Bowling Green Lady Purples (4-5) @ Warren Central Lady Dragons (4-2)
February 5, 2021 – 5:30pm – Dragon Gym
By Perry Swack
32 wins in 32 tries. Bowling Green has defeated Warren Central in 32-straight games entering Friday night. Might the streak end this week? BG enters Friday’s matchup with a perfect 3-0 record in the district. The Lady Purples swept Warren East and beat Greenwood in the second game of the season. Warren Central is playing in its third district game of the season. A win over Warren East and a loss to South Warren leaves the Lady Dragons tied with Greenwood at 1-1.
Current District Standings
Bowling Green 3-0
Greenwood 1-1
Warren Central 1-1
South Warren 1-2
Warren East 1-3
Last Time Out
Warren Central lost to Central Hardin, 47-44
Bowling Green lost at Clarksville Academy, 47-45
Last Meeting – January 31, 2020
Bowling Green completed the season sweep over crosstown foe Warren Central by a score of 58-22 inside Dragon Gym. Keyozdon Jones led the Lady Purples with 21 points and five rebounds. LynKaylah James chipped in 12 points and a team-high seven rebounds. Taelor Leach scored nine points and grabbed a game-high ten rebounds for the Lady Dragons.
What to Watch For
It has been nearly 14 years to the day (February 6, 2007) since Warren Central knocked off the Lady Purples. Bowling Green has been dominant against all 14th District teams since the start of the 2007-08 season – former coach Lavonda Johnson’s first at the school. The closest Warren Central has come in the last four years was a 61-57 loss in January of 2017. The six games since then have been BG victories by an average margin of 35.2 points.
I say all that to tell you that this year feels different. Bowling Green is still one of the best teams in the region; however, coach Anthony Hickey has things rolling in the right direction at Warren Central. The program seems poised to have a legitimate chance at reaching the 4th Region Tournament for the first time since 2013. The Lady Purples are currently ranked #2 in our ST Power Rankings and Warren Central is not far behind at #4.
On the court, it will be fascinating to see Saniyah Shelton play against her old team, Bowling Green. The sophomore has seamlessly made the transition from BG to WC, averaging 16.5 points and 10.2 rebounds this season. La Auhnni Lewis continues to provide secondary scoring for the Lady Dragons, as she is averaging 10.8 points per contest. Senior Kyleigh Ray is leading the squad at 10.7 rebounds per game.
As for the Lady Purples, it all starts in the frontcourt where sophomore Meadow Tisdale and junior LynKaylah James are two of the best post players in the 4th Region. James is averaging 16 points and 9.6 rebounds, while Tisdale checks in at 13.7 and 9.7. Ava Bennett provides a deft shooting stroke from outside, while Payton Briley and Emma Huskey also give coach Calvin Head trusty ballhandlers in the backcourt.
Prediction
Both teams have had multiple pauses on their seasons due to COVID-19 and neither seem to have found their stride quite yet. Bowling Green has lost back-to-back games (albeit against top notch competition) and Warren Central has lost two out of three. We know that when the ball tips up, it will be an exciting showdown with major district implications.
I think the guard play of Shelton and Lewis will give the Lady Purples fits as the duo is able to score and rebound as well as any backcourt in the region. However, on the flip side, Tisdale and James are arguably the top frontcourt duo in the region. I think the game will be back and forth, but I believe BG moves on to 4-0 in district play and wins its 33rd straight in the series.
Bowling Green 55, Warren Central 50
Stat to Know – 36
Warren Central is averaging 36 rebounds per game. The number is actually six higher than the Lady Purples this season. If the Lady Dragons are able to outrebound the likes of Tisdale, James, and Kiyah Gray, then they will have an amazing shot at ending their streak.
