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The 2023 All-Messenger Boys and Girls Basketball Teams, presented by Troy Bank & Trust, features a number of talented area players and are headlined by the Charles Henderson and Pike County squads.

The girls team features three Lady Trojans and a pair of Lady Bulldogs, unsurprising with both teams reaching the Final Four this season. Leading the way is All-Messenger Girls Player of the Year KK Hobdy, who is coming off her third straight All-State nomination, as well. Hobdy is the reigning Troy Messenger Female Athlete of the Year, as well. Hobdy, who will play college hoops at Shelton State, finished her senior campaign averaging 19.7 points, seven rebounds and 4.1 assists per game.

Joining Hobdy on the All-Messenger Team is her teammates center Deanna Gosha and forward Harmony Hubbard. Gosha ended her senior season averaging 8.1 points, seven rebounds and 0.4 assists per game. Gosha was also the Lady Trojans’ top shot blocker. Hubbard was Charles Henderson’s leading three-point shooter, knocking down 37 percent of her shots beyond the arc. She averaged 9.4 points, four rebounds and 3.1 assists per game.

Also, on the girls side are Pike County seniors Amity White and Taniyah Green. White, who earned Regional Tournament MVP, also earned All-State Honorable Mention. She averaged 11.3 points, four rebounds, 1.3 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Green finished her senior season averaging 10.4 points, 7.6 rebounds, 0.5 assists, 2.4 steals and one block per game.

The Messenger’s Female Coach of the Year is Pike County’s Melissa White, who led Pike County to the school’s most wins in a season and the first Final Four appearance in school history.

On the boys side, Charles Henderson senior Austin Cross is the All-Messenger Boys Player of the Year. Cross is also coming off his second straight First-Team All-State honor and is a finalist for the Class 5A Mr. Basketball Award. He’s also the reigning Troy Messenger Male Winter Athlete of the Year. As a senior, Cross averaged 23.1 points, 4.7 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 1.7 steals per game.

Joining Cross on the All-Messenger team is senior forward Jayden Spearman and junior guard Jywon Boyd. Spearman averaged 19.8 points, 6.8 rebounds, 2.1 assist and 1.5 steals per game, while Boyd finished the season averaging 14.4 points, 4.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists and 1.5 steals per game.

The Messenger’s Boys Coach of the Year is also Charles Henderson coach Tim Fayson. After a more than decade-year career as an assistant coach at his alma mater, Fayson became head coach last season and led Charles Henderson to its first Elite 8 appearance in nearly a decade. This season, Fayson’s Trojans made it all the way to the State Championship game for the first time since 1987.

Pike County’s Markelis Hobdy is the Bulldog representative on the All-Messenger team after averaging 11.2 points, two assists, three rebounds and one steal per game. Also, Zion Chapel junior guard Slade Grantham made the All-Messenger squad after averaging 18.7 points, 5.5 rebounds, 3.1 assists and three steals per game.

All-Messenger Girls

G: KK Hobdy, Sr., Charles Henderson

G: Amity White, Sr., Pike County

C: Taniyah Green, Sr., Pike County

F: Harmony Hubbard, Fr., Charles Henderson

F: Deanna Gosha, Sr., Charles Henderson

Coach of the Year: Melissa White, Pike County

Player of the Year: KK Hobdy, CHHS

All-Messenger Boys

G: Austin Cross, Sr., Charles Henderson

G: Markelis Hobdy, Jr., Pike County

G: Jywon Boyd, Jr., Charles Henderson

G: Slade Grantham, Jr., Zion Chapel

F: Jayden Spearman, Sr., Charles Henderson

Coach of the Year: Tim Fayson, Charles Henderson

Player of the Year: Austin Cross, CHHS