Chris Lofton

Offered. Verballed to Tennessee April 2004

05/05/04: "Two weeks of nervous waiting are over for Tennessee basketball. Chris Lofton's signed papers went in the overnight mail Tuesday morning. Kentucky's "Mr. Basketball" informed the UT coaches Monday night that he had signed his letter of intent, nearly two weeks after he gave the Vols a non-binding oral commitment. The 6-foot-2 guard with the long-range stroke will hold a press conference at Mason County High School in Maysville later this week.

After telling UT coach Buzz Peterson on April 21 he was committed, Lofton backpedaled to reconsider his options. According to sources familiar with his family, he had second thoughts about the distance from home and kept the door open for an offer from nearby University of Cincinnati.

Lofton also wanted to wait until Kelly Wells, his coach at Mason County, recovered from a kidney transplant sufficiently to attend a press conference. Peterson made two trips to Maysville last week to help close the deal.

In Lofton, the Vols get a 3-point shooter who averaged an amazing 46 percent for his career behind the arc. While questions have been raised about Lofton's lateral quickness, several media representatives in Kentucky familiar with Lofton's game told the News Sentinel he should be a contributor at the SEC level.

Lofton led Mason County to consecutive state championship games. He scored 39 points, hitting 9-of-12 from 3-point range, in the 2003 victory over Louisville Ballard. The Royals lost the 2004 title game to Warren Central. Lofton recently won the 3-point shooting contest at the Derby Festival Basketball Classic.

Lofton will be the only spring addition for the Vols, unless something further develops with Derrick Byars, the wing forward who is transferring from Virginia." - KnoxNews.com

05/04/04: "Chris Lofton has signed to play basketball for the University of Tennessee. An announcement will be coming in the next few days. Lofton, a 6-foot-2 guard from Maysville, Ky., informed UT’s coaches Monday night that he had signed the letter of intent and planned to put it in the mail today. A press conference at Mason County High School will be held this week. Kentucky’s "Mr. Basketball" committed to the Vols on April 21, but had held off signing the papers while he considered other options. UT coach Buzz Peterson and assistant coach Chris Ferguson visited Lofton last Friday." - KnoxNews.com

04/28/04: "Tennessee is on top right now,” Lofton said. “But I want to wait and see if anything else develops." Lofton said the only other “big” school calling him is Cincinnati. According to Lofton, the Bearcats called him on Monday and Lofton indicated that Cincinnati has offered, but acknowledged that Bob Huggins and company have not sent him any scholarship papers at this point. With the 5/8 rule in place, Cincinnati does not appear to have room for Lofton, but the word is that the 5/8 rule is going to be removed which could open up a spot for Lofton.

Lofton would not say that he was “waiting” on official word from the Bearcats, but did acknowledge that if Cincinnati sent him papers he would have something to think about." - www.volquest.com (Tennessee) Back to the Active file. . .


04/23/04: "Chris Lofton, Kentucky's Mr. Basketball, apparently is headed to Tennessee. Maybe. The Knoxville News and Nashville Tennessean reported yesterday that Lofton told UT Coach Buzz Peterson on Wednesday night he would sign with the Volunteers.

Reached at Mason County High School yesterday morning, Lofton denied he had made a commitment to Peterson. "We just talked," Lofton said. "I told him I'd be making a decision sometime soon. I-didn't commit."

Lofton slightly altered his position yesterday afternoon in Louisville, where he began practice for Saturday's Derek Anderson Derby Festival Basketball Classic all-star game. Lofton said he had orally committed to UT, but he was "still looking," and that if he played well in the Derby Festival he might draw interest from other schools. - Lexington Herald


04/21/04: "The Tennessee Volunteers and coach Buzz Peterson have made the most out of the spring recruiting period, adding a commitment Wednesday night from Kentucky guard prospect Chris Lofton. The 6-foot-2, 195 pound combo-guard chose the Vols over the Cincinnati Bearcats, and because of a variety of circumstances, could be the only member of Tennessee’s 2004 signing class. "I think that next year, I can come off the bench and give the team minutes at both guard spots," Lofton said of his role on the Volunteers as a freshman. "I can play both spots, but I think that my best position in college is probably the two." Lofton said that he will sign scholarship papers next week at a ceremony at school, after his coach, Kelly Wells, who is recuperating after receiving a kidney transplant, returns to work." - Volquest.com

04/21/04: "Chris Lofton said his Tennessee visit was impressive and that he'll decide between the Vols and Cincinnati by Thursday. "I loved it, everything went great," Lofton said Wednesday morning from Maysville, Ky. I've narrowed it down to Tennessee and Cincinnati. I'll compare them and see what I think I should do."

Lofton, a 6-foot-2 shooting guard from Mason County, was named Kentucky's "Mr. Basketball" last week. He visited UT on Monday and Tuesday with his mother, touring facilities, observing individual workouts, meeting academic advisors and hanging out with players. "We talked about their offense," Lofton said. "I love how they set screens for the shooters." Lofton said he hadn't heard from Tennessee until last week, after John Winchester's intentions to transfer went public.

Cincinnati has been involved for quite a while. Maysville, an Ohio River town, is about an hour from campus. One of Lofton's Mason County teammates in football and basketball, Dustin Grutza, has signed a football scholarship at Cincinnati. Lofton said he was pleased discover the drive to Knoxville wasn't too far. "My family could see me play," he said. - Knoxville News


04/20/04: "I plan on making a decision in the middle of this week." - Chris Lofton, per theInsidersHoops.com

04/15/04: "The Tennessee men's basketball team could be on the verge of landing a late signee for the 2004-05 season. Shooting guard Chris Lofton, who will be named Mr. Basketball in the state of Kentucky this weekend, will make an official visit to Tennessee next Monday and Tuesday. "I think it's a perfect fit," said Kelly Wells, Lofton's Mason County High coach. "Tennessee's in dire need of a shooter, and Chris answers that bell very quickly. If they officially offer him when he's up there, I'd be surprised if he doesn't take it. He's very interested."

