In a matchup that should have been reserved for the semifinals, two of the state’s top teams battled it out with a shot at the quarterfinals on the line.
In the final first-round game of the 2023 UK Healthcare Boys’ Sweet 16 Tournament on Thursday night at Rupp Arena, the No. 5 George Rogers Clark Cardinals staved off a comeback attempt by the No. 7 North Laurel Jaguars, winning 60-54. Kentucky men’s basketball signee Reed Sheppard, who played in his final high school outing as a result of the loss, finished with 23 points, four rebounds, seven assists, four steals, and seven turnovers for North Laurel.