Harlan County guard Trent Noah joined an elite group of high school basketball players in county history on Tuesday after being selected to to the Lexington Herald-Leader All-State Boys Basketball Team.

Noah, who averaged 28.1 points and 9.9 rebounds per game this season for the 19-11 Black Bears, was one of 30 players from around the state named to the squad. He was named to the second team in balloting by 119 coaches from around the state.

North Laurel junior Reed Sheppard was the leader in votes, receiving 111 to rank first on the first team and put himself in position as the favorite for Mr. Basketball in 2023.

Noah was the only 13th Region player selected to the second team. No players from the region were on the third team, but Harlan’s Jordan Akal and Knox Central’s Jevonte Turner were included on the honorable mention list.

Lyon County’s Travis Perry, who averaged 27.5 points per game in leading his team to the 2nd Region championship, was the only sophomore on the first team and the only sophomore to rank ahead of Noah. Bracken County’s Blake Reed, who averaged 28.5 points per game, was the only sophomore on the third team. Those three appear to be the early favorites for the 2024 Mr. Basketball award.

Noah appears to be only the fourth Harlan County basketball player to make one of the all-state teams as a sophomore. Harlan’s Carl Eagle was an all-state selection in 1944 when the Green Dragons won the state championship. Eagle repeated as an all-state selection as a senior in 1946.

Hzrlan’s Charles Thomas was a first-team all-state selections in 1993, 1994 and 1995, winning Mr. Basketball honors as a senior before going on to play at the University of Minnesota.

Cawood’s Blake Hubbs was a third-team selection by the Courier Journal as a sophomore in 1993. He earned second-team honors in 2004 and was a first-team selection in 2005.

Noah is the second player from HCHS to make the all-state team. Cameron Caarmical, Noah’s cousin, was a second-team selection as a senior in 2017 after leading the Black Bears to their first 13th Region championship and appearance in the Sweet Sixteen,.