Prep schools tried to pull Malachi Moreno out of KY, but leaving Great Crossing 'didn't feel right'

Earlier this week, not long before Malachi Moreno announced his commitment to Kentucky, some whispers online suggested that a change in scenery for his senior high school season was on the table. Scuttle surrounding a possible move to prep school — namely Florida’s IMG Academy — began to surface in certain corners of the internet.

Moreno quickly shot down those rumors to KSR’s own Jack Pilgrim though, saying that the plan was to stay at Great Crossing for his final pre-college season. A few days later, Moreno made his pledge to the Wildcats and once again confirmed, this time in front of fans and media members, that Great Crossing is where he wants to be.

He wasn’t going to leave his friends and family behind.

“I got everything I need just being here,” Moreno explained to KSR on his decision to stay. “This is my home. I grew up here my whole life. It didn’t feel right leaving for one year.“

According to Great Crossing boy’s basketball head coach Steve Page, “prep school was in the conversation throughout” the summer with Moreno. Had the seven-footer seriously considered a move to prep school, he likely would have had his choice of options. As a Top 25 recruit in the country, Moreno would make an immediate impact anywhere.

But his heart in Georgetown, KY. It’s where he was raised. He grew up a Kentucky fan. His older brother Michael, who holds multiple records with Eastern Kentucky men’s basketball, elected to stay close instead of leaving the state for college. In a way, this was Malachi repaying the favor.

“It’s like they say, there’s no better place than home,” he added.

But there were basketball reasons to stay home, as well. Moreno and Great Crossing were knocked out of the Sweet 16 semifinals back in the spring, losing to current Kentucky freshman Travis Perry and Lyon County, which went on to win the state title. Great Crossing will be one of the few favorites to cut down the Rupp Arena nets next spring. Moreno can win a state championship alongside his longtime friends in the same gym he’ll be playing in starting with the 2025-26 season.

“You saw everybody in here,” Moreno said after his commitment. “That’s one of the main reasons I stayed. We support each other here. There’s no better feeling. I was able to see all my best friends and they were able to see me commit to my dream school. Being able to share that moment with them, it meant the world to me.”

“If you told him right now, you’re not going to score a point all season, but you’re going to win the state title, he would sign up for it right now,” Coach Page added. “That’s 100 percent his focus.”

It’s not like Moreno is costing himself the opportunity to play against quality competition by staying in-state. As a highly-ranked recruit on a top team in the state, Great Crossing is going to play a tough schedule in 2024-25. The Warhawks will play plenty of games against out-of-state opponents (and against some of the best in Kentucky) as they gear up for another Sweet 16 run.

“Because of him, we’re going everywhere,” Page said. “We’re going to City of Palms this year. I think we play the number one team in the nation in the first round down there. We’re going to Beach Ball (Classic) again and we’ve been invited everywhere because of him. Everyone wants to see him and now even more.”