of Lexington Bryan Station is Coach of the Year.

But, McCoy said, all that success hasn't gone to Hopson's head.

"He's just a tremendous kid, a respectful kid," he said. "Sometimes these kids, doing all this stuff with AAU and in the summer, get above their raising."

The 6-foot-6-inch guard averaged 24 points and 11 rebounds per game this past season, helping lead the Blazers to 30-5 record and the All A Classic championship, generally regarded as the state championship for small schools. But University Heights was eliminated in the first round of the Sweet 16 Basketball Tournament by Lexington Catholic.

"That was a tough game," Hopson said. "Tough game. But look at the season we had. We had a great season. It's nothing I can hold my head down about."

Besides, Hopson has his sights set on big goals down the road. Next year, he takes his game to the University of Tennessee, hoping to help fill the void left by senior Chris Lofton, another Kentucky high school player who went south.

"As far as the team, I wanna do it all: SEC championship, Final Four, championship," Hopson said. "I want to be an impact player."

And after that? Hopson and McCoy think professional basketball is possible.

"He's still not close to reaching his potential," McCoy said. "One of these days, he's going to make a lot of money playing this game."

Other players receiving votes for Player of the Year were Shelvin Mack of Lexington Bryan Station and Darius Miller of state champion Mason County.

Like University Heights, Champ Ligon's Bryan Station team had a memorable season though it fell short of a championship. Not bad for a coach who was briefly fired by the school last season after posting a 24-8 record.

"In terms of my coaching career, it was pretty devastating," he said.

But the Bryan Station family wasn't having it. Members of the community expressed their support for Ligon. His players, including Player of the Year finalist Shelvin Mack, petitioned door-to-door to keep their coach. There's still a MySpace page called "Bring Champ Ligon Back!"

He was without a job for about two weeks, he said.

"It was really gratifying to know I had that many friends step forward for me," Ligon said.

Bringing the coach back paid off for the school.

The Defenders lost their first game of the season to eventual state champ Mason County, but then strung together a series of wins, and finished with a record of 30-3, and were ranked No. 1 much of the season.

A loss to Scott County snapped Bryan Station's win streak at 21 games but Ligon's team got revenge beating the Cardinals in their two other meetings, and paid back Mason County's Royals, beating them in February.

Ligon knew early in the season that his team was one of the elite and beating two other top teams in the state validated that.

"At that point, we were thinking maybe we'd see them in the finals of the state," he said.

Unfortunately for Ligon and Bryan Station, they ran into Lexington Catholic, in the final game of the 11th Region tournament, where they were eliminated, 79-63. Still, Ligon called it a tremendous season.

But a 30-win season, awards and having the job at Bryan Station aren't enough. There's still work to do and the goal is the state championship, he said.

And, "hopefully, I'll be able to coach at Bryan Station for a long time," Ligon said.

Greenwood's Blane Embry, Marshall County's Gus Gillespie, University Heights' Randy McCoy, and Bowling Green's D.G. Sherrill also received Coach of the Year votes.

© 2008, The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.

       23 Comments

Posted by wally on April 22, 2008 at 11:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Has he signed with us yet?

Posted by dfreeman on April 22, 2008 at 11:48 a.m. (Suggest removal)

W - it's not wednesday yet! That's when he'll sign!

Posted by yemmusdarb on April 22, 2008 at 12:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)

I like his little "diamond cutter" symbol he does after he makes a big play or whatever, I hope he keeps doing that at UT.

He needs to step up his D, bring more energy for the full-court pressure UT uses, and be willing to be a team-first guy. I think if he does those 3 things, he'll be an All-SEC player and Freshman All American.

Posted by bowerst on April 22, 2008 at 12:59 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Coach Pearl will see to it that he does all of those things. How many minutes do you see guys who don't play hard on defense getting under Pearl?

If he is smart, he will give Coach Pearl at least two years to make him a lottery pick with the kind of coaching that transformed Dane Bradshaw and Jujuan Smith into household names.

Posted by yemmusdarb on April 22, 2008 at 1:41 p.m. (Suggest removal)

HEY EVERYBODY CHECK THIS OUT:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2008...

It's on the main page of the Men's College Basketball page on CNNSI.com. A nice article on Scotty and his recruitment and commitment to UT. Apparently even UK fans know their players are getting paid!!!

Posted by FishTacos on April 22, 2008 at 3:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)

He is going to Kentucky.

Posted by knoxvegas75 on April 22, 2008 at 4:26 p.m. (Suggest removal)

all of the article writers finaly woke up and realized that he was the man in MSG!!!

Please sign soon so vol fans can breath again.

Posted by yemmusdarb on April 22, 2008 at 4:27 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Packaway is right. Here's an interview less than a week ago with Scotty talking about how he changed his mind again and is going to UK.

SIKE!!!

http://youtube.com/watch?v=81_MR6iv2s4

Posted by murrayvol on April 22, 2008 at 4:40 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Let the record show that packaway is a visionary.

Posted by knoxvegas75 on April 22, 2008 at 5:04 p.m. (Suggest removal)

lol..... yemmusdarb nice vid link.....sucks all he could do is stop talking about Kentucky Basketball. :)

GO VOLS!!!!

Posted by utfpmd on April 22, 2008 at 6:08 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Wow, what a sharp kid. Great video.

Posted by brownsvillevol on April 22, 2008 at 6:28 p.m. (Suggest removal)

very impressed with mr. hopson not like tyreka evans when she committed to the tigirls.you couldn't hardly understand a word she was saying.

Posted by brownsvillevol on April 22, 2008 at 6:31 p.m. (Suggest removal)

oh by the way mr. hall is already ranked #28 on rivals top 150 for 09 and is climbing the charts.rivals says if he keeps playing the way he is bruce pearl may get another maa if not two or three.

