In front of a packed Lexington crowd, Great Crossing secured its second consecutive 11th Region championship, defeating Frederick Douglass 59-57 and earning a return to the Sweet 16 state tournament. The Warhawks leaned on their star player, Kentucky commit Malachi Moreno, who delivered a dominant triple-double performance with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 blocks on 8-10 shooting.
Despite holding a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter, Great Crossing (30-4) nearly let the game slip away. A series of turnovers gave Frederick Douglass (25-4) a chance to steal the win in the closing seconds, but the Broncos’ final three-point attempt fell short. With the victory, the Warhawks punched their ticket to Rupp Arena, where they hope to avenge last year’s Sweet 16 semifinal loss.
Moreno, named MVP of the 11th Region tournament, credited Frederick Douglass for a tough fight. “Douglass is a very good team. Number three in the state. We just prayed and hoped we’d win,” he said. Alongside Moreno, Morehead State commit Vince Dawson contributed 17 points and seven rebounds.
Great Crossing’s defense played a crucial role, holding Frederick Douglass to 33.8% shooting from the field and 4-25 from beyond the arc. DeMarcus Surratt and Aveion Chenault led the Broncos with 14 points each, but their team struggled to overcome the defensive presence of Moreno in the paint.
This year’s regional final felt like a repeat of last season when Great Crossing stunned Lexington Catholic to earn its first-ever Sweet 16 appearance. Now, with Moreno leading the charge, the Warhawks aim to make an even deeper run in the state tournament, with top-ranked St. Xavier looming as a potential championship opponent.
The 2025 UK HealthCare Boys Basketball Sweet 16 will take place from March 26-29 at Rupp Arena.