The April signing period began yesterday and will run for the next month. The Vols have two scholarships to give in this class with Jackie Butler electing to turn pro and Damion Harris not expected to qualify and heading to prep school.

The 6-foot-1 Lofton isn't overly athletic, but he's a pure shooter who scored 2,763 points in his career at Mason County. He scored 252 of those points in 10 state tournament games and made nine 3-pointers as a junior in the state championship game in leading his team to the title.

Lofton wasn't actively recruited by Kentucky, but he did receive interest from Cincinnati, Louisville, Florida, Georgia and Notre Dame.

Louisville told him he could walk on the first year and go on scholarship the final three years, while Cincinnati offered him a scholarship earlier in the recruiting process, Wells said.

His offers on the table right now include Valparaiso, Western Kentucky, Murray State, Morehead State and Arkansas State.

Lofton canceled a visit to Arkansas for the April 24 weekend after setting up the trip to UT next week.

As a senior, Lofton averaged 26.8 points per game and was named the state of Kentucky's high school player of the year. He's scheduled to play in the Derby Festival Classic later this month in Louisville. Rivals.com ranks Lofton as the 146th best senior prospect in the country." - The Tennessean (moved to inactive)

04/14/04: changed from a 5 to 1, because of Jihad Muhammad's signing. - Mike Ryan

04/12/04: Lofton will play in the Derek Anderson Derby Festival Classic on April 24th in Louisville.

04/11/04: "The leading contender for Kentucky’s Mr. Basketball plans to be on the campus of the University of Arkansas this weekend. Chris Lofton, a high-scoring unsigned 6-1 pure shooter and combo guard from Mason County High in Maysville,Ky., said Sunday night he would be officially visiting the Razorbacks. "That’s the plan right now," Lofton said. "I am going to sit everything up with them on Monday and I am planning on coming down there next weekend." - www.theInsidersHoops.com

04/10/04: "Mason County High School's Chris Lofton and Sacred Heart Academy's Crystal Kelly were tabbed in the preseason as the top basketball players in Kentucky. Both led their respective teams to stellar seasons, with Mason County losing in the state championship game and Sacred Heart winning its third straight state title. Now, the state's coaches have honored both as the top vote-getters on The Courier-Journal's 66th annual All-State teams.

The 6-foot-3 Lofton, who averaged 26.7 points a game and has not committed to a college, was the overwhelming top choice as he was named on 126 of 150 ballots cast by the state's coaches." - Louisville Courier Journal

04/10/04: "The first half was a struggle for Lofton: he made just 2-of-9 shots from the field. It was that way for the rest of the Kentuckians because they trailed Ohio 39-31 and made only 12-of-41 shots. But Lofton also had five rebounds, an assist and a steal.

Lofton scored his first basket of the second half on a stick-back of Boris Siakam of Caverna’s miss with 8:34 remaining. His only other points were a 3-pointer from the right wing with 1:50 left.

Lofton’s list of colleges as of Saturday: Notre Dame, Arkansas and 'maybe' Cincinnati or Oklahoma. He said he’ll decide "when I feel it’s ready." - Maysville Ledger


03/30/04: "Chris Lofton told RivalsHoops.com that he will probably sign with Cincinnati in the spring. Arkansas, Notre Dame, and Florida are still in the mix although only Cincinnati and Arkansas have made scholarship offers. Lofton cited style of play and proximity to his home as being in Cincinnati’s favor." - www.RivalsHoops.com (4 to 5)

03/25/04: "Lofton was named The Associated Press' Kentucky boys high school player of the year. Lofton received 14 of 17 possible votes from a statewide media panel. Lyon County guard Ty Rogers earned two votes and Warren Central forward Lonnell DeWalt earned one.

Lofton scored a school-record 2,763 career points, 252 of which came in 10 state-tournament games -- the third-best in state history, behind only Richie Farmer of Clay County (317 points) and J.R. VanHoose of Paintsville (272 points). Farmer played in five state tournaments, VanHoose in four, Lofton in three. 'Chris is just awesome, by far the best player in the state,' Mason County coach Kelly Wells said.

Lofton holds Sweet 16 records for most 3-pointers in a game (9) and tournament (17, in 2003). Most importantly, he led the Royals to the 2003 title, the first by a 10th Region team in 57 years. He was the Most Valuable Player of the 2003 state tournament and received a sportsmanship award following the 2004 tournament." - Maysville Ledger

From Randy Shinkle -
http://www.bearcatnews.com/forum/archives/bbforum/200403/msg01479.php

03/23/04: "After being named the Associated Press Kentucky highschool boys’ basketball player of the year on Tuesday the Mason County senior was christened with the same honor by Gatorade on Thursday.

The award, given in partnership with Scholastic Coach & Athletic Director magazine, qualifies Lofton for the Gatorade National High School Boys’ Basketball Player of the Year, to be announced in mid-April. In addition to on-the-court prowess, the award’s criteria includes academics and overall character. Leading the Royals to a second consecutive state finals appearances, Lofton averaged 26.8 points, 7.4 rebounds and 3.4 steals while maintaining a 3.4 grade point average." - Maysville Ledger

03/23/04: Although Chris Lofton, the No. 146 player in the Rivals150, claims he will wait until the spring signing period to make a final decision, the 6-foot-1, 185-pound combo guard out of Mason Co. High School in Maysville, Kentucky is pretty much set on a college. Lofton told RivalsHoops.com last night that he is now considering four schools in Cincinnati, Arkansas, Notre Dame, and Florida.

