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Kentucky All-Stars basketball: Evangel boys' Cyr Malonga leads juniors' sweep of seniors

jason frakes, louisville courier journal
·3 min read
Bullitt Central's James M. Barnard reaches to stop a shot by Evangel Christian's Cyr Malonga in the boys 23rd district basketball final. Feb. 25, 2022
Bullitt Central's James M. Barnard reaches to stop a shot by Evangel Christian's Cyr Malonga in the boys 23rd district basketball final. Feb. 25, 2022

Evangel Christian’s Cyr Malonga had 17 points, nine rebounds and three blocks to lead Kentucky’s junior All-Stars boys basketball team to a 106-100 victory over the senior All-Stars on Saturday at Eastern High School.

The game was an exhibition to prepare the senior All-Stars for their games against Indiana on Friday in Owensboro and next Saturday in Indianapolis.

Previous coverage: Rosters announced for Kentucky All-Stars 

Malonga was one of six juniors to score in double-figures, joining George Rogers Clark’s Jerone Morton (16 points), Hopkins County Central’s Marcus Eaves (13), GRC’s Trent Edwards (11), Covington Catholic’s Evan Ipsaro (10) and Murray’s Grant Whitaker (10).

CovCath’s Mitchell Rylee led the seniors with 26 points, and Mr. Basketball Turner Buttry of Bowling Green added 19 points and six assists.

The juniors finished 11 of 26 from 3-point range (42.3%) while the seniors hit 6 of 23 (26.1%).

KENTUCKY JUNIORS        55          51 - 106

KENTUCKY SENIORS        48          52 – 100

Kentucky Juniors – Marcus Eaves 13, Omari Glover 6, Kenyon Goodin 7, Evan Ipsaro 10, Grant Whitaker 10, Jerone Morton 16, Jaylen Davis 3, Zee McCown 9, Trent Edwards 11, Rylee Samons 2, Cyr Malonga 17, Reece Potter 2.

Kentucky Seniors – Turner Buttry 19, Keno Hayden 5, James Jewell 9, Jaiden Lawrence 3, Darien Lewis 6, Andrew Mason 8, Jay Milburn 9, Sam Powell 3, Mitchell Rylee 26, Jabrion Spikes 10, Cade Stinnett 2.

Girls game

Rowan County's Haven Ford had 17 points, four assists and three steals to lead the juniors over the seniors.

Triniti Ralston drives during a game against visiting Central High School in February 2022. Ralston was instrumental in the Valkyries' 2021 state championship.
Triniti Ralston drives during a game against visiting Central High School in February 2022. Ralston was instrumental in the Valkyries' 2021 state championship.

Ford was one of six juniors to score in double figures, joining Sacred Heart’s Triniti Ralston (14 points), McCracken County’s Destiny Thomas (13), Ryle’s Abby Holtman (11), Mercer County’s Timberlynn Yeast (10) and Lawrence County’s Kensley Feltner (10).

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Male’s Ma’Kiya West added four points and a team-high eight rebounds for the juniors.

Bardstown’s Jaileyah Cotton scored 22 points to lead the seniors. The seniors also got solid outings from Bullitt East’s Gracie Merkle (15 points, 10 rebounds, three blocks), North Oldham’s Riley Neal (11 points) and Sacred Heart’s Josie Gilvin (10 points, 19 rebounds, four assists).

The seniors committed 36 turnovers, which the juniors converted into 48 points. Up 75-72 after three quarters, the juniors outscored the seniors 31-11 in the fourth to pull away.

KENTUCKY JUNIORS     24      26     25     31 - 106

KENTUCKY SENIORS     26     16      30     11 - 83

Kentucky Juniors – Kylee Dennis 4, Triniti Ralston 14, Timberlynn Yeast 10, Haven Ford 17, Abby Holtman 11, Noelle Hubert 9, Destiny Thomas 13, Kensley Feltner 10, Whitney Lind 7, Brianna Byars 7, Ma’Kiya West 4.

Kentucky Seniors – Jaileyah Cotton 22, Amaya Curry 5, Josie Gilvin 10, Lauren Hawthorne 2, Jenna Lillard 2, Monica Lindsey 11, Gracie Merkle 15, Riley Neal 11, Cassidy Rowe 5.

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Kentucky All-Stars basketball: Cyr Malonga leads juniors' sweep of seniors