Warren Central came in as the team to beat, the top seed, and a team on a fourteen game win streak. South Warren came in following the first tournament win in the school’s short history. The two played a one point controversial thriller on January 28, 2014, won by a Chris Porter-Bunton free throw. Tonight…may have been an even better game.South Warren found itself down 24-13 midway through the second period and Derrick Clubb called a timeout. The Spartans ended the half on a 14-2 run and led the ballgame 27-26. Everyone knows that Warren Central explodes in the early minutes of the second half and they did so again, scoring the first six and would hold a nine point lead in the third, then two seven point leads in the fourth. South Warren’s heart was palpable and the blood just wouldn’t stop pumping.
Central could not pull away. Two sophomores, Dayton Gumm, who had 16, and Michael Hicks, who hit three from beyond the arc, led the way offensively and Jacob Smiley played an exceptional game on the defensive side of the ball. With 1:31 left, Central held a seven point lead. It was cut to two before Austin Bybee tied Porter-Bunton up at midcourt with 9.1 left. One official called jump ball, another called foul…Bybee was called for the personal. CPB missed the second and SW got the rebound.
Dayton Gumm ran to midcourt and tried to split the Dragons to get free for a shot and the ball got away from him. A lob downcourt to a wide open Robert Edwards for the two as time expired sealed the finish of a classic. WC wins 55-51. South Warren says goodbye to Zach McDaniel, Brad Logsdon, Austin Bybee, and Jacob Smiley, all of whom leave after stellar careers for Coach Clubb. He was unable to fight back tears in his postgame comments to Jason Martin.
With the win, Warren Central will advance to regionals as well as to play the winner of Bowling Green and Greenwood, which takes place tomorrow night. What a basketball game folks…a pleasure to witness.
Dayton Gumm – 16
Michael Hicks – 9
Jacob Smiley – 7
Austin Bybee – 7
Byron Carver – 14
CPB – 12
Jared Savage – 11