With the loss of Christian Drejer, Florida is the newest school to track Lofton. "They came in a couple weeks ago,” said Lofton. “One of their assistant coaches came to watch me play. They haven’t offered yet. I think they are looking at me as a backup plan if someone ahead of me does not workout.”

Notre Dame has not offered either, but Cincinnati and Arkansas have made offers according to Lofton. At this point, Cincinnati is a clear favorite to land the sharp shooter’s signature. When asked if Cincinnati was the odds on favorite despite his intention to wait till the signing period, Lofton had this reply. "Maybe, yeh, I would probably put it on Cincinnati,” he said. “Their two guards are moving out.... I like Cincinnati’s style, and it’s close to home, just 45 minutes away. They are a strong favorite.”

Lofton is coming off a strong senior season where he has averaged 27 points and 8 rebounds per game for his 33-3 team. Mason Co. made it to the state finals, which they won last year behind Lofton’s heroics, but could not pull out the victory against Warren Central this year. “I think I could have played better, but I did average 28 points for the tournament,” said Lofton. “I could have been more aggressive sometimes and played a little better. It was a great season, however. I became the schools all time scoring leader." - www.RivalsHoops.com (2 to 4)

03/18/04: "University of Kentucky basketball coach Tubby Smith watched Mason County's opening game in the boys' state basketball tournament from a front-row seat behind one of the baskets.
If the UK coach came out to watch Mason County guard Chris Lofton, he might be wasting his time trying to recruit the talented 6-foot-3 senior. After the game, Lofton said the four college teams he's interested in are Louisville, Cincinnati, Florida and Notre Dame.

Lofton is considered the top college prospect in Kentucky high school basketball. He came into the state tournament averaging 26.6 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 3.1 steals per game. In Mason County's first-round win against Wayne County, he had 34 points, 10 rebounds, two assists and one steal. Lofton was asked if he knew coach Smith was watching him during Wednesday's game. "I'm just playing for Mason County," was his terse reply." - KyPost.com

03/18/04: "Louisville, Florida, Notre Dame and Cincinnati are the schools on top of his list now, Lofton says. But of those, he notes that only Cincinnati has presently offered a scholarship. "I think Notre Dame is close" to offering, Lofton reports." - Lexington Herald Leader (1 to 2)

03/17/04: "Mason County wouldn’t be as touted if the Royals didn’t have Chris Lofton. The senior guard is one of the state’s top players and has received recruiting interest from several NCAA tournament-bound schools. He’s not the team’s only star, however. Point guard Dustin Grutza has signed to play football at Cincinnati, and three other players likely will go on to play college hoops, Wells said.

Lofton, Grutza and the rest of the Royals succeed in a system few high school teams implement effectively – an up-tempo offense fueled by turnovers caused by full-court pressure defense dubbed “The Blue Swarm.” The Royals don’t have a player taller than 6-2, but they don’t let up defensively, either – in a 101-70 win over Bourbon County in the 10th Region final, they continued to play fierce defense until the final buzzer." - Maysville Ledger

03/17/04: "Chris Lofton, one of the top unsigned seniors, was impressive in Mason County's Sweet 16 opening round contest against Wayne County. The 6'1 guard poured in 34 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in the contest. He was named the MVP in Mason County's 71-57 opening round victory at the Kentucky State Tournament in Lexington's Rupp Arena. Arkansas head coach Stan Heath, who is in search of a shooting guard, was on hand to watch Lofton. Kentucky head coach Tubby Smith was also in attendance." - theInsidershoops.com

03/16/04: "Chris Lofton will likely make two more visits before making a decision shortly after this weekends KHSAA Sweet Sixteen tournament. "He's probably going to decide pretty soon after the Sweet 16," Kathy Lofton said. "But he's still probably going to take two visits to Notre Dame and Cincinnati." Lofton, who visited Louisville last month, still doesn't have a scholarship offer from the Cardinals. "No they haven't," Lofton said when asked if Louisville had put an offer on the table. "But they continue to show some interest." - InsideTheVille.com (back to Active)

03/14/04: "Mason County’s Chris Lofton was named the 10th Region’s Most Valuable Player Saturday after leading the Royals to their third straight Sweet 16 berth. "Oh, It’s a great accomplishment but I want to win it all again. Then we’ll talk about MVP’s,” Lofton said after the Bourbon County game. Mason County defeated Bourbon County 101-70 to win the 2004 10th Region title.

Lofton scored 17 points against the Colonels in the championship game, his lowest total in all three regional matchups. Lofton suffered by playing through a stomach flu for most the week. The illness noticably hampered his performance.

In Friday’s game, the Mason County Royal became the all-time leading scorer for MCHS. Lofton surpassed Ronnie Lyons to set a new record. Lofton is one of only three players to reach the 2,000-point club at Mason County. "We’ve got four games we’ve to play good down there and hopefully we’ll take it all,” Lofton said about the Royals’ chances to repeat as state champions. Lofton looks forward to leading Mason County to another possible championship starting Wednesday. "I’m not at full strength yet but hopefully I’ll be back there by Wednesday” - Maysville Ledger

03/11/04: "Although he's still available at this time, Lofton has a short list he's working with. His list features Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, and Notre Dame. However, there are many Mid-majors hoping he will slip through the cracks to them. Don't be fooled by his list. Even though it's only four teams deep, he contends that he's has no leader. "No, I don't have a leader - not right now," he said. "I'm going to finish the season, and then take visits to some schools."

He went on to say, "I plan on going to Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, and Notre Dame with my visits. I'm just playing it by ear - I don't have a favorite."

All of the previously mentioned schools, except Georgia, have dropped in to see Lofton play at some point during the season. That's a fact that he's well aware of." - HoopMasters.com


02/10/04: Pitino attended the Brossart/Mason County game.