Posted by bgdave on April 22, 2008 at 6:43 p.m. (Suggest removal)

PG - R. Smith
SG - S. Hopson
SF - JP Prince
PF - T. Smith
C - W. Chism

Then, Duke Crews, Cameron Tatum, and Daniel West getting productive minutes off the bench. I smell a Final Four in the next two years if not both.

Posted by hmhawk on April 22, 2008 at 7:02 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Why does packaway say he is going to KY?I don't understand.

Posted by General_Watermelon on April 22, 2008 at 7:15 p.m. (Suggest removal)

bgdave - why a Final 4 may not be in the cards for UT anytime soon:
1) Tyler Smith will never stay but one more year and he would be critical to getting the Vols to the Final 4.
2) Ramar Smith does not have an outside shot nor is he a pure point guard although I think he could develop into one. Daniel West might be the answer but probably not this year (true Frosh)
3) JP Prince is a tremendous slasher but does not have a good outside game either.
4) Chism is not a great inside player although I could see him taking Tyler's place down the road and replace him with Duke.
5) Hopson will be just a Freshmen this year and then Tyler Smith will opt for the NBA.

I see the Vols being better in some areas and weaker in others. Losing C Lofton and J Smith will hurt next year's team more than folks realize.

Posted by yemmusdarb on April 22, 2008 at 8:16 p.m. (Suggest removal)

General Fritter:

1) If Tyler comes back this season it is basically his senior year (remember he played 1 season of prep ball before Iowa) so if he DOES come back this year, there's no way he'll be back for another one. So yes, you're somewhat right on that one.

2) True and True, except I hate when people use the slang "Frosh" just because it's the cool thing to do.

3) I don't know about calling JP a "tremendous" slasher, just because his finishing at the rim was average at best in most games. Against Xavier he seemed unstoppable, but once teams realize didn't do anything BUT slash to the rim... his numbers never reached what they were in the Xavier game. He needs to add 20 lbs, at the very LEAST work on his shot from 12-18 ft, and work on free throws... but his surgery and upcoming rehab from that will make all that almost impossible before practice begins.

4) Chism is a true PF, but to say you'd move him in order to put Duke at the 5 just isn't going to happen. Duke is definately not a center.

5) Carmello Anthony was just a freshman too. And don't be so pessimistic about Tyler. Have you seen all the early entries into the draft lately? There's 2 rounds worth of just underclassmen already. Every big-time player that opts for the draft makes Tyler's draft status more and more questionable. I don't see him being picked in the first round right now, much less the top 20 (which is what he said he wants to see before he officially opts for the draft).

And finally, yes Lofton and Smith will hurt but you have to realize... they were 2-3 star prospects. Lofton, obviously, was ridiculous from 3 but he was too easily taken out of his game simply by putting a tall, lanky defender on him and sticking him all game. JaJaun was solid usually, but also disappeared sometimes. I think we will actually be BETTER next year, even though I don't expect us to have as good of a record. I think having 6-6 SG's rather than 6-2 SG's makes a big difference. Our team will be REALLY big and WAY more athletic. Tatum and Hopson are both capable 3 pt shooters and are MUCH better athletes than Lofton and Smith were. Not to mention Woolridge and Prince are both around 6'8. Our smallest players will be West and Ramar, after that it will be Tabb at 6'4.

Posted by DandyVol on April 22, 2008 at 9:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

As of today, Tyler is 22nd in the NBA mock draft.
http://www.nbadraft.net/

Posted by itsme53792 on April 22, 2008 at 11:09 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Congratulations to ut for achieving something really unusual: Gaining a 5-star recruit....if he doesn't change his mind and sign with U of Louisville. Brownsvillevolgirl will learn to understand what Tyreke Evans and the other four 5-star recruits coming to Memphis have to say. Listening to Crews, Chism and the Smiths..really does set a "standard" for being "articulate"? Probably not unlike Brownsville's writing. The 5 Memphis 5-star recruits will set an articulate standard on the hardwood. The orange challenge is substantial: Directional school coach, thuggish returning talent, and one 5-star.

Posted by RichRollin on April 22, 2008 at 11:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Itsme53792, I'm glad to see that you have turned another vols article into a memfuss article. If we are so sorry, hows come you stay on our jock, always tryin' to get some love on a UT websight. Could it be the 2 thrashings we have served your NBACOACH with. Check your facts. How long has calipari coached you and how long has pearl coached us. Calipari came out and didn't come close to doing in his first 3 years what pearl has. And historically memfuss has had a better b-ball program. We will gladly welcome your 500 5 star recruits to THE-VILLE this season!!

Posted by budrhon on April 23, 2008 at 1:06 a.m. (Suggest removal)

Interesting if Pearl has his way with the in state recruiting next year or so the Vols could have 3 or 4 players out of Memphis. Ferrakhon Hall out of White Station has UT on his list along with Leslie McDonald. Joe Jackson (Hall's running mate) is by far the best Sophmore point guard in the State (2010) and then there is Freshman phenom Adonis Thomas out of Memphis Melrose who is already on several schools watch list. My point is if UT has 3 to 4 guys on the team out of Memphis will the Thug comments continue? It really needs to stop. Yeah, it's a bit disheartening when you see some of them struggle in an interview, but perhaps that might change once they go to school. That's what higher education is suppose to do, right? Regardless both Schools had a great run this season, but in the end neither brought home a NC.

Posted by UTfan4life on April 23, 2008 at 11:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)

Scotty make UT proud and go win us some games and be a top 5 draft pick

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