For the past 80 years, The Paducah Sun has named the top boys and girls basketball players across the First Region thanks to votes from coaches and local media members. While there are 15 teams on both sides and dozens of athletes to choose from, only 10 are named to each Paducah Sun All-Purchase Teams.
With the First Region tournament under wraps and the Girls Sweet 16 starting Wednesday, there’s no better time to honor those Top-10 female student-athletes for their accomplishments on the court. The team consists of 10 individuals including a Player of the Year.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Claire Johnson — McCracken County, Senior
The face of McCracken County Lady Mustang basketball this season and a key contributor for the program for the last several years, Claire Johnson stood out to all who voted. The All-Purchase Player of the Year is only one of the many accolades that Johnson has been nominated and honored for this year. She was also named the First Region Player of the Year in the KABC Poll, putting her name in contention for Miss Basketball.
Johnson is putting up 22.9 points per game and has tallied 778 points through all 34 games played. She is shooting 57.5% from the field and 33.1% from downtown and 83.4% from the foul line. She has also pulled in 132 rebounds for an average of 3.9rpg.
Earlier in the year, Claire reached the 2,000 career point milestone along with her 500th assist.
Mikee Buchanan — McCracken County, Senior
McCracken County senior Mikee Buchanan is the second face of a dynamic duo for the Lady Mustangs alongside Johnson. Buchanan follows Johnson on the stat sheet with 507 points on the year for 14.9 points per game. She’s averaging 46.8% from the floor, 34.4% from downtown and 80.9% from the charity stripe. She leads her team in rebounding with 221 total for 6.5 per game.
Earlier in the year, Buchanan brought down her 500th career rebound, further cementing her name in Lady Mustang basketball history.