11/11/03: "Combo guard Chris Lofton of Mason Co. High School, the defending Kentucky State Champions, is focused on football right now. The No. 24 point guard and No. 129 player in the Rivals150 is working towards a football state championship as a wide receiver. Lofton listed Notre Dame, Oklahoma, Clemson, and Georgia as schools he likes that are showing interest in him." - RivalsHoops.com (moved to inactive)

11/05/03: "Maysville (KY) Mason senior shooting guard Chris Lofton is going to be around a while. Lofton isn’t going to sign until the spring. Last year’s hero in the state championship game does not intend to take part in the fall signing process. "I’m waiting till the spring right now,” Lofton said. “I’ve been playing football right now."

Lofton, a wide receiver on the gridiron, said he might be able to pull double-duty in college. “I could but right now, I’m just going to play basketball.” And the reason for waiting until the spring? “I’m looking to see if other schools get involved.”

The 6-1 Lofton said that Miami-OH, Kentucky and Cincinnati are still showing interest. Apparently, Miami has offered him a scholarship. "I want to go to a school that really wants me. I want a chance to play right away as a freshman with a good concept of team basketball and a winning tradition." The guard said that he would love to see Notre Dame get involved in his recruitment. "They came down to visit but they hadn’t talked to me in a while." - www.theInsidersHoops.com (4 to 1...we need a big man)

09/25/03: Listed as the 173rd best player in his class. - PrepStars (Oettinger)

09/13/03: "The recruitment of combo guard Chris Lofton from Mason County High School in Maysville, Kentucky has slowed down in the past couple weeks. Two weeks ago when speaking to RivalsHoops.com, Lofton had listed Cincinnati, Kentucky, Georgia, and Dayton as his list of schools. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound Lofton also considered Cincinnati his favorite, but things are a bit uncertain right now. "Yeh, that is still my list," Lofton said, "But I don’t know about Cincinnati anymore. I am really not hearing from anyone right now, just some smaller schools." - RivalsHoops.com

09/07/03: "If form holds, Mason County star Chris Lofton will run for Agriculture Commissioner someday. For now, he must settle for following in Richie Farmer's footsteps as a homegrown high school basketball star who somehow remains off Kentucky's must-get recruiting list. It took an effort seemingly as organized as his current political campaign to get Farmer on UK's team in the late 1980s. Now Lofton, a prime contender for the title of 2004 Mr. Basketball, finds himself as a UK recruiting afterthought. "I'm like their backup plan," he said matter of factly last week. He hasn't heard from UK in months, he said. At least three other perimeter players, all more highly regarded nationally, mention Kentucky. The three are Joe Crawford of Detroit, Jason Rich of Orlando, Fla., and Russell Robinson of New York.

If UK puts a higher priority on signing any of the three out-of-state players (and that certainly seems true), longtime recruiting analyst Bob Gibbons finds that understandable. "If I'm (UK Coach) Tubby Smith, I'd take those three guys ahead of Chris Lofton," Gibbons said. Not that Gibbons does not consider Lofton a solid college prospect. "Chris Lofton is a very gifted player and certainly has the potential to play for Kentucky," the analyst said. It's just that Gibbons -- and presumably UK -- consider those other players better prospects. "Particularly Russell Robinson," Gibbons said. "He was one of the most productive players this summer. He's a tough, all-around kid who will eat you up defensively. ... He's sort of like (Cliff Hawkins) but a better pure shooter. Tubby Smith's kind of guy."

Gibbons rated Crawford as a top-20 national prospect and "arguably the best shooting guard" in the class. He pegged Robinson among the top 25 and Rich the top 50. Lofton, who Gibbons saw as more of a one-dimensional shooter, was a "potential top-100" prospect.

For what it's worth, such schools as Louisville, Florida and Dayton have dropped Lofton from their recruiting wish lists. Lofton's "very, very strange" recruitment boggles the mind of Mason County Coach Kelly Wells. "The great thing about Chris is there's no downside," Wells said. "He's a front-runner for Mr. Basketball. Great grades. Super teammate. Great leader. Somebody will get a great player."

CINCINNATI, the only school so far to schedule a campus visit for Lofton, has offered a scholarship. So have Marshall, Western Kentucky, Arkansas State and Alabama-Birmingham. Meanwhile, like an echo from the 1980s, the where-is-Kentucky question reverberates. "Oh, it's relentless around here," Wells said. "I don't talk to anybody in public, in the media or in phone conversations without that being asked."

Lofton says he'll "play by ear" the recruiting process. But like Farmer, he's a life-long UK fan who's willing to wait until spring to see a UK scholarship blossom." - Lexington Herald

09/02/03: "In fact, Cincinnati is solidly at the top of Lofton’s list right now. “They have always been there for me. They have been there a long time.” Lofton added, “I can contribute as a freshman and get some minutes there."

The coaching of Kentucky, Georgia, and Dayton appeal to Lofton. He also cited the style of play at Kentucky and Georgia as working in their favor.

This weekend he will take an official visit to Dayton. No other visits have been scheduled at this point.

Lofton, the No. 124 ranked player and No. 24 point guard in the Rivals150, would prefer spending most of his time at shooting guard in college. "I like coming off screens and shooting jumpers. Right now," he continued, "I am working on my dribbling skills and defense."

Lofton is not in a rush to make a decision, citing that he may wait to sign in the spring." - Rivals.com

08/29/03: "The last time we saw Chris Lofton in action, he was pumping in nine 3-pointers and 39 points at Rupp Arena to lead Mason County to the state basketball championship. Fast forward five months, and Lofton is still dominating, only this time on the gridiron. In the Royals’ season-opener against defending Class 2A champion Breathitt County in the Recreation Bowl, Lofton caught six passes for 254 yards and two touchdowns (32, 79 yards)." - Kentucky Sports Report

08/25/03: "Last March in Rupp Arena, in his final high school basketball game as a junior, all Chris Lofton did was snatch up the boys' Sweet Sixteen MVP trophy after scoring a jaw-dropping 39 points to lead Mason County to an 86-65 blasting of Ballard in the state championship game.

