WATCH: Great Crossing, Campbell County secure Sweet 16 spots with game-winning buzzer-beaters
To say it was a wild night in the Bluegrass would be an understatement.
On Tuesday night, 10 regions across the state of Kentucky hosted high school championship games with 10 spots in next week’s Sweet 16 Tournament at Rupp Arena on the line. There were terrific games spread throughout, but no two were more entertaining down the stretch than the 11th and 10th Region title bouts.
During the 11th Region finals at Paul Laurence Dunbar in Lexington, junior Vince Dawson hit a contested three-pointer right at the buzzer to lift No. 1 Great Crossing past No. 2 Lexington Catholic, 56-53, in a game that felt more like the Sweet 16 championship than just a regional. Four-star junior Malachi Moreno, who was being watched by Kentucky head coach John Calipari, grabbed the final rebound and made the pass to Dawson that set up the game-winner.
Dawson also hit a three-pointer that tied the game with about 30 seconds left. Lexington Catholic had a chance to win, but a missed three of their own led to Dawson canning the biggest shot of his life.
Floor = rushed.
It’s a shame that Lexington Catholic won’t have the chance to compete in Rupp Arena next week following a season that saw them finish with a 33-2 record. The Knights were among the top three teams in KSR’s Top 25 rankings all year long, but unfortunately, the one team better than them just so happened to be in the same region.
But not to be outdone over in Mason County, No. 22 Campbell County’s Garyn Jackson hit just as big of a shot in the 10th Region championship — only in this one, his team trailed going into the final moment. The junior guard received the ball with his team trailing 63-61 to Harrison County but hit his defender with a double crossover move before rising up and draining the game-winner triple.
Onions…
Following Tuesday night’s results, all 16 spots in the Sweet 16 have been locked up. Below is a full bracket for next week’s state tournament, which runs from Wednesday, March 20, and ends on Saturday, March 23.
No. 1 Great Crossing will face Spencer County on Wednesday in the nightcap while No. 22 Campbell County is matched up with No. 3 Newport for the Thursday nightcap.
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