Warren East's Hailey Hymer (left) shoots against Warren Central's La Aunhni Lewis Friday, January 4, 2019, during Warren East's 42-30 win at Warren Central High School. (Bac Totrong/photo@bgdailynews.com)

For the Warren Central boys’ basketball team it was good to be home, with the Dragons beating visiting Warren East 77-45 on Friday at Warren Central High School.

Playing on Tim Riley Court for the first time since Dec. 13, and only the second time all season, Warren Central (7-3 overall, 1-0 District 14) exploded for 47 points in the first half and cruised from there to snap a mini two-game skid.

“You got a bunch of kids that are young and having a home game, that kind of boosts ya a little bit,” WC coach William Unseld said. “We got going and I was excited for them. I think we are going to be really good in the end. We are not there yet.”

The Dragons shot 52.6 percent in the first half to build a comfortable halftime advantage.

Warren East (8-7, 0-2) scored on a layup by Thomas Maxey three seconds in, but a 9-2 spurt put WCHS in control for good.

Antonio Barbee’s 3-pointer late in the first quarter gave Warren Central its first double-digit advantage at 21-11. The Dragons used a 14-0 run in the second period to take a commanding 43-19 lead and pushed the margin to 47-22 by halftime.

Warren Central continued to pull away in the third quarter. Tegra Muleka’s layup with 2:13 left in the period made the score 65-30 and started the KHSAA-mandated running clock. The lead grew to as many as 37 points, with Unseld emptying his bench in the fourth quarter.

“We had our best three days of practice this week because we just got back to the small stuff,” Unseld said. “I was happy for the kids. We played our best half of defense the whole year in the first half.

“You are home. It’s a district game. You’ve got a little (more) bounce in you than you normally do. We really play an eight-game season and we are 1-0 right now.”

Barbee led the way with 14 points.

Dre Boyd and Kobe Brents finished with 11 points each for the Dragons. Five players scored at least eight, with 11 players breaking into the scoring column for Warren Central.

“We don’t really have one guy that is going to score 20 a game,” Barbee said. “Everybody scores and just plays hard.”

Bryson Wallace led Warren East with 12 points and 10 rebounds. The Raiders finished with 21 turnovers.

“I thought the first quarter we did a good job of taking care of the basketball,” Warren East coach Brandon Combs said. “We have a very small margin for error. That is the hand we have been dealt. There is nothing you can do about it.

“Against your Warren Centrals and Bowling Greens, you have to take care of the ball and rebound. The first quarter we did that. The second quarter we had so many live ball turnovers … and a lot of those live ball turnovers that (they) got points off of.”

Warren Central will host Barren County at 7:30 p.m. Saturday. Warren East will play Glasgow in the 2A Championship at 7:30 p.m. Monday.

WEHS 17 5 9 14 – 45

WCHS 25 22 21 9 – 77

WE – Wallace 12, Maxey 9, Barber 6, Jones 4, Carter 4, Matlock 3, Wilson 3, Doyle 3, Harrell 1.

WC – Barbee 14, Boyd 11, Brents 11, Pillow 8, Muleka 8, Bibb 6, Smith 5, Lawrence 5, Freeman 4, Barber 3, Floyd 2.

Warren East 42, Warren Central 30, girls

Lucy Patterson had 13 points and 11 rebounds as the Lady Raiders picked up their first District 14 win of the season.

The Lady Raiders started 0-for-13 from the field, allowing Warren Central (0-13 overall, 0-1 District 14) to build an 8-1 advantage early into the second quarter.

Tanaya Bailey’s layup with 6:51 snapped the drought and fueled a 14-2 run that saw Warren East (7-9, 1-1) surge in front 15-10 at halftime.

Warren East continued to pull away, scoring the first nine points in the second half to make the score 24-10. WEHS led by as many as 19 points in the second half.

“Defensively, the last 10 games we have played excellent,” Warren East coach Orlando Hayden said. “That is what has kept us in ballgames. We are 7-3.

“Offensively, we struggled. (Tonight) in the first quarter, we couldn’t throw one in the ocean. I told the girls to keep playing and that they would eventually fall. As long as you keep playing good defense, the offense will come.”

Caroline Forrester added seven points and 11 rebounds for Warren East, while Hailey Hymer finished with seven points.

Krisheana Johnson led Warren Central with eight points.

The Lady Dragons will host Barren County at 6 p.m. Saturday. Warren East will play at Glasgow in the 2A Championship at 6 p.m. Monday.

WEHS 1 14 19 8 – 42

WCHS 8 2 5 15 – 30

WE – Patterson 13, Hymer 7, Forrester 7, Bailey 6, Price 5, Joiner 2, Sparks 2.

WC – Johnson 8, Lewis 6, Whitfield 4, Ray 4, Leach 4, Graham 3, Conner 1.{&end}