Fresh off an upset of top seeded Bowling Green in the District 14 Tournament final on Friday night, South Warren began its Region Tournament road against 10-21 Franklin-Simpson. Neither game was close in the regular season, as the Lady Spartans won by 40 and 43 respectively, so it was quite possible and even likely that Blane Embry’s squad would have an easy evening.
At the outset, while South Warren led wire to wire, it was a sludge-fest. Both teams struggled mightily to score points – potentially due to a combination of the large venue and some early nerves – and it was just 6-2 South Warren after the first quarter. While SWHS didn’t shoot it much better in the second period, the defense picked up and Franklin-Simpson could rarely even get a shot off. It was 22-4 at the half. South Warren held the Lady Wildcats to just 2-15 from the field and led the turnover battle 16 to 5.
Timitryi Patterson was the story of the night, as she scored 11 in the first half, finished with 19. The senior forward also pulled down nine rebounds, racked up four steals, and blocked two shots. Unsurprisingly, she was named 4th Region Athlete of the Game and also Bluegrass Cellular STBN Player of the Game. In addition to Patterson, Amaya Lasley and Peyton Ferry both scored eight points, and the starters were able to rest through much of the second half.
Franklin-Simpson hit double figures as a team against the South Warren reserves, trailing 45-9 when the starters left the floor. South Warren cruised to a 52-15 victory and forced a running clock in the fourth quarter. Incidentally, this was the closest of the three games between these two teams. For Franklin-Simpson, no player finished with more than 4 points.
South Warren should be fairly well-rested and much more comfortable on John Oldham Court when the Spartans hit the hardwood for the next round of the tournament. The Lady Spartans move to 23-7 on the season and 14-4 in region play.
FINAL: South Warren 52, Franklin-Simpson 15
SW: Patterson 19, Lasley 8, Ferry 8
FS: Baker, Doss 4 each
