Green selected to Kentucky All-Stars

Published 11:50 am Monday, April 16, 2018

From leading her school to its first 13th Region title and state tournament appearance to becoming the first female basketball player at the school to sign with the University of Kentucky, Blair Green has made a habit of following her mother’s lead throughout her career.

Green added another achievement to the list on Sunday as she became the first player from Harlan County High School to be named to the Kentucky All-Star team for the annual two-game series in June against Indiana following tryouts at Lexington Catholic High School. Green’s mom, Harlan County coach Debbie Hoskins Green, was the first girls player from the county to make the team in 1987 when she represented Harlan High School.

“That’s always been a big goal of mine — to be able to follow in mom’s footsteps to be an all-star,” Green said. “It was a big goal and a blessing to make it.”

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“I think in today’s world, with AAU and everything, people have lost focus on how big of a privilege and honor it is to be part of the Kentucky All-Star program,” said the HCHS coach. “I was from a small town in 1987 and didn’t know anyone, so I had to go up there and prove myself. It’s a really big honor to represent Kentucky. We got into the gym at 6 this morning to work out. She will be ready for that game.”

Green averaged 26 points and 6.5 rebounds a game this season for the 28-2 Harlan County Lady Bears, who won their first 13th Region Tournament title this season and advanced to the state tournament before falling in the first round to George Rogers Clark High School. Green set the school scoring record as a four-year starter and was a two-time first-team all-state selection.

This year’s senior class in Kentucky is one of the strongest in history with several members of the all-star squad signing with Division I schools, including Miss Basketball Seygan Robins, who led Mercer County to two straight titles and is headed to the University of Louisville, along with Molly Lockhart, of Butler, and Mykasa Robinson, of Ashland Blazer.

“It was really competitive. It was a long day and hard workout, but it just got us better,” Green said. “It was good to be around the girls and make new friends. The competition was definitely very tough.”

The team will be coached by Joey Thacker, of Franklin County High School, and will play Indiana at 6 p.m. on June 8 at Bellarmine University in Louisville and at 5:30 p.m. on June 9 at Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

“Our goal is to win this summer and get it back to Kentucky,” Green said.

Green becomes the second local player the past two years to represent Kentucky. Harlan guard Jordan Brock, now at Tennesee Tech, played for Kentucky last summer.

The Kentucky-Indiana boys games will follow the girls on June 8-9.

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Kentucky All-Stars

Emma Davis, Mercer County

Grace Berger, Sacred Heart

Anna Clephane, Scott

Macie Gibson, Owsley County

Blair Green, Harlan County

Ciaja Harbison, Male

Lexi Held, Cooper

Molly Lockhart, Butler

Keely Morrow, Bowling Green

Seygan Robins, Mercer County

Mykasa Robinson, Ashland Blazer

Emmy Souder, Mercer County

Macey Turley, Murray