Frederick Douglass girls dominate 11th Region tourney, prove they’re ‘ready to go to Rupp’

By Josh Moore Special to the Herald-Leader

Updated March 9, 2025 9:58 AM

Less than 30 seconds into the 11th Region Tournament girls basketball championship game, a Madison Central turnover gave way to a Frederick Douglass basket, putting the Broncos in front by five. That’s about as close as it got.

Douglass dominated its rival 68-41 Saturday night at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School, claiming its second region title in three years and punching its ticket to the Clark’s Pump-N-Shop Girls’ Basketball Sweet 16. The Broncos will meet Simon Kenton (26-4) in the first round on Wednesday in Lexington’s Rupp Arena.

“I’m happy for the win, that my team played good, that I played good, I’m just excited,” Jaelee Knowles said. “We’re ready to go to Rupp, that’s all I’m worried about right there.”

The Broncos (25-7) put the clamps on Central in the first half. They held the Indians (28-3) to 3-for-13 shooting, all three makes in the first quarter, before somewhat relenting down the stretch. They led by as many as 30 points in the final period, falling just short of putting a running clock into effect.

Nataya Strader, named 11th Region Player of the Year by the coaches, led Madison Central with 14 points, five rebounds and three steals. Central started the season 21-0 before suffering back-to-back losses in early February, first at North Laurel (65-53) and then to Douglass at home (64-58).

Douglass’ 27-point margin of victory in the rematch is the most in an 11th Region girls finals since Scott County’s win over Henry Clay in 2019 (82-42), and the most by a city school since Lexington Catholic defeated Henry Clay for the 2006 crown (76-47).

Jaelee Knowles (23) is cheered on by her teammates as she accepts the 11th Region Tournament MVP award. Knowles had 19 points and 11 rebounds in the Broncos’ 68-41 win over Madison Central. Hal Morris

Jaelee Knowles (23) grabs one her of six offensive rebounds over Madison Central’s Brooke Campbell on Saturday night. Hal Morris

“I can’t even tell you my emotions right now, it’s running hot right now,” said Douglass head coach DJ Moberly, who guided the program to its only other region championship in 2023. “I’m just so proud of these girls for all the work they’ve been putting in since July. This started last year in the summertime, those hard-sweatin’ days out there on the track. They didn’t want to run, they were looking at me like, ‘Coach, we gotta run a hundred yards?’ and I’m like, ‘Yeah, we gotta run it.’”

That level of conditioning yielded a squad that, at least on Saturday, never showed signs of breathlessness. When the Broncos’ near-constant press didn’t elicit a turnover, their rapid switches in the half court more often than not put Central in tough positions to score.

Knowles, a sophomore who has reported college scholarship offers from Western Kentucky and Toledo so far, was named MVP of the tournament. She scored 19 points (9-for-12 shooting) to go along with 11 rebounds, two blocks and two steals. Knowles had three and-one opportunities throughout the game, but her best highlight was a coast-to-coast attack of the basket after securing a rebound late in the second quarter.

“We just wanted it,” Knowles said. “We’ve been talking about this since the beginning of the season.”

Tamia Waide, an eighth-grader, scored nine of her 18 points in the first quarter to get things rolling for the Broncos. She and Knowles joined teammates Mikalee Bennett (12 points, four steals) and Reagan Gregonis on the all-tournament team. All four of them, along with remaining starter Peighton Okorley, are underclassmen.

What these Broncos show at Rupp Arena this week could be a glimpse into an even brighter future.

“This is our test for next year,” Knowles said. “The starters that we have are still gonna be here next year. If we can do it now, we can definitely do it next year.”

Mikalee Bennett of Frederick Douglass shoots over Madison Central’s Cameryn Ridderikhoff for two of her 12 points in the Broncos’ 68-41 win in the 11th Region Tournament finals. Hal Morris

Madison Central’s Cameryn Ridderikhoff drives for two of her seven points in Saturday’s 11th Region Tournament finals. Hal Morris

11th Region All-Tournament Team

Frederick Douglass: Jaelee Knowles (MVP), Mikalee Bennett, Reagan Gregonis, Tamia Waide. Madison Central: Brittany Campbell, Cameryn Ridderikhoff, Nataya Strader. Franklin County: Juliana Frazee, Madison Jackson. Lafayette: Belle Combs, Anna Clay Denton. Berea: Tess Mclin. Great Crossing: Samantha Brown. Henry Clay: Charlianne Robinson. Lexington Christian Academy: Claire Roberts.