Boys and girls 11th Region tourney pairings are set: Who has the toughest path?
It’s easy to look at the draw for upcoming boys high school basketball 11th Region Tournament and see that its two “best teams,” No. 1 Madison Central (30-3) and No. 7 Frederick Douglass (21-6) are pointed at each other for a semifinals showdown Saturday if they survive their first-round games.
Douglass coach Murray Garvin refused to talk about anything beyond their game against Franklin County (12-20) on Thursday night, the second day of the boys’ tournament held this year entirely at Eastern Kentucky University’s Baptist Health Arena.
“Our focus will be 1-0. It’s a region tournament with some of the best teams in the state of Kentucky. You can’t look past your first game,” said Garvin, whose Broncos routed No. 16 Bryan Station 66-36 on Friday night in the 42nd District finals. “This is a one game bracket for us. Franklin County is our only concern. I’m not talking about nobody else.”
Top Lexington girls teams on opposite sides of the bracket
On the girls’ side, No. 8 Frederick Douglass (21-7) is the defending region champ and only Kentucky Media Elite 16 ranked team in the field. Those Broncos begin their quest for a third region crown in four years against 43rd District runner-up Lafayette (21-10) as the nightcap 9:15 p.m. Monday tip-off on the opening day of the girls tournament, also being held this year entirely at EKU.
In the aftermath of knocking off then No. 1 Sacred Heart on Feb. 6, Douglass lost four of its last five regular season games, all to ranked opponents. The Broncos responded in the postseason by mercy-ruling both Henry Clay and Scott County in the 42nd District Tournament.
Douglass coach Daryl Moberly believes his team will be ready and called its late-season skid a blessing of sorts.
“I think our girls are prepared mentally, physically. I think our bodies are prepared for it right now,” he said. “We’ve just got to come in and be prepared and not really worried about all the outside ruckus. … I tell them every day, ‘Anybody can be beat. It’s win or go home.’”
The next best girls team on paper, would have to be 43rd District champion Paul Laurence Dunbar (23-4) who will open with Scott County (11-19) on Tuesday. Dunbar beat the Cardinals 64-47 at home in S.T. Roach Sports Center on Jan. 2.
Thanks to the draw, Douglass and the Bulldogs would not meet until Sunday’s championship game. The Broncos blew out Dunbar 71-46 in both teams’ season opener on Dec. 2.
“I think we’ve got a good draw. I know everybody wants to see us and Douglass in the championship. That adds a little fuel to it because that’s always been one of our goals,” Dunbar coach Erick Daniels said. “We know there’s steps that we have to take to get to the top. So we take it day-by-day, and we come out to practice tomorrow morning at 8 a.m. They’ll be ready to go.”
Lexington Catholic taking on Bryan Station in boys first round
The most intriguing matchup of the boys’ first round comes Wednesday night when 43rd District champion Lexington Catholic (21-8) takes on Bryan Station (22-8) at 8:15 p.m.
Like the Defenders, the Knights have also been ranked on and off this season in the Kentucky Media Elite 16 poll. They also have an upset win over Madison Central under their belt.
“It’s the 11th Region Tournament, so you’ve always got to play great teams, and Bryan Station is certainly one of the best teams in the state,” said Lexington Catholic coach Brandon Salsman, whose Knights needed two overtimes to vanquish Tates Creek in their district finals. “In the 11th Region, I don’t know if there is such a thing as a good draw.”
No. 1 Madison Central feels right at home
Since the 44th District almost always plays its tournament at EKU, Madison Central coach Allen Feldhaus Jr.’s team won’t be unfamiliar with the recently renovated gym’s college floor and surroundings. It doesn’t hurt that Richmond is their hometown, either.
“I think we’re ready,” he said. “I like playing the whole thing on a college floor here at Eastern. I’m excited about that. I think our kids are excited about that.”
Feldhaus doesn’t think he’ll have to worry about his senior-laden team led by nephew and 11th Region player of the year Jake Feldhaus overlooking Tates Creek (16-14), their first round opponent in Thursday’s 8:15 p.m. tip.
“It’s very easy. I mean, (the Commodores) take Catholic into two overtimes. And Catholic beat us,” Feldhaus said. “I think they’re smart enough to realize you’ve got to have your ‘A’ game every game you get the 11th Region Tournament.”
11th Region turns to tournament manager this season
Unlike past years, this season the 11th Region hired a tournament manager to run its events instead of its normal rotation of athletic directors.
Lisa Hager, a longtime educator and athletics administrator, has taken on the role and lined up sponsors and halftime activities to better utilize the tournaments’ potential as a fundraiser for its member schools.
In addition to cheer and dance performances by the schools involved, celebrity and musical guests are lined up. The tournaments also have a website this year at ky-11thregionbasketball.com/. This season all member schools, regardless of whether they’ve reached the tournaments, will share the respective proceeds.
“I think that we have upped the fan engagement,” Hager said. “We want to include not only the athletes, but our fans and our community through our vendors and the offerings that we have, and the entertainment we’re providing.”
The girls first-round game times on Monday and Tuesday are an hour later than the rest of the week due to EKU’s obligations to its own teams.
The tournaments will be streamed by Glicod.com.
Girls 11th Region Tournament
At Eastern Kentucky University’s Baptist Health Arena, Richmond.
Tickets: $10. Streaming: Glicod.com.
MONDAY’S QUARTERFINALS
Madison Southern 61, Western Hills 50
Frederick Douglass 60, Lafayette 29
TUESDAY’S QUARTERFINALS
7:15 p.m.: Paul Laurence Dunbar (23-4) vs. Scott County (11-19)
9:15 p.m.: Franklin County (12-16) vs. Berea (15-15)
FRIDAY’S SEMIFINALS
6:15 p.m.: Madison Southern vs. Douglass
8:15 p.m.: Dunbar-Scott County winner vs. Franklin County-Berea winner
SUNDAY’S FINAL
7 p.m.: Championship game.
Boys 11th Region Tournament
At Eastern Kentucky University’s Baptist Health Arena, Richmond.
Tickets: $10. Streaming: Glicod.com.
WEDNESDAY’S QUARTERFINALS
6:15 p.m.: Great Crossing (20-11) vs. Model (19-13)
8:15 p.m.: Lexington Catholic (21-8) vs. Bryan Station (22-8)
THURSDAY’S QUARTERFINALS
6:15 p.m.: Frederick Douglass (21-6) vs. Franklin County (12-20)
8:15 p.m.: Madison Central (30-3) vs. Tates Creek (16-14)
SATURDAY’S SEMIFINALS
2 p.m.: Great Crossing-Model winner vs. Lexington Catholic-Bryan Station winner.
4 p.m.: Douglass-Franklin County winner vs. Madison Central-Tates Creek winner.
MARCH 9 FINAL
7 p.m.: Championship game.
This story was originally published February 28, 2026 at 2:41 PM.