Then Saturday night at the Recreation Bowl, in his first high school football game as a senior, all Chris Lofton did was catch six passes for 254 yards to lead Mason County to a 48-6 blasting of Class 2A defending champion Breathitt County.

One-third of the Lofton Rec Bowl receptions went for touchdowns, including a 32-yarder for the game's first score and a 79-yard bomb for another. But that didn't include an 87-yard catch-and-run from the Royals 5-yard line until Lofton was caught from behind at the Breathitt 8. "I know, I know," Lofton said afterward, shaking his head in acknowledgement that despite his other considerable heroics this was all his teammates were going to razz him about. "I had a pretty good idea he was gonna get me. I started out good and then all of a sudden I just hit E. I was on empty."

Which is not all that difficult to understand considering these days the 6-foot-3, 195-pounder monster talent from Maysville has a lot on his plate.

With Louisville standout Rajon Rondo headed to Oak Hill Academy in Virginia, the smooth-as-glass Lofton is the morning-line favorite for Mr. Basketball.

What you might not know is that he is also a terrific football player, a swift and silky receiver and a swift and tough defensive back. At least when he's not striking fear into opponents' hearts by returning kicks. "He told us the other day, 'I'm not a machine,' " laughed Mason head football coach Dave Buchanan. "We said, 'Don't worry, Chris, we're going to let you rotate out at halftime.' "

That might be the only time Lofton gets a rest, especially from those curious about where he will take his quiet, easygoing presence -- "If I had a son I'd want him to be just like Chris," Mason assistant coach John Arn said Saturday -- to college.

The first week of school, Lofton cleaned out his locker crammed with letters from various drooling institutions of higher learning, stuffed them in a large garbage bag, and parked them in the back of friend and starting center Chris Hopper's car. "Some of them," Lofton admitted, "I hadn't even opened."

He has popped the seal on a few. Usually reticent on the topic, Lofton did submit to enough coaxing Saturday to reveal, "I like Cincinnati. And I like Georgia."

What about Kentucky or Louisville? "I like Kentucky."

Louisville? "No," he said. "Not Louisville."

"And Indiana. I like Indiana."

That would be for basketball, the sport on which Lofton admits he most likely will focus exclusively after this year. "I love football," he said. "I like the game. Mostly like being around the guys, being on a team. But it would probably be too hard to do both in college. I love football, but basketball is my life."

"He's probably one of the few guys who could be Mr. Basketball and still play football," Buchanan said. "That tells you what he thinks of football, and he really likes the kids he's playing with. It wouldn't be the same without him." And many of that same close-knit group of kids -- including quarterback Dustin Grutza -- were part of the Royals squad that became the first team from the 10th Region in nearly 60 years to win a state basketball title.

"I don't think there's any doubt there's a carryover," said Buchanan, whose 11-2 team from a year ago is stepping up to 3A this year. "We have athletes walking the hallways at Mason County High School who expect to win."

Which brings us back to where we left off. OK, Chris Lofton, now for the important question: Which is the bigger thrill, hitting a key three-pointer, or catching a 79-yard touchdown pass? "Don't make me pick," said Lofton, smiling. "They're both about equal." - Lexington Herald


08/10/03: "Chris Lofton is hearing from Cincinnati, Georgia, Dayton, Western Kentucky and Kentucky. The first four schools have offered Lofton already. He said that he in undecided on when he will start taking visits, but plans on signing early. Lofton said that playing time as a freshman will be a big factor in picking a school. "I want to be able to contribute right away." Lofton is the favorite for Kentucky's Mr. Basketball, especially with Rajon Rondo transferring to Mouth of Wilson (VA) Oak Hill Academy. He averaged 22.1 points per game last season as a junior.

Lofton is also a standout football player, starting his sophomore and junior years at wide receiver and free safety. He helped lead the Royals to a 12-2 and 11-2 records while taking them to the semifinals and quarterfinals of the playoffs. Lofton has caught 101 career receptions 101 for 1,887 yards and 18 touchdowns. Lofton is an excellent athlete, who benches 225 pounds, cleans 275 pounds, and runs the 40 in 4.6." - http://collegebasketballnews.theinsiders.com/

08/05/03: Listed as the 127th best player in the country. - RivalsHoops.com

07/29/03: "Chris Lofton of Mason County (KY) High is one of the top outside shooters in the Class of 2004. He made 15 three-pointers in his first two games of the Las Vegas Summer Classic for the Derek Smith All Stars as he scored 25 points in both games. He had also shined in the Adidas Big Time Tournament, scoring 22 and 30 (with six three-pointers) in the two games I saw witnessed. Chris Lofton is hearing from Cincinnati, Georgia, Dayton, Western Kentucky and Kentucky. The first four schools have offered Lofton already. He said that he in undecided on when he will start taking visits, but plans on signing early. Lofton said that playing time, as a freshman will be a big factor in picking a school. "I want to be able to contribute right away." - HoopMasters.com

07/26/03: "Teammate Chris Lofton had 17 points and has mentioned Indiana this week as a school he is still thinking about. Chris has had at least two games with six or more treys this week and Cincy coach Bob Huggins has been watching his every move." - Peegs.com (Indiana)

07/26/03: "Chris Lofton is going to be a nice addition for a mid-major program. Lofton has a very reliable stroke from deep. We’re talking about a young man who made nine 3s in the state title game so you know he’s got some intangibles." - InsidersHoops

07/24/03: "Derek Smith All Stars guard Chris Lofton can really shoot it. He’ll benefit from going somewhere with a drive and kick point man." - InsidersHoops.com Vegas Big Time notes

07/22/03: "Sharpshooting KY WG Chris Lofton likes Cincinnati, Kentucky, Georgia and Indiana, but needs to take the SAT before he can get a lot of major offers." - PrepStars

06/18/03: "known for his prolific outside shooting. MVP of the Kentucky Sweet 16 this year after leading Mason County to the state title. Set a state record with nine 3-pointers in the state final. Originally thought to be a lock for Louisville but now the Cards may take JR Smith (top 15 2G from NJ) and a truer point. Cincinnati, Florida, Tennessee are among his other schools. Indiana has called but did not visit during contact period." - Peegs.com (Indiana)

06/03/03: Lofton is scheduled to play in the Kentucky Basketball Academys Summer League beginning June 17th. The lineups include some college players including, on Lofton's team, Kalenna Azubuike from UK.

