South Warren's Rachel Garden (from right) dribbles the ball in front of Warren Central's Jharon Satterfield during the game Tuesday at Warren Central High School. (Photo by Joshua Lindsey/Special to the Daily News)

Norman Johnson gave Warren Central a second chance and the Dragons took advantage, sneaking past visiting South Warren 47-45 in overtime Tuesday.

Johnson’s bucket with four seconds left in the fourth quarter forced an extra session during which Warren Central never trailed, allowing the Dragons to improve to 12-6, 2-1 in District 14.

“We found a way to win, which is a positive,” Warren Central coach William Unseld said. “The rotation was kind of messed up tonight. We had kids hurt, one sick. The kids fought through it and found a way to get a win.”

Tuesday’s game was a back-and-forth affair with no lead larger than five points. That came in the opening minutes, when Warren Central scored the first five points before South Warren (6-14, 1-4) rallied to tie the score.

The Dragons held an 18-17 halftime lead, but the Spartans surged ahead in the third period, taking a 28-24 advantage on a basket from Jordan Buchanan.

Warren Central answered with seven straight points, including five from senior Donovan Halsel, for a 31-28 lead early in the fourth quarter.

It was the first of four lead changes in the fourth quarter. The final change came with 36 seconds left when South Warren’s Austin Bybee drained a 3 from the right wing to make the score 40-39.

After Halsel missed a potential go-ahead basket, South Warren secured the rebound. Bybee was fouled and went to the line with 17 seconds, hitting the first shot but missing the second free throw. 

That set up Johnson’s game-tying shot with four seconds left – a runner in the lane between two South Warren defenders.

“I just knew I had to make a shot,” Johnson said. “We couldn’t lose. I looked at the clock, knew how much time I had, and I went for it.”

Unseld said it was a smart play by his senior guard.

“Those are the things we expect him to do – lead these young kids,” Unseld said. “He’s done a heck of a job for us. He didn’t play great tonight, but he made a big play at the end.”

The Dragons scored the first four points of the extra session, and within two points was as close as South Warren got the rest of the way.

“We’re playing better than we have all year and that’s what we want to do,” South Warren coach Derrick Clubb said. “We would have loved the win tonight, but I think for the kids, there are a lot things we can improve on. We’re competing and you give yourself a chance to win when you compete.”

Halsel led the Dragons with 10 points, all coming in the fourth quarter and overtime. Johnson added nine points and Byron Carver finished with eight points.

Travis Hardcastle led South Warren with 13 points.

Warren Central will play at Greenwood on Friday at 7:30 p.m. South Warren will play at Butler County at 7:45 p.m. Friday.

SWHS 9 8 11 13 4 – 45

WCHS 11 7 8 15 6 – 47

SW – Bartley 4, Easley 1, Hardcastle 13, Buchanan 6, Smiley 2, Holloman 4, Bybee 8, Logsdon 7.

WC – Halsel 10, Porter-Bunton 2, Green 6, Carver 8, Riley 1, Johnson 9, Walker 3, Dickerson 4, Bledsoe 4.

 

Warren Central 42, South Warren 30 (girls)

Senior guard Tierra Rigsby scored 14 of her game-high 17 points in the second half, helping the Lady Dragons pull away for their fifth win in the last six games.

Warren Central (10-8, 2-1) led 19-18 at halftime. Rigsby then sparked a 16-3 run that extended the margin to 35-21 late in the third quarter.

South Warren (1-17, 1-4) trimmed the deficit to 35-25 before Rigsby scored seven straight to stretch the lead back to 17 points early in the fourth quarter.

“Our intensity wasn’t there tonight,” Rigsby said. “We were just going through the motions. In the second half we finally picked it up. We started moving the ball again, quit rushing things, and played our game.”

Devanee Lasley added six points for the Lady Dragons, while Nitaya Walker and Jharon Satterfield added five points each.

Colby Downing led the Lady Spartans with 15 points.

“It seems like we keep having the same talk, like a broken record,” South Warren coach Ken Waddell said. “It happened at Muhlenberg County last week. It happened at Metcalfe County also. Part of that is maturity. It’s like we are still learning how to compete. We’ve made progress, but we still haven’t figured out how to come out after halftime. We have to find something to make it click.”

Greenwood will play at Warren Central on Friday at 6 p.m. South Warren will play at Butler County on Friday at 6 p.m.

SWHS 5 13 7 5 – 30

WCHS 13 6 18 5 – 42

SW – Garden 2, Burnette 2, Taylor 8, Downing 15, Proctor 3.

WC – Rigsby 17, Patterson 2, Walker 5, Satterfield 5, Hill 4, Barnett 2, Lasley 6, Taylor 1.