By Perry Swack
Bowling Green Lady Purples
vs. Elizabethtown @ 3:30pm @ BGHS
The Lady Purples welcome one of the state’s top teams into Bowling Green High School for a Saturday afternoon showdown. Elizabethtown (9-0) is ranked #5 on MaxPreps in the state rankings. The Lady Panthers are the defending 5th Region champions and have looked poised to repeat in 2021, winning each of their first nine games by an average of 19 points.
Bowling Green (4-3) put together its first win streak of the season last night in a 56-40 victory over district foe Warren East. Meadow Tisdale was dominant, scoring 29 points and grabbing 11 rebounds. Kiyah Gray chipped in nine points (6-6 FT) and LynKaylah James scored eight points in the win. Friday’s game was the first for coach Calvin Head’s crew in nearly two weeks. The Lady Purples had five games canceled due to COVID-19.
For the Lady Panthers, Leah Macy is the team’s leading scorer and rebounder at 20.7 points and 15.1 rebounds per game. Kayra Freeman is averaging 15 points per game and Sarah Clark is grabbing 8.2 rebounds per contest. Bowling Green’s Tisdale and James combine to grab nearly 20 rebounds per game: however, Elizabethtown averages over 38 rebounds a night – seven higher than the Lady Purples average. The game will seemingly be won in the paint as both teams feature very talented frontlines.
Bowling Green Purples
vs. Ashland Blazer @ 6:00pm @ BGHS
Bowling Green will face one of the state’s top teams in consecutive days after easily dispatching of Somerset on the road last night, 87-55. The Purples put five in double figures in the win over the Briar Jumpers, holding SHS to 35% shooting from the field. It was BG’s first game in 17 days, but coach DG Sherrill’s club showed little rust as it breezed by another opponent to improve to 5-0.
The Tomcats of Ashland Blazer will enter Bowling Green High on Saturday evening looking to win its seventh-straight game. ABHS (6-1) has won six-straight contests after dropping its season opener with Highlands. The Tomacts are balanced on the offensive side of the ball with three players averaging in double figures on the season. Junior Cole Villers leads the way at 19.6 points per game, while sophomore Colin Porter is averaging 16.4 points and junior Ethan Sellars is right at 14 points per game. All three players are making nearly two three-pointers per game and Sellars is hitting at a clip just south of 50%.
Bowling Green is also incredibly balanced in 2021. Five players – led by Isaiah Mason – are averaging in double figures. In regard to win margin, the Purples have not had a tough game all season. BG is averaging nearly 80 points per game while holding opponents south of 50. The closest game of the season was a 77-58 road win at McCracken County. What is scarier is that the Purples have yet to play a home game. Tonight’s contest will be its home opener. The Tomcats may be the two-time defending 16th Region champions, but it is hard to imagine this game being closer than a double-digit victory for the Bowling Green Purples. With that said, I do believe this will be the toughest test to date for BG.