05/27/03: Averaged 21.7 ppg at the Gibbons TOC Tourney.

05/05/03: Listed as the 56th best player in his class. - RivalsHoops.com

4/14/03: “One week ago Mason County coach Kelly Wells had no reason to think the University of Kentucky really was interested in his star guard, junior Chris Lofton. Plenty of other schools, including Louisville, liked Lofton long before he went 17-for-30 from 3-point range while leading Mason to the state championship last month. They realized he not only led the Royals in scoring at 21.1 points per game, but that he was also tops on the team in rebounds (5.2 per game), assists (2.8 per game), steals (97), 3-point shooting (46 percent) and free throw shooting (85 percent). However, the Wildcats now officially are recruiting Lofton. Kentucky coach Tubby Smith sent assistant Scott Rigot to Mason last week to visit Lofton. He came the same day Cincinnati was at Mason, one day after Louisville assistant Kevin Willard had been there and a day before Marshall had a coach in Wells' office. "That was really the first contact we've had with the Kentucky coaching staff," said Wells. "Maybe it's just that they had other contacts to make, or maybe it had something to do with what Chris did in the state tournament."

Still, it was only a few weeks ago that Lofton, a 6-3 guard, indicated he had no real interest in hearing from UK since so many other schools had already shown more interest. "I think he would have been fine if they never had recruited him, but he's definitely interested now and listened to what coach Rigot had to say," Wells said. "They are not the favorite, but they are in the picture. A week ago I could not have said that."
Wells said it was hard to tell what impact any of the coaches had on Lofton, who normally keeps his feelings to himself. "I think he was impressed by them all, and he liked them all," Wells said. "But he really didn't say a lot else."

Lofton is one of those rare athletes who could play Division I football as well as basketball. Kentucky, Indiana, CINCINNATI, Louisville, Colorado, Michigan State, Michigan and Wake Forest are among those who could see him as a receiver or defensive back in college.

Of course, even more basketball coaches could see him as a guard on their team. Because schools are limited on how often they can contact Lofton via phone, Wells regularly talks to college recruiters about his junior standout. He's expecting even more calls in the weeks ahead. "Since the state tournament, my phone has rang off the hook," Wells said. "A lot of schools are interested and I'm sure more are going to be calling because Chris is totally open and willing to listen to any offer at this time"

Lofton has a full summer planned. He's going to a Nike football combine at Michigan in hopes of lowering his time of 4.6 seconds in the 40-yard dash. He'll spend each day in June -- until the Kentucky High School Athletic Association mandated dead period starts -- playing in team camps with his Mason teammates. Hell also play in three national tournaments with the Derek Smith all-star team out of Louisville. Lofton will test his skills against some of the nation's best players in the prestigious ABCD Camp, too.

While that may sound like a bit much, Wells isn't worried about Lofton doing too much. "After football practice, he'll go take 500 jump shots," Wells said. "No one makes him do that. He just loves what he's doing. Once he gets through with summer basketball, he'll be out there running routes and catching passes on the football field as soon as he's allowed. He likes being busy and going from one sport to another is not a problem for him."

Lofton continues to indicate that he'll play basketball, not football, in college. Louisville first offered him a basketball scholarship last summer that many thought he might take then. "Chris is not the kind of kid to get in a rush. He's very thorough," Wells said. Thorough enough to be open-minded to Kentucky's perceived late interest? "I don't think he's close to making his mind up about anything," Wells said. "I'm sure he might have been wondering about some things, but he had a good visit with Kentucky and anything is still possible." - The Danville Advocate Messenger


4/13: "A matchup between Eastern's Rajon Rondo and Mason County's Chris Lofton never really materialized yesterday in the Executive Inn East-West All-Star Classic at Manual High School. Still, the two junior guards showed why they are considered top contenders for next year's Mr. Basketball award.

Rondo scored 18 of his 21 points in the first half to lead the East to a 9692 victory over the West, which got 16 points from Lofton, in the Class of 2004 No. 3 game. The two played mostly in different rotations, however, and rarely guarded each other when they were on the floor at the same time. Afterward, Lofton and Rondo -- who will play together this summer on the Derek Smith All-Stars -- talked about their futures. Lofton, who has been offered a scholarship by the University of Louisville, said his college choice is "wide-open." - Louisville C-J

4/11: "The University of Kentucky and University of Cincinnati basketball teams may not be facing each other on the basketball court in the near future, but they're in the process of doing battle off the court for two recruits. Alexander Johnson is a multi-faceted 6-foot-9 senior forward from Bridgton Academy in Bridgton, Maine, while 6-foot-2 guard Chris Lofton is a junior at Mason County (Ky.) High School.

Lofton led Mason County to the Kentucky state high school championship this past season. Mason County coach Kelly Wells said at least one UC assistant and possibly even Huggins was expected to make a visit to the school, which is about an hour southeast of Cincinnati, on Thursday, as was UK assistant coach Scott Rigot.

