By Ryan Hoots
January 27,2024
From the 606 to the 502, MilkCrate was high in the rafters at Franklin County High School in the state capital of Frankfort, Kentucky for the Gary Moore Classic. Gary Moore, the namesake of the showcase, was a legendary coach at Franklin County from 1980-2001, leading his Flyers to 5 State tournament Appearances and 417 Wins. This gym has an old school vibe and I am here for it, this is a shooters gym. The classics this place must have seen….if only walls could talk.
The prelim for the heavyweight matchup tonight brings legendary Kentucky Program the Scott County Cardinals to face Franklin County. Scott County has been stripped of much of the talent that we are familiar with seeing with them. Tonight’s game will be a scouting mission for myself. Who is going to define themselves? Who is going to show me that I drove to Frankfort for a reason? Speaking of legendary coaches, I would be remissed if I didn’t pass along my own and condolences to Scott County “Basket God” the late Billy Hicks. As someone who follows hoops closely, he was an absolute icon of the hardwood here in Kentucky, it only feels right to be watching his beloved Cards in this season that they have dedicated to him. The game started slow but Tristian Christopher led Scott County to an early 4 point lead at the first timeout of the half. Christopher, a Georgetown junior, was the main source of offense early. Taking defenders off of the bounce and attacking the basket. He did fail to convert an easy finish but followed up the next trip down the court with a conversion on a similar move, on the defensive side of the ball he needs to be taught proper position. I feel he fits the profile to be a good role player for a Division 3 school. There isn’t a lack of effort, it just doesn’t look like he is confident in where he needs to be on the court. He showed his vision with 3:32 left in the half, making a pass in transition that showed his offensive IQ, Scott County failed to convert but it was a next level pass nonetheless. We go into halftime squared up at 30, with the gym starting to fill for the finale. The second half started with the same story as the first, low scoring but high energy. Scott County was able to earn a few baskets in transition where they excel as a team. The faster the pace, the better for them. Scott County looks to close out the Flyers taking a 2 point lead into the 4th quarter. The game came down to a nail biter, tied up at 51 with 4 seconds left and Franklin County’s Trahan stepped up and nailed a clutch free throw to give FCHS the lead by 1 with 4.1 left on the clock. Check his veins for ice, Franklin County wins 52-51.
The Main Event brings us nationally sought after recruit 7’1” Malachi Moreno and his Great Crossing Warhawks to take on Bellarmine Bound Tyler Doyle and the Lexington Catholic Knights. Great Crossing also rosters 6’9” junior forward Vince Dawson who scores at a high clip and holds interest from numerous mid major programs, Western Kentucky Head Coach Steve Lutz was in the house to watch him tonight. Doyle slashed through the line with a nice spin move converting the basket but failing to capitalize on the and-1 to get scoring started for the Knights. Not to be outdone, Dawson rattled the rim converting a well executed alley oop. That got his competitive juices flowing as he drained a 3 directly in the faces of the Knights the next trip down the floor to give Great Crossing an early 7-2 lead with 5:07 remaining in the first. Moreno got on the board with 4:36 remaining bringing the lead to 5 and rejecting Doyle’s layup attempt on the other end, resulting in a basket in transition. Tyler Doyle was not to be denied as he scored in the post next possession for the Knights. The Knights kept attacking the basket low to no avail, they were no match for the WarHawk backstop Moreno who was having his own block party gobbling up shots from the Catholic offense. We end the first with top ranked-Great Crossing, up 17-8. Catholic started the 2nd quarter with some grit, scoring 2 quick buckets, and converting an and-1 to cut the deficit to 4. Moreno immediately answered on the other end prompting Catholic’s long time coach, Brandon Salsman, to take a timeout to try to regroup his squad after the WarHawk onslaught. Catholic, one of the top shooting teams in Kentucky from deep, started to get hot. Taking the lead up one on a deep John Reinhart made 3 with 1:37 remaining in the first half. Catholic came out of the locker room bringing much of that same heat and energy, drilling yet another triple followed by a beautiful right handed floater from Reinhart. Doyle took on Moreno 1-on-1 in a called isolation after Moreno found himself switched and laid a fight floater off of the glass driving from the left corner, drawing the whistle and converting the basket. Catholic’s contingent of students let Moreno know about it as Moreno took that personal and threw floater from Doyle into the 3rd row, it drew a questionable goaltending call but shows Moreno’s knack for the ball and how quickly he can explode to a max vertical. Doyle was not intimidated, as he found Moreno mismatched at the top of the key and took him off the bounce for yet another beautiful floater off of the backboard. We go into the 4th with Catholic up 4 and this shaping up to be an 11th Region classic. Lex Cath’s Ryan Harward drew a clutch charge to start the 4th quarter giving Catholic the clear momentum in the moment. The Catholic student section, who made the short drive from Lexington’s southside, began to roar… making the gym difficult for Great Crossing to call their offensive set. That didn’t matter though as Great Crossing’s Gage Richardson tickled the twine to bring the game to 47-44, Catholic up, with 4:03 remaining in the game. The Catholic fans shouted “Defense” but were met with another dagger from deep by Richardson who was letting that dawg in him eat. Moreno showed why he’s so highly sought after coming out of the timeout with a difficult and 1 conversion to give Great Crossing the lead by 2 with 3:09 remaining. Catholic’s Reinhart immediately answered back with another 3 giving the Knights a 1 point edge, however the failed to pick up his assignment on a WarHawk inbound play resulting in an easy pass by Moreno under the basket for 2. Moreno Iaid in another chip shot with 1:22 remaining to give the lead to Great Crossing. Dawson took a bad foul around 35 feet away from the basket, giving Catholic a side out of bounds play that resulted in a missed Reninhart three. Great Crossing’s Jaylen Warren slashed to the lane to put up a floater that resulted in a basket and the foul as he went to the charity stripe to ice the game with 22 seconds left, nailing it. Absolutely cold blooded, right in front of the self titled “Dungeon”..or more commonly known as the Lexington Catholic student section. Catholic’s Doyle drove the lane to try to draw contact on Moreno who rejected his attempt and grabbed the rebound. Shew, what a 4th quarter. What a game. What a talent the WarHawks have in Malachi Moreno. A true 5 who plays in the post, and a good free throw shooter. Give this one to Great Crossing 58-50. Doyle played well on the offensive in totaling 19 points but Moreno finished with 20 points, 19 boards, and 7 blocks earning player of the game and letting the Catholic faithful know about it as he exited the court.
(Side note: I would like to also extend a huge congratulations on behalf of myself and MilkCrate Hoops to Travis Perry, who scored his 5000th point in Kentucky High School Basketball. He now etches his name in uncharted territory, congrats Travis.)
This season continues to please with Kentucky being as talent rich as it has been in quite some time. We are in for a treat coming down the stretch of this high school season, the Sweet 16, district and regional tournaments promise to bring the madness. Let’s go!!
The Coach Ryan Report 