There aren’t many nights when Hannah McKay isn’t the best player on the court, and that’s a big reason why she is a finalist for this year’s Miss Basketball award.
McKay was recently named the co-3rd Region Player of the Year — along with Meade County’s Kendall Wingler — by the Kentucky Association of Basketball Coaches. Those two, along with the 17 other KABC Region Players of the Year, go on as Kentucky Miss Basketball finalists.
Though McKay always wanted to be considered for Miss Basketball, the Owensboro Catholic standout senior said she thought she might miss out on the honor.
“I wasn’t sure that my chances would be very good after I turned down an opportunity to play for a Kentucky Premier elite travel team. I chose instead to play with my high school teammates during that summer for travel ball,” McKay said. “Luckily, I have been able to play with and against some very impressive athletes. During those particular games, I was able to perform in front of a lot of different coaches.”
It would be hard not to notice McKay, a 6-foot forward who averages 19.4 points and 9.4 rebounds per game — accounting for roughly 36 percent each of the Lady Aces’ scoring and rebounding.
With the addition of the 3-pointer to her arsenal this year, McKay has truly become a threat all over the court. She shoots 55.4 percent (205-for-370) from the floor overall and 40.6 percent (39-for-96) from long range, both team highs.
McKay’s size and reach make her tough to get around on the defensive end, but she can still get up and down the court in a hurry and is dangerous in transition.
“I really try to focus on playing good defense and anticipating passes,” McKay said. “I am always looking for fast breaks and stealing opportunities. My biggest focus has been on being a good rebounder. I feel like that has probably been what has made me most successful along with having teammates that will look for me and get me the ball when they can.”
After establishing herself as one of the top players in the region last year as a junior, it’s no surprise McKay is having an even better senior campaign.
“Hannah just has a motor that doesn’t stop,” said Catholic head coach Michael Robertson. “She is a handful to guard and you just can’t simulate that in practice for teams trying to get ready for us. For her to do what she has done this season is a tremendous accomplishment with everyone’s defensive focus being on her.”
McKay said after losing nearly half their offensive production from a season ago, the team dynamics have changed quite a bit and the Lady Aces have had to make adjustments on what will work the best. She’s tried to be a steady presence that everyone can look up to.
“I feel like I bring quite a bit of size and experience to our team,” she said. “I feel that I have grown a lot in my basketball knowledge and I try to set a good example for our team. I try to be a good leader to the younger ones and I try to set a positive work ethic for everyone.”
If she goes on to win the award, McKay would be the second Miss Basketball in Catholic’s history behind Kris Miller. Rebecca Greenwell and Makayla Berry were also finalists for the award.
“Being nominated as a finalist is an extreme honor to me,” McKay said. “I feel like I have worked very hard to accomplish the things that I have. I hope that I am setting a good example for the athletes that will be coming up in the future.”
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