Huntington High School's Patrick Patterson will take his ball-playing skills to Kentucky.

The 6-foot-8 power forward one of the last highly touted prospects in the Division I basketball program announced his decision Wednesday, the last day of the signing period.

Five other Division I teams courted Patterson: Duke, Florida, Virginia, Wake Forest and West Virginia.

Last week he narrowed his choices to Duke, Florida and Kentucky.

Patterson helped lead the Highlanders to an unprecedented three-straight Class AAA championships, the last one with the help of O.J. Mayo, who is off to Southern Cal in the fall. The two led the team to a 25-2 record and a national ranking this past season.

Patterson's senior year was his best season - 17 points, 12 rebounds and 4 blocked shots per game.

He had 14 points and seven blocked shots in Huntington's 103-61 victory over South Charleston in this year's Class AAA title game. Patterson sat down with 2:33 left in the game to a standing ovation from the near-sellout crowd.

He was the state's 2006 Player of the Year and finished 30 votes this year behind Mayo's 93. Both were also selected to the McDonald's All-American team and to the Class AAA all-state first team.

A late afternoon news conference at Huntington High's gymnasium is planned.

Story Courtesy: wkyt.com & ap wire reports