LEXINGTON — When the going got tough, the defending state champion George Rogers Clark Cardinals rose to the occasion.
Trailing 33-32 with 4:47 remaining in regulation, George Rogers Clark’s Reshaun Hampton connected with a 3-pointer to out his team ahead for good. Hampton’s long range bomb triggered a 14-5 run that allowed the Cardinals to secure a 51-44 win over Frederick Douglass while earning a date with Warren Central in Saturday night’s UK HealthCare Sweet 16 title game.
It will mark the second consecutive year the two teams will be meeting in the finals, and only the fourth time in Sweet 16 history — Lexington vs. Somerset (1918, ‘19), Maysville vs. Brewers (1947, ‘48), and Clay County vs. Ballard (1987, ‘88).
George Rogers Clark’s Jerone Morton led the way with 20 points, six rebounds and three assists. He hit 14-of-17 free throw attempts while recording a thunderous dunk late in the fourth quarter that out an exclamation point on his team’s win. Sam Parrish added 13 points while attend Edwards added nine points.
The Cardinals were 14-of-44 from the floor, and 20-of-24 from the free-throw line while outrebounding Frederick Douglass, 32-25.
The Broncos were led by Kai Simpson’s 13 points while Armelo Boone added 12 points. Frederick Douglass shot 17-of-41 from the floor.
Morton, Paris, and Edwards each scored four points apiece for George Rogers Clark in the first quarter, giving the Cardinals a 15-8 lead entering the second quarter.
Boone scored four points for the Broncos to keep his team close as Frederick Douglass shot 3-of-7 from the floor in the first quarter.
The Cardinals extended their lead to 28-16 with 1:12 left in the first half before the Broncos closed the second quarter with a 5-0 run to cut their deficit to 28-21.
Both teams struggled shooting the ball with George Rogers Clark hitting 9-of-26 shot attempts, including a 1-of-6 effort from 3-point territory. The Cardinals managed to outrebounded the Broncos, 17-9. Frederick Douglass hit 8-of-18 shot attempts, including a 2-of-5 effort from behind the arc.
Morton led the Cardinals with 10 points while Parrish had eight points, and five rebounds.
Simpson led the Broncos with six points while three players scored four points apiece.
Frederick Douglass slowly chipped away at its deficit in the third quarter, shooting 4-of-10 from the floor while outscoring George Rogers Clark, 8-3, to make the score, 31-29, entering the fourth quarter. The Cardinals struggled shooting the ball, hitting only 1-of-11 shot attempts during the period.
