Mark Story: To an elite list in Kentucky basketball history, you can add Trent Noah

LEXINGTON, Ky. — From the time many a Kentucky child is old enough to dribble a basketball, a two-pronged goal animates their dreams.

The first part is to become a statewide hoops star while leading their local high school to a Kentucky state championship at Rupp Arena. The second component of the dream is to parlay that Sweet 16 star turn into a scholarship offer from the University of Kentucky.

Back in March, Harlan County star Trent Noah came up one agonizing defeat short of leading his team to the 2024 Kentucky boys basketball state tournament championship as the Black Bears fell to Lyon County, 67-58, in the state finals.

However, the scintillating showing the 6-foot-7, 200-pound wing produced at Rupp Arena in four state tournament games — averaging 32.3 points and 10 rebounds — ultimately propelled Noah to the second part of the Kentucky basketball “holy grail.” It was announced Wednesday that Noah is now the newest player on Mark Pope’s roster at UK.

In the UK news release that announced the ex-Harlan County star’s signing, the new Kentucky head man said Noah “is one of the elite shooters in this class. He is a tough, hard-nosed player with a special physicality. As an Eastern Kentucky native, Trent will bring a grit, toughness and determination to the (UK) program that is representative of this state.”

There were, obviously, some complicated twists and turns in Noah’s path to getting the opportunity to play for his home state’s flagship university. After the previous UK coaching staff helmed by John Calipari showed scant interest in recruiting Noah, he signed in the early signing period with Kentucky’s SEC rival, South Carolina.

So for Noah to have a chance to play at UK in 2024-25, there first had to be a coaching change at Kentucky. Then, Noah had to get a release from his national letter of intent from South Carolina. With all that, it’s hard to imagine Noah would have attracted the recruiting focus of the new Kentucky coaching staff had he not lit up Rupp in March in the Sweet 16.

Over four state tournament games, Noah scored 129 points. He grabbed 40 rebounds, made 39 of 68 shots, 19 of 34 treys and 32 of 36 free throws.

In an epic 85-71 overtime win over Campbell County in the state quarterfinals, Noah made 16 of 23 shots, 7 of 10 3-pointers and all nine of his foul shots while rifling in 48 points. That showing will stand in Kentucky high school hoops lore as one of the great individual performances ever in a state tournament game.

My first-hand memory of basketball in Kentucky goes back to the the early 1970s. In that time, Noah is the fourth player I recall to have propelled himself to a UK men’s basketball scholarship off of a stellar showing in one state tournament.

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