UK had been reluctant to recruit Lofton, but perhaps his performance in the state championship game, in which he made 9 of 14 three-pointers and scored 39 points, changed some minds. "He said it didn't bother him that UK wasn't interested, but with him that probably means it was," said Wells. "He's such a reserved kid that I usually don't know what he's thinking." Perhaps the school making biggest push for Lofton is Louisville, and it should be noted that Wells said Lofton grew up a Louisville fan.

Wells said Lofton, who is a good student thanks in part to his mother being a middle-school teacher, attended a UC game in Shoemaker Center and at Louisville this season and, although he didn't make it to a UK game, that he did attend Midnight Madness there. "He's not close to making a decision yet," said Wells. "He's still just gathering information right now." - Cincinnati Post

4/11: "Lofton finished the season with 780 points - enough to move him into fourth on Mason County's all-time list just behind Deron Feldhaus. He now has 1,799 points and is 882 away from taking the top spot away from Ronnie Lyons. Lofton averaged 21.1 points a game and boasted a 46 percent average from behind the arc and 58 percent from the field. He also led the team with 104 assists and 97 steals." - Maysville Ledger

4/9: "With today being the first day of the spring contact period, Louisville and their staff will be the first in a line of suitors lining up to woo Lofton. Coach Wells said that while Lofton has no visits scheduled that are "concrete at all," U of L will visit today, Cincinnati tomorrow, with WKU and Kentucky coming in next week." - CardinalSports.com (from 2 to 4)

4/9: "Louisville assistant Kevin Willard visited Sweet Sixteen MVP Chris Lofton at Mason County High School on the first day of the spring evaluation period." - InsidetheVille.com

4/6: Named one of 12 players to the All South Team, by the Orlando Sentinel. Others included Chris Paul of No Carolina and Von Wafer of Texas.

3/24/03: "Chris Lofton of Mason County (Maysville, Ky.) set a state tournament record for three-pointers (17) and tied another mark with nine three-pointers during the school’s first Sweet 16 championship run. Lofton, a 6-2 junior, had 39 points on 9 of 12 three-point shooting in a 86-65 title game victory over Ballard (Louisville)." - USA Today

3/23: "It seems as if basketball is all dunks these days. The more stunning the slam, the more jarring the jam, the more likely you'll see it on SportsCenter. Has pure shooting gone the way of short-short trunks and Chuck Taylor sneakers? No, thank goodness. We have Chris Lofton.

The 6-foot-3 junior guard from Mason County put on a shooting performance last night that will live forever in Kentucky high school hoops history. Lofton was 9-for-12 on three-pointers and scored 39 points to lead the Royals to a rousing 86-65 victory over Ballard in the Sweet Sixteen finals before 18,957 fans in Rupp Arena.

Lofton's nine threes tied the tournament record set by Richie Farmer when the Clay County legend poured in 51 points in a losing cause against Ballard in the 1998 finals. Lofton's 17 threes for the week did set a record.

He did it with style, too, effortlessly launching his feathery-soft jumper from all over the court. It didn't matter if there was a defender in his face or if he fired it up from halfway to Triangle Park. "I haven't seen anything better," Coach Kelly Wells said after his Royals claimed their first state title. "There's not a better player I've seen or coached. I know he's the best shooter. He makes my job so easy. Just get him the basketball and he makes things happen. Against great competition he rises to the occasion." Wells doesn't even blink when Lofton goes up from 25 feet. "I like to see him throw it up there," he said, "because it usually goes in."

In four games this week, in an arena that causes myopia in most high school shooters, Lofton was 17-for-30 on threes and 16-for-17 from the free-throw line. Ballard never had a shot, figuratively speaking.

The Bruins, who were looking for their fourth state title, knew what they were up against. They lost to Mason County twice in a summer camp last June.

But Lofton still left them in awe last night. "The only way we could've stopped him is if they let us put seven or eight guys on him," Ballard Coach Chris Renner said.

Another appreciative witness last night was Bobby Keith, the former Clay County coach who was on the bench when Farmer lit up another Ballard team 15 years ago this week. "(Lofton) is as good as I've seen in many, many years," Keith said. "Maybe the best. He always has perfect balance, perfect rhythm, and he's just got a natural touch. I tell ya, there's no telling how good he's gonna be next year. We'll be looking at that kid down the road."

Down what road? After his senior season, will Lofton head down Interstate 64 to play for Rick Pitino, who has already offered him a scholarship. (Lofton's dad is a huge Louisville fan.) But what about the comfort zone of Rupp Arena where Kentucky plays? Lofton said the Cats haven't asked him to make this his home court.

Lofton seems the ideal recruit. He's the quietest superstar you'll find. He lets his jump shot do his talking on the court, and he's far from boisterous off it. He's thoughtful, too. He wears an armband that has "R.I.P. Coach P." written on it.

That's in memory of Pat Moore, who died last summer. Moore played for Maysville just before the school merged with Mason County in the early 1990s. He worked for the housing authority, ran the summer dirt bowl and was on the Mason County coaching staff. "He meant a lot to me and taught me a lot," Lofton said. "This state championship is for him, too."

Lofton used to come to the state tournament when he was little, and always dreamed about being part of it. He played in it last year, but his Royals got bumped off in the quarterfinals. This year Mason County goes home as state champs, and Chris Lofton goes down as one of the greatest shooters in Sweet Sixteen history. – Lexington Herald


3/23: "Chris Lofton won't be this year's Kentucky Mr. Basketball, because he's only a junior. He'll have to settle for a state championship and three Boys Sweet 16 single-game records for his 3-point shooting. The 6-foot-3 Lofton sank nine 3-pointers and scored 29 points Saturday night to lead top-ranked Mason County to an 86-65 win over Louisville Ballard in the state championship game. "It's the greatest feeling in the world," said Lofton, who went 9-of-12 from 3-point range. "I've wanted to do this since I was a kid. This is the ultimate."

