Bowling Green faces the Blazers in the opening round this Wednesday
By Perry Swack
KHSAA Boys’ Basketball State Tournament
Bowling Green Purples vs. University Heights Blazers
Wednesday, March 31 @ 2:00pm EST
Rupp Arena – First Round
Opponent – University Heights Blazers
2nd Region Champions
Record: 15-9
Last State Appearance: 2018
Defeated Madisonville-North Hopkins, 63-61, in the region title game
Defeated Hopkinsville, 64-58 in overtime, to win the 8th District championship
Key Players
KJ Crump, Senior #33
17.1 PPG
45% from the field
80% from the free throw line
DJ Quarles, Senior #11
16.7 P46% from the field
41% from the three-point line
6.4 RPG
Amani McGee, Senior #3
14.2 PPG
52% from the field
4.5 RPG
William Bryan, Senior #10
10.2 PPG
47% from the field
5.0 RPG
Analysis
The Blazers enter the Sweet 16 on a seven-game winning streak dating back to March 10. UHA won both the 8th District and 2nd Region championships en route to the state tournament. The four aforementioned seniors – Crump, Quarles, McGee, and Bryan – are what give the Blazers their bite. The quartet average a combined 62.2 points per game, or 93% of the team’s scoring. Each player was named to the All-Tournament Team last week at the 2nd Region Tournament.
The Purples and Blazers met back on February 1 in Hopkinsville. Bowling Green breezed by University Heights, 88-50. Four Purples scored in double figures, led by Isaiah Mason’s 20 points. BG outrebounded the Blazers, 38-19. Trace Flanary led the way with nine rebounds, as four Purples grabbed at least seven rebounds. Bowling Green shot 59% from the field, up from its season average of 51%. As for UHA, KJ Crump scored 16 and DJ Quarles added 15. The Blazers shot only 34% from the field, down from its season average of 46%.
What can we expect on Wednesday? The loss back on February 1 seems to have been somewhat of a wakeup call for UHA, who fell to 2-6 with the loss. It has since won 13 of 16 games to end the season, with the three losses coming to 1st Region champion McCracken County (twice) and to perennial 2nd Region power Hopkinsville (who UHA defeated later in the district title game).
As noted above, Bowling Green outrebounded University Heights, 38-19. If this happens again on Wednesday, the Purples should make quick work of the Blazers. What may be scary for the Blazers is that Purple center Jacobi Huddleston did not play in the first meeting. The 6’7 senior is averaging 8.7 points and 5.7 rebounds per game, and he is a double-double threat against most opponents.
Both the Purples and Blazers average around 67 points per game. In the first meeting, Bowling Green scored 20 above its season average and UHA scored 20 below its season average. In its last three games, BG is averaging only 59 points per game. The lack in scoring production (and tighter defending) has not slowed down the 4th Region champions, who allowed opponents to score 46 points per game over that three-game stretch. The Blazers are allowing 59.6 points per game during their seven-game win streak, while scoring 68.3 per contest. If Coach Grant Shouse’s club can keep Bowling Green around 60 points while finding its own shot, it definitely has a chance to spring the upset.
However, Bowling Green is rolling and peaking at the perfect time. An 11-game win streak has propelled the Purples back among the state’s elite. Their rebounding advantage and ability to score in transition will be too much for the Blazers to handle.
Bowling Green 77, University Heights 62
