By Jim Mashek – Sporting Times, Photos by ST’s Marlow Hazard
It happened midway through the fourth quarter Sunday, when the visiting Clinton County Bulldogs were scrambling, doing just about anything they could to get back in the game.
Bowling Green High School’s boys basketball team had other ideas.
Sixth man Conner Cooper forced a loose ball and then made the steal between two Clinton County players near the mid-court line. Cooper struggled to maintain possession on the fast break, however, all but losing possession as he reached the baseline.
Cooper then blindly flicked the ball a few feet to his right, to trailing BGHS teammate Isaiah Mason. Mason dropped the easy layup in the basket, and the Purples again led the KHSAA 4th Region quarterfinal game by 15 points.
Final score: Bowling Green 66, Clinton County 50.
“I was Isaiah was coming, I knew he was right behind me,” Cooper said when it was over. “I felt it. We’ve been playing together since we were 5 or 6 years old … the Kentucky Fire, M’Animal Elite, the Warren County Raiders when we were in first grade …
“Our chemistry really helps us.”
D.G. Sherrill, the veteran BGHS coach, would be quick to agree. Sherrill will lead the Purples (21-2) into another physical challenge in Monday night’s 4th Region semifinal game against Allen County-Scottsville (16-7).
Tipoff for the 4th Region semifinals is at 6 p.m. Monday. Barren County and Greenwood, the Purples’ crosstown rival, also advanced in quarterfinal play on Sunday afternoon.
Clinton County finishes its season with an impressive 20-5 record. Greenwood (16-12) whipped Metcalfe County 73-58 on Sunday afternoon in Edmonton.
Bowling Green won its ninth consecutive game with balance, skill and mental toughness.
Mason, the versatile swingman bound for Northern Kentucky University, led the Purples with a game-high 15 points. He brought the house to its feet midway through the third quarter with a resounding dunk, and was called for a technical foul.
After a quick Clinton County turnover, BGHS point guard Turner Buttry was hit with a technical, bringing Sherrill off the bench.
Everybody kept their cool, for the most part.
“They’ll do everything to win. Scratch, claw, fight, dive for loose balls,” Mason said. “It’s tough to put your foot on the gas. We just thought it we could get the game played at our tempo, we’d be all right.”
The comfortable victory allowed Sherrill to empty his bench with about three minutes left, and Clinton County’s Todd Messer followed suit moments thereafter. The Purples will now face another physical opponent, Allen County-Scottsville (16-9), which defeated Russellville 53-48 on Sunday.
“We just want to maximize our effort,” Sherrill said. “Everybody knows we’ve got some talented players. Todd Messer’s teams always play you tough. They’re very physical, they’re always well coached.”
The Bulldogs trimmed the deficit to single digits three times in the third quarter, but Bowling Green was able to respond. Senior guard Jaxson Banks hit back-to-back 3-pointers, both from the baseline — his favorite spot on the court — to push the lead back to 15 points with 5:30 left in the game.
Bowling Green’s depth was clearly a factor. The Bulldogs lost rugged point guard Bryson Cross, who fouled out with 3:05 left in the third quarter. Blake Melton led the Bulldogs with 15 points and Nick Banks finished with 10. Cross had 9 points largely by attacking the basket.
“Our kids really came out and competed,” Messer said. “We knew we really had to execute, against a team like Bowling Green, and we had way too many ‘live ball turnovers.’ You can’t give up transition points … They’re definitely a talented team, with more scoring options than they’ve had in the past.
“We had a very good season. The plays fell their way when it counted.”
Buttry, the Purples’ Cool Hand Luke at point guard, finished with 12 points. Teammates Kodi Huddleston and Jackson Banks added 9 and 7 points, respectively.
Sherrill anticipates another rough-and-tumble game with AC-S at E.A. Diddle Arena. Bowling Green defeated the Patriots 65-54 earlier this month in Scottsville.
“We have to be prepared for those kinds of teams,” Banks said. “As a team, we have to have a mind set to stay on the attack. We can play pretty physical, too.”