Lofton matched the record for 3s in a tournament game set by Clay County's Richie Farmer in the 1988 championship game. But Farmer's team lost to Louisville Ballard 88-79.

Lofton finished the tournament with 17 3-point baskets, passing the previous record of 16 set by Marion County's Michael Douglas in 1993.

Lofton also hit six 3-pointers in the first half Saturday night, tying a tournament record set by Farmer, who attended the game, and Madisonville's Travis Ford. "I was on fire. I was just in a zone. That's about all I can say," Lofton said as he celebrated with teammates amid a shower of confetti.

Mason County (34-2) went 14-of-23 from 3-point range, a record for a state championship game. Coach Kelly Wells said his game plan against Ballard depended on getting open perimeter shots for Lofton. "It's always in our game plan to get him the ball. He was as close to perfect as you can get," Wells said. "He's been doing that for us all year. Tonight, he just took it to another level." The Royals won their first state title and ended a 56-year championship drought for Region 11, the longest of any region at the Sweet 16." - Enquirer.com

3/18: Mason County has won 14 in a row behind the 6-3 Lofton, who averages more than 20 points per game. He also averages three 3-point field goals per game. "We try to get as many looks as we can from 3-point range, but the great thing about him this year is he's become a complete player," Mason County coach Kelly Wells said. "Last year, when teams would take away his jump shot, he didn't have anything to counter. This year, that isn't the case." (Lofton was named First Team All State by the AP today) - Maysville Ledger

3/16: "Behind 30 points from Chris Lofton and a late third-quarter surge, Mason County laid claim to its second consecutive 10th Region title and ninth in school history by knocking off Clark County 78-51 Saturday." - Maysville Ledger Independent

3/15: Chris Lofton had 19 pts in a win over Bourbon County. "...the Royals advanced to tonight's 10th Region Tournament finals with a 91-58 win, their 30th of the season. They'll face Clark County for the championship." - Maysville Ledger Independent

3/4/03: "Lofton says Louisville and Cincinnati are the two basketball teams that have recruited him the longest. He also hears often from Georgia, and numerous other schools, including the University of Kentucky, have been in touch even though Lofton doesn't feel he's a legitimate recruiting target of UK coach Tubby Smith. "They've really not recruited me that much and I don't care," he said. "I'm just playing for Mason County. I can't worry about what college teams are doing." - Danvile Adv Messenger

2/22/03: Lofton attended the Cincinnati-Louisville game.

2/12/03: Huggins attended the Mason County game tonight. - tipster

1/28/03: "The Bearcats offered Chris a scholarship after the Lexington Catholic game this past weekend." - unknown post-er on WildcatFaithful.com

1/24/03: Keith LeGree was at the LexCath vs Mason Co game.

Jan ‘03 – "Chris Lofton, a 6-2 guard from Mason County, KY., has quietly been having an outstanding year. He is averaging over 20 points per game, and has been named the MVP of two prestigious tournaments. Lofton is one of the country's best long range shooters, and is already the leading three point shooter in Mason County history. Louisville leads in Chris' recruitment, with both Alabama, and Georgia trailing, and it would be a huge upset if Chris wasn't playing for Rick Pitino, and the Cardinals, in 2004." – Recruiting Nation

1/3/03: "After taking in the King of the Bluegrass and Fifth Third Bank Kentucky Holiday Classic, it's obvious the best boys' basketball players in the state are juniors, not seniors. The trio of Chris Lofton of Mason County, Rajon Rondo of Eastern and Demetrius Green of Lexington Catholic would top my early list of Mr. Basketball favorites for 2004. Lofton, who won MVP honors in both tournaments, is the best long-range shooter. Rondo simply can't be guarded. Green is the best finisher around." - Lexington Herald

12/31/02: "Chris Lofton and Nathan Myrick scored 22 points apiece as Mason County fought off several late runs by LexCath to post the victory. The Lexington Catholic High School boys' basketball team was an overwhelming preseason favorite to win the state title." (Nathan Myrick is a relative of former Bearcat Shawn Myrick) - Louisville CJ

12/22/02: "Saturday nights championship went to overtime as Mason County star and University of Louisville target (and heavy lean) Chris Lofton nailed a 25 foot three pointer with only 6 seconds left to force the extra frame. Lofton was named MVP of the King of the Bluegrass Classic after scoring 108 in four games and leading the Royals to the finals. How can you deny this guy the number one ranking. He scored 108 points for a 27 ppg average against very good competition and displayed the sweetest three point stroke I've seen in quite awhile. His four game KOB scoring average was higher than current NBA players Qyntel Woods, Derek Anderson, and Allan Houston." – Insidetheville.com

12/20/02: "Mason County (4-0) bolted out to a 50-27 lead at halftime as junior guard Chris Lofton scored 20 of his game-high 42 points in the first half to put the Royals in control of the game. Lofton was 4 of 5 on 3-pointers in the first half with University of Louisville coach Rick Pitino looking on. Lofton's 42 points were the eighth-highest point total by a player in a single game in tournament history. "I was just feeling it," said Lofton, who made 16 of 20 shots from the field and was 7 of 9 on 3-pointers. "I was hot and my teammates got the ball in my hands." . . . "We expected one of those fourth-quarter games where it comes down to the last shot," Lofton said. "We just executed." - Hardin Cty News-Enterprise

11/19/02: "Junior Chris Lofton is the Royals' leading receiver with 44 catches for 902 yards and 11 touchdowns, followed by senior tailback Nathan Myrick (31 catches, 528 yards)" – Danville Advocate Messenger

3/14/02: "Chris Lofton and Robert Myrick led Mason County, scoring 29 and 23 points, respectively. The two combined to hit 17-of-27 shots, including 13-of-19 3-pointers. “I just kept throwing them up there and thankfully they were going in,” said Lofton, who made 6-of-10 shots from beyond the arc." – Kentucky Post