Elyria's Kendyll Compton caps career by being named Lorain County Mr. Basketball

ELYRIA — Kendyll Compton's up-and-down year couldn't have finished any better.Compton, an Elyria senior, was named Lorain County Mr. Basketball on Wednesday at the annual Troy DiFranco All-Star Night featuring the Gene Legeza Classic. "It's great, everything we've been through as a team," said Compton, who won the slam dunk contest. "We had a lot of ups and downs but we all came together at the end."At times the season was rocky for Compton.He sat out the first two games after picking up a pair of technical fouls in a preseason scrimmage and had a couple of other disciplinary issues during the season. He also had prime-time moments. He came off the bench to score 20 points in an early season win at Solon and had 21-point and 23-point games in wins over North Ridgeville. Perhaps his best games came late in the season. He scored 19 points at Berea-Midpark, hitting seven of eight free throws, and had 29 against Avon, making 10 of 21 field goal attempts.In the tournament, he led the Pioneers with 26 points against Medina, hitting all three of his 3-pointers and 11 of 17 shots from the field overall. And against Canton McKinley, he led the scoring with 21 points, including making all seven free throws, four coming in the closing minute to secure the district championship, Elyria's first since 2017. "It was a great run," said Compton, who's leaning toward going to Tiffin University. "Reality check just hit us. It's our last year, the last time we hoop together. It's a team award. We decided we would play hard all the time."Compton became the 11th Pioneers player to be rewarded with the Mr. Basketball trophy in the 52-year history of the award, which is given to the outstanding senior in the county. He joined his coach, Brett Larrick, the 1993 winner. Larrick has coached four of the Mr. Basketball winners — Kody Bender (2013), Bo Furcron (2016), Ryan Walsh (2023) and Compton. Compton (6-foot-5) was one of the most versatile and talented players to ever wear an Elyria uniform. He transferred to Elyria for his junior season from Lutheran West, joining one of his best friends, Jermiah Daniels, to help the Pioneers win their second straight Southwestern Conference championship in 2025 and advance to the Sweet 16 this year. Elyria went 19-7, losing a 53-50 heartbreaker to St. Edward in the regional final at Akron. "He's a good ballhandler, passer and shooter but he can also go inside and create mismatches," Larrick said. "It's a luxury to have a player that can go inside-out and still shoot 45 percent from the 3-point line." Compton led Elyria in scoring (14.8 points per game), rebounding (5.4 rebounds), 3-pointers (51-of-114) and free throws (51-of-66). He also had five blocked shots, 41 assists and 33 steals. He shot 50 percent from the floor, including 45 percent from the 3-point arc. He made 77 percent of his free throws. Oberlin's Carmello Williams was honorable mention.Contact Tim Gebhardt at (440) 329-7135 or timothygeb@msn.com.LORAIN COUNTY MR. BASKETBALL 2026 – Kendyll Compton, Elyria 2025 – Nolan Waechter, Brookside 2024 – Nathan Borling, Columbia 2023 – Ryan Walsh, Elyria 2022 – Aden Gregory, Midview 2021 – Seth Wilson, Lorain 2020 – Jonny Manning, Midview 2019 – Devon Grant, Lorain 2018 – Dorian Crutcher, Elyria Catholic 2017 – Naz Bohannon, Lorain 2016 – Bo Furcron, Elyria 2015 – Devon Andrews, Lorain 2014 – Cameron Kuhn, Vermilion 2013 – Kody Bender, Elyria 2012 – Claude Gray, Avon 2011 – Ronnie Willoughby, Avon Lake 2010 – Nick Farley, Vermilion 2009 – Drew McGee, North Ridgeville 2008 – Promis Cabbil, Elyria 2007 – Troy Simmons, Clearview 2006 – Louis Tumblin, Elyria 2005 – Dan Biber, Admiral King 2004 – Jordan Beard, Oberlin 2003 – Robert Nelson, Elyria 2002 – Tom Port, Avon Lake 2001 – Brian Ingleright, Avon Lake 2000 – Scott Remaklus, Southview 1999 – Brian Keller, Vermilion 1998 – Steve Vega, Avon 1997 – Eric Gilbert, Clearview 1996 – Carl White, Admiral King 1995 – Anthony Stacey, Midview 1994 – Byron Gladden, Admiral King 1993 – Brett Larrick, Elyria 1992 – Frank Bolognia, Avon Lake Todd Simon, Columbia 1991 – Craig Bradley, Avon Lake Mike Darmos, Southview 1990 – Eric Barnes, Elyria Catholic 1989 – Jamie Gladden, Admiral King Mike Hartman, Lorain High 1988 – Harold Walton, Admiral King 1987 – Greg Eichenberg, Columbia 1986 – Chip Winiarski, South Amherst 1985 – Jeff Mott, Avon 1984 – Joe Rittenhouse, Wellington 1983 – Roger Smith, Admiral King 1982 – Doug Carrico, Firelands 1981 – Tom Underman, Elyria Bobby Warden, Elyria Catholic 1980 – Bill Szabo, Firelands 1979 – Mike Razdrh, South Amherst 1978 – Jay Dill, Keystone Clay Dill, Keystone 1977 – Richard Montague, Elyria 1976 – Bill Dodd, Firelands 1975 – Fred Balser, Elyria