Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

The George Rogers Clark Cardinals boys basketball team headed into the 10th Region Tournament this year with hopes to return to Rupp Arena for the first time since 2023. 

By a slim margin, they came up just short. 

The Cards (27-6) finished as 10th Region Runner-Up after falling 59-56 against host Montgomery County High School on Wednesday night, with senior Cayden Reed connecting on a dramatic three-point shot at the buzzer. 

“Anytime you’re in a championship game, it’s going to be a tough environment. Our guys showed a lot of toughness…and had a phenomenal season,” said Head Coach Josh Cook. “I’m proud of them. This is not easy and it doesn’t always mean you come out on the winning side.” 

Throughout their 10th Region Tournament run, like much of the season, GRC showed adversity. 

In the 10th Region quarterfinals, the team fell behind early against then-defending 10th Region Champion Campbell County (22-10) and trailed by 9 at the end of the opening quarter. 

However, led by a team-high 17 points from sophomore Montez Gay, GRC battled back into the game. 

Finally, a three-point shot by Gay early in the fourth quarter gave the Cards their first lead of the contest. 

Some clutch late free-throw shooting and defensive stops by the Cards propelled them to a 57-52 victory. 

“We came out kind of slow, but….[postseason] games are always gritty like that. They’re gritty and they’re not always going to be the smoothest games, but we found a way to win in the end,” said Gay. “When I hit the three, I kind of knew that the game was going to go back to our favor.” 

After the tournament stalled for one week due to the KHSAA Sweet 16 Girls Basketball Tournament taking place, action returned on Tuesday, March 18. 

The Cards took on the Nicholas County Blue Jackets (21-12) in the 10th Region semifinals. 

Midway through the first quarter, the Blue Jackets were in a battle with GRC. 

However, led by 19 points from Gay and 18 by sophomore Maddox Hager, GRC began to pull away. 

Ultimately, they moved on to a convincing 87-56 win. 

“We started switching defenses up,” said Hager. “We had a game plan for them, and it seemed like it worked.” 

Freshman C.J. Thomas, gaining more than his typical share of playing time early on with other players in foul trouble, scored six points. 

“Coach told me before the game started [to] be ready if your number’s called and go out there and do your job,” he said. “I was born to do this.” 

Just forty-eight hours later, the Cards went to battle with the Indians. 

Though Montgomery County led by four at halftime, GRC showed no signs of quitting. 

Led by 19 points from junior Malachi Ashford, GRC led by 6 points at the end of three quarters and built a lead as large as ten in the second half. 

However, Montgomery County – who has won multiple games on their last possession this season – finished on a 14-1 run, the last three being Reed’s game-winning basket. 

“Credit Montgomery [County]. They made a big shot at the end and they played well,” Cook said. 

Despite the season coming to an end, Cook praised the team’s willingness to make sacrifices throughout the season and continue chasing goals. 

“We’ve got a great group of seniors and a great group of underclassmen,” he said. “For the last two-and-a-half weeks, they’ve worked their butts off. To see them grow up and chase it and give themselves a chance, I’m very proud of them.” 

With its season concluded, GRC graduates seniors Maddox Campbell and Chase Pace as well as starter Eli Craig. 

Craig, a valuable reserve on GRC’s 2023 KHSAA State Runner-Up team, was the last remaining member of the 2022 KHSAA State Championship winning team – an honor given for the then-freshman’s contributions in practice. 

Set to return for GRC next year will be Ashford, Gay, Hager, Amari Bartelson, Sam Spillman, Conner Morguson, JaMylyn Johnson, and a large number of additional players.