For over 80 years, The Paducah Sun has named the top boys and girls basketball players across the First Region, with local coaches and media members voting. Despite 15 teams on both sides and abundant talent, only 10 are named to each Paducah Sun All-Purchase team.
With First Region basketball wrapped up and the Boys’ Sweet 16 kicking off next week, the Top 10 male student-athletes will be honored for their accomplishments on the hardwood during the 2023-24 season. The team consists of 10 individuals, including the Player of the Year.
PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Connor Miller — McCracken County, Senior
In addition to being named the First Region Player of the Year in the KABC Poll, Connor Miller stood out to all who voted for the All-Purchase team, receiving the Player of the Year accolade. With the KABC honor, Miller is in contention for Mr. Basketball for his 2023-24 performance on the hardwood.
The four-year varsity puzzle piece for McCracken led the team with 536 points during his final season with the Mustangs, averaging 16.8 points per game. In 32 games, he finished with a team second-best in rebounds, tallying 168, averaging 5.2 per game. Miller shot 47.1% from the floor, 35.9% from beyond the arc, and 72.8% at the free throw line.
Notably, Miller broke the single-game points record for McCracken County High School on December 19, 23, against New Faith Christian with 36 points, breaking the four-year-old record held by Jackson Sivills in 2019 with 33 points. Miller finished his high school career with 872 points.
Jonah Butler — Calloway County, Junior
One of the many powerhouse athletes for the Lakers, Jonah Butler has made a name for himself in the First Region since his freshman year at Calloway County. With 1,155 points to wrap up his junior year, Butler led the 2023-24 team with 490 total points, averaging 17.5 per game.
In 28 games, Butler finished at 47.9% on the floor, 37.0% from beyond the arc, and 69.5% from the charity stripe. He led the team with 282 rebounds, averaging 10.1 per game for the Lakers. He currently sits with 760 career rebounds.
Jackson Klope — McCracken County, Sophomore
Jackson Klope made a name for himself in the First Region in just two seasons with his skill set and height as a sophomore. With a second-best 527 total points in the 2023-24 season behind Miller, Klope averaged 15.5 points per game and led the Mustangs with 341 rebounds. The sophomore averaged 10.0 rebounds per game for McCracken County.
Klope shot 59.7% from the floor, 20.8% from beyond the arc, and 57.6% from the charity stripe. He sits with 492 rebounds in 64 games. During the season, Klope broke the single-season rebound record with 304, pushing ahead of Tyce Daniel’s record in 2016 with 286. Additionally, Klope broke the single-game record for rebounds twice—17 rebounds against Hopkinsville on December 5 and 20 against Poplar Bluff on December 29.