By ST’s Jim Mashek / Photos by ST’s Marlow Hazard
William Unseld stood above the celebration on the floor at E.A. Diddle Arena, which is easy to do when you’re 6 feet, 8 inches tall.
Unseld’s Warren Central Dragons stand alone.
Unseld surveyed the wild scene on the court after Warren Central turned back crosstown rival Bowling Green High School, claiming a 53-42 victory on Tuesday night in the KHSSA Fourth Region championship game.
The Dragons never trailed while improving to 26-7 on the season. Bowling Green, which finishes its season 26-8, challenged at key points in the second half but could never come up with the key basket.
“The kids don’t panic,” Unseld said. “They really don’t. Our schedule set us up for this. I’m proud of our kids, the way they competed, the way they responded. They did a great job tonight.”
Dre Boyd, the Fourth Region Player of the Year, got into foul trouble in the early going and never really found his mid-range jumper. The 6-3 senior attacked the glass, however, and finished the game with 14 points, 12 rebounds, two blocked shots and two assists.
“They tried to take me out of my game,” Boyd said. “Keep me off the glass. We knew it was going to be back and forth. We made the plays when we had to.”
Bowling Green fell behind 12-2 in the first five minutes of the first quarter, but the Purples managed to get back in the game behind junior guard Isaiah Mason and sophomore point guard Turner Buttrey.
Mason often guarded Boyd in 1-on-1 situations, Codi Huddleston, the lone forward in the BGHS starting lineup, managed just five points in 10 minutes. Starting swingman Jaxson Banks failed to score and the Purples shot just 29 percent from the field.
Warren Central, on the other hand, hit 54 percent of its shots while making 7 of 14 attempts from 3-point range. The Dragons’ Kobe Brents had his signature shot, the transition 3-pointer from the left corner, working in the early going, and he led Warren Central with 16 points.
“Kobe was born with the ability to shoot,” WCHS forward Jessie Wright said.
Boyd was quick to agree.
“When Kobe puts it up, we think it’s going in,” Boyd said.
Bowling Green scrambled back and trailed just 30-28 at halftime. Buttrey hit an open 3 at the top of the key midway through the third quarter, and on their next possession, the Purples tied the game at 36 on Isaiah Mason’s deft shot from about 10 feet out.
The Dragons’ Tay Smith answered with a 3 from the left wing, and Warren Central led the rest of the way. Smith finished the game with 12 points, five rebounds and two blocked shots.
“Defensively, they were really good,” BGHS coach Derrick Clubb said. “Hats off to Warren Central. They played a great game.
“I thought our kids played hard. Offensively, things didn’t come very easily for us tonight. I’m proud of this group, what they accomplished.”
Mason often drew Boyd on defense but still hit 5 of 14 shots to finish with 13 points, eight rebounds and three blocked shots. Buttry added 10 points and Connor Cooper added nine.
“It’s a rough feeling,” Banks aid. “I think we did all we could.”
Likewise, the Dragons. Warren Central will face Madisonville-North Hopkins on March 18 in first-round play of the Sweet Sixteen at Lexington’s Rupp Arena. Madisonville defeated Webster County 73-58 for the Third Region title on Tuesday night.
