Rick Stansbury got the 2017 Kentucky Mr. Basketball, Taveion Hollingsworth, to sign with Western Kentucky.

Now the Hilltoppers’ coach is chasing after a top candidate for the 2018 award.

Mercer County High School guard Trevon Faulkner visited WKU’s campus last week and was offered a scholarship by Stansbury.

Faulkner, one of the top rising seniors in the state, visited WKU shortly after Stansbury watched him play at an AAU tournament in Atlanta.

“It felt good, him telling me I have an offer,” Faulkner told the Daily News. “He’s a really good coach and he knows what he’s doing there. He’s going to change that program.

“He was a great guy to talk to, the environment was nice and I really liked it there. When I was on the court and he was talking to me, I could actually see myself going there.”

Stansbury has kept his eye on Kentucky talent since taking over the Hilltopper program in the spring of 2016.

He signed Hollingsworth from Paul Laurence Dunbar High School last fall. The guard from Lexington went on to win the state’s Mr. Basketball award.

Joining Hollingsworth as a freshman next year for WKU will be Jake Ohmer of Scott High School. Stansbury offered the guard from Taylor Mill a scholarship after watching him score 106 points over three state tournament games.

Radcliff native Jordan Brangers and Bowling Green native Jared Savage are transferring to WKU from South Plains (Texas) College and Austin Peay, respectively.

Stansbury’s recruiting efforts with native Kentuckians are continuing into the Class of 2018 with his offer to Faulkner, a 6-foot-4, 195-pound prospect.

The left-handed guard Faulkner has started at Mercer County since eighth grade. His time as a Titan included a run his sophomore year to the 2016 state tournament, where Hollingsworth’s Bulldogs edged Mercer County 58-55.

Faulkner led the Titans to the Region 12 championship game this past season, averaging 24.2 points and 11.9 rebounds per game.

Faulkner’s strengths are “driving and attacking, getting to the basket and shooting my midrange,” he said. “I’m working more on shooting the 3-ball and getting my jumper more consistent.

“Defense, I think I’m pretty good. I think I can play good defense and be a lock-down defender and be the person that gets that stop.”

Faulkner’s getting exposure on the AAU circuits this spring while playing with the 22 Vision program. One of his AAU teammates is Romeo Langford, a five-star shooting guard from New Albany, Ind., ranked as the No. 3 Class of 2018 player by 247 Sports Composite.

Faulkner, Langford and his teammates have played in tournaments this spring in Dallas and Atlanta in front of an assembly of college coaches.

“Just being there and having the coaches there really helps me because … playing at Mercer, coaches may not be able to see me,” Faulkner said. “But playing in that type of environment every game, it’s fun playing in that type of environment and having coaches see me play and hearing they like my game.”

Faulkner has picked up offers from Louisiana-Lafayette, Middle Tennessee, Northern Kentucky and Wright State in addition to WKU. With more offers coming in, he hasn’t put a timetable on a college decision.

Faulkner will be one of the most-watched players in the state next year during the high school season. He’ll play in showcases like the Marshall County Hoopfest and King of the Bluegrass, which should only increase his profile for both college coaches and a potential Mr. Basketball honor.

The top juniors on The Courier-Journal’s all-state team were Faulkner, Andrew Taylor (Corbin HS) and Jay Scrubb (Trinity HS). Steve Fitzgerald (Southwestern HS) and C.J. Frederick (Covington Catholic HS) will also be Mr. Basketball contenders.

“My senior season I want to go back to Rupp Arena,” Faulkner said. “That’s really my main goal. As a team, I just want to get better. I’m really not thinking about Mr. Basketball.

“I hear people talking about it but … if I don’t get it then I don’t get it. As a team, us going to state and making something happen, that’s all I’m worried about.”{&end}