By ST’s Jim Mashek – Photos by ST’s Marlow Hazard
Offense was at a premium in the first 16 minutes.
Ebb and flow. Punch for punch. No one able to take command.
Then, in the third quarter, the Bowling Green High School boys basketball team found its range.
The Purples hit some open 3-pointers, and they found the open man near the basket. Warren Central couldn’t keep up, and ultimately Bowling Green would claim a 57-51 victory in the KHSAA District 14 tournament championship game on Friday night at South Warren High School.
“It wasn’t pretty, by any means,” BGHS coach Derrick Clubb said, “but we played hard for 32 minutes.”
Bowling Green improved to 24-7 on the season while the Dragons dropped to 23-7. Both squads will learn of their first-round opponent in next week’s Fourth Region tournament on Saturday morning at Warren East High School.
Bowling Green used its mid-range game to keep Warren Central at bay. The Dragons led only briefly in the third quarter, and the Purples were able to turn them away down the stretch.
Isaiah Mason led BGHS with 21 points while Conner Cooper added 14 and Jaxson Banks finished with 13.
“We didn’t move the ball well enough, offensively,” Warren Central coach William Unseld said. “They played better than we did. Period.”
The Purples pose problems with several players able to hit the stop-and-pop jumper, so Warren Central had trouble effectively double teaming the ball. Dre Boyd did everything he could to keep the Dragons in the game and led Warren Central with 17 points.
“They’re very versatile, and big. They play good help defense near the basket,” Boyd said. “They answered the bell a couple more times than we did. We both know there’s a bigger goal in mind down the road.”
Mason said the Purples’ versatility gives them an edge in the half-court game.
“We wanted to play inside out, and then things will open up,” Mason said. “Everybody on the floor can shoot. They’re a good team, and we definitely could see them again.”
Unseld said the Purples played with more of a purpose than Warren Central in the second half.
“They took their time and got better shots than we did,” Unseld said.
Cooper said the Purples tried to keep Warren Central from getting out in its transition game. Boyd was the only Dragons player in double figures, GIovanni Floyd had 8 points for Warren Central and Tegra Mukela finished with 7.
“They always like to play a fast tempo,” Cooper said. “We wanted to get good shots … If we’re hitting from the outside, we can really space the floor.”
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