George Rogers Clark downs St. Xavier in OT Thriller; Captures Third State Championship

LEXINGTON, Ky. (ABC 36 NEWS NOW) – The George Rogers Clark Cardinals defeated the St. Xavier Tigers 58–50 in overtime to capture the 2026 KHSAA Boys Basketball State Championship, the third title in school history.

The Cardinals were led by tournament MVP Senior Malachi Ashford, who scored a game-high 18 points in the championship game. He also contributed four rebounds, three assists, and two steals in Saturday’s victory.

Joining Ashford on the All-Tournament team were Senior Amari Bartelson and Junior Montez Gay.

This marks the second state championship for George Rogers Clark under Head Coach John Cook.

The Cardinals also won the Girls State Championship last Saturday night, making George Rogers Clark the first school to capture both titles in the same year since Ashland in 1928.