Meet The Courier Journal's Sixth and Seventh Region basketball players of the year

Keith Robinson may not be the most talented basketball player in the Sixth Region, but his coach will tell you that no one works harder.

“Keith is a testament to hard work paying off,” Pleasure Ridge Park coach Larry Kihnley said. “He’s a gym rat, stays in the gym and works on his game. He just outworks you.”

The 6-foot-4 Robinson has enjoyed an outstanding senior season for the Panthers (22-5), who will face Fairdale in Friday’s 21st District Tournament final. Coaches have taken notice, voting Robinson the Sixth Region Player of the Year.

Also taking Courier Journal Player of the Year honors were Ballard’s Gabe Sisk (Seventh Region boys), Sacred Heart’s ZaKiyah Johnson (Seventh Region girls) and Mercy’s Leah Macy (Sixth Region girls).

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Here’s a look at the winners:

PRP’s Keith Robinson

Robinson was a landslide winner, receiving nine votes from the coaches who returned ballots. Evangel Christian’s Cyr Malonga and Butler’s Dayton Williams were runners-up with two votes apiece.

Robinson leads PRP in scoring (18.5 ppg) and rebounding (6.5) and is shooting 51.3% from the field. He played at DeSales as a freshman and sophomore before transferring to PRP and now has 1,641 points in his high school career.

“He can score in a variety of ways,” Kihnley said. “He can shoot from the outside and is just as tough in the post. I asked him the other day, ‘If I can get you the ball in one spot, where would it be?’ He said, ‘I don’t care. Just give it to me.’”

Kihnley said Robinson is receiving recruiting interest from Southwest Baptist — and NCAA Division II school in Missouri — and Centre.

Robinson is a Mr. Basketball finalist after being named Sixth Region Player of the Year by the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches earlier this month.

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Ballard’s Gabe Sisk

Sisk won a tight race with Seneca’s Quel’Ron House, winning the vote 6-5. Male’s Jack Edelen received two votes.

The 6-6 Sisk leads Ballard in scoring (22.6 ppg) and rebounding (9.3 rpg) and is shooting 40% from 3-point range (72 of 180). The Bruins (24-4) — ranked No. 6 in the state — will face Christian Academy in Friday’s 28th District final.

“He’s shot the ball consistently this year, and that’s allowed the rest of his game to free up some,” Ballard coach Greg Willis said. “He’s done a nice job off the dribble and attacking the basket. … He’s done a good job reading the gaps and attacking off the dribble.”

Sisk won the Butch Charmoli MVP award after leading Ballard to the Louisville Invitational Tournament title in January. He’s recently received scholarship offers from Coastal Carolina, Hampton and Marshall.

Sisk is a Mr. Basketball finalist after being named Seventh Region Player of the Year by the KABC earlier this month.

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Sacred Heart’s ZaKiyah Johnson

Johnson won the award for the second straight year, receiving eight of 10 votes. Central’s Destiny Jones and Manual’s JaKayla Thompson both received one vote.

Johnson, a 6-foot sophomore, is averaging 21.5 points and 7.8 rebounds for a Valkyries team that is 29-3 and seeking its third straight state title. Sacred Heart is ranked No. 1 in the state and No. 12 in the nation by ESPN.

Perhaps Johnson’s biggest improvement this season has been from 3-point range. As a freshman, she shot 26.5% (31 of 117) from behind the arc. This season she’s at 38.2% (63 of 165).

“Because of our personnel, she’s been playing more out on the wing,” Valkyries coach Donna Moir said. “She’s getting more opportunities to shoot the 3, and she’s worked a lot on her shot. She’s shooting it with confidence, and it looks good coming off her hand.”

Johnson has a bevy of scholarship offers from the nation’s top Division I programs, including Baylor, Connecticut, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU and South Carolina.

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Mercy’s Leah Macy

Macy received 10 of the 12 votes. Bullitt East’s Lilly Reid and Bullitt Central’s Haley Dillman both received one.

The 6-2 Macy ranks in the top 10 in the state in scoring (24.2 ppg), rebounding (12.8 rpg) and shooting (63.4%). The Jaguars (21-9) are ranked No. 5 in the state and are heavy favorites to win the Sixth Region title.

Coach Nick Cann said Macy’s had to play point guard in recent games because of several injuries.

“It’s really hard to bring the ball up and be your primary scorer, but she’s doing whatever we need her to do,” Cann said. “Her ballhandling and ability to play out on the floor have developed so much.”

Macy has scholarship offers from several of the nation’s top programs, including Florida State, Kentucky, Louisville, LSU, Michigan, Mississippi State, North Carolina and Tennessee.

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

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA basketball: CJ's Sixth and Seventh Region Players of the Year