WKU signee Boone banks early good memory in BG
Published 7:31 pm Monday, January 6, 2025
Woodford County senior Armelo Boone (13) is defended by Bowling Green senior Jace Wardlow (1) during Woodford County’s Jan. 4 tournament game against Bowling Green.
Bowling Green senior Deuce Bailey (2) defends Woodford County senior Armelo Boone (13) during the Yellow Jackets’ 66-63 win over the Purples in the German American Bank Shootout tournament in Bowling Green on Saturday.
Woodford County senior Armelo Boone (13) evades Bowling Green senior Deuce Bailey (2) and Bowling Green senior Kadyn Carpenter (10) during the Yellow Jackets’ 66-63 win over the Purples in the German American Bank Shootout tournament in Bowling Green on Saturday.
Bowling Green senior Deuce Bailey (2) goes between Woodford County senior Armelo Boone (13) and Woodford County senior Makhi Smith (1) during the Yellow Jackets’ 66-63 win over the Purples in the German American Bank Shootout tournament in Bowling Green on Saturday.
Bowling Green senior Deuce Bailey (2) is defended by Woodford County senior Armelo Boone (13) during the Yellow Jackets’ 66-63 win over the Purples in the German American Bank Shootout tournament in Bowling Green on Saturday.
Woodford County senior Armelo Boone (13) is defended by Bowling Green senior Jace Wardlow (1) during Woodford County’s Jan. 4 tournament game against Bowling Green.
Woodford County senior Armelo Boone (13) shoots a free throw during Woodford County’s Jan. 4 tournament game against Bowling Green.
Woodford County senior Armelo Boone (13) walks down the court during Woodford County’s Jan. 4 tournament game against Bowling Green.
Woodford County senior Armelo Boone (13) (right) claps with his teammates during Woodford County’s Jan. 4 tournament game against Bowling Green.
Woodford County senior Armelo Boone (13) defends Bowling Green senior Deuce Bailey (2) during Woodford County’s Jan. 4 tournament game against Bowling Green.
Western Kentucky men’s basketball signee Armelo Boone is still months away from arriving on campus, but has already banked a great memory of Bowling Green.
Boone can credit teammate Makhi Smith for Saturday’s memory maker, when the Woodford County senior launched a last-second 3-pointer from the top of the key and banked it in for the game-winning shot in the Yellow Jackets’ 66-63 come-from-behind win against host Bowling Green in the German American Bank Shootout. It was the first made 3-pointer all season for Smith.
Boone might not have hit the game winner, but he did plenty to make Woodford County (8-6) the winner on Saturday. The 6-foot-4 shooting guard scored 15 points — a quiet night, by his standards — and added five rebounds and a trio of assists in the Yellow Jackets’ win.
Woodford County trailed most of the night against the host Purples and were down 11 heading into the fourth quarter before opening the final frame on a 12-0 run to grab a 57-56 lead. The Purples took that lead right back on a Kadyn Carpenter 3-pointer and the Yellow Jackets never led again — until the final second, when Smith sank what Boone jokingly called a “Euro-back” 3-pointer that banked off the glass and through the net for the win.
“That was a crazy buzzer-beater because they had the ball for like 20 seconds,” Boone said. “Then after we got the rebound, it was on a fast break and I looked at the clock … there was like three seconds left. I was like yeah, he’s got to shoot it because I was calling for it but he had to shoot it.”
Boone got a surprise guest at Saturday’s game when his future head coach showed up in the second half. WKU coach Hank Plona, whose team played at Florida International in Miami on Saturday, arrived back in town in time to catch Boone and his teammates for most of the final two quarters of action.
Boone, who joined Butler County senior Lawson Rice as a November signee with WKU, didn’t think he’d see Plona on Saturday.
“They were in Miami and I was watching the game on the way down here, which is crazy,” Boone said. “Then after that, like in the third quarter I saw him come in and I was like, ‘Wow.’ ”
Boone, who entered the weekend averaging a team-high 21.4 points per game along with seven rebounds, opened Saturday’s scoring with perhaps his most impressive made shot of the night when he stab-stepped at a defender, slid to his right and showed a deadly quick release on a made 3-pointer.
“He played OK today,” Woodford County coach Jaron Brown said. “His effort was there. Shots weren’t falling, but he kept playing hard. Just to get a chance. to come play where he’s going to be playing next year was a good experience for him.”
Boone, who is playing his first season at Woodford County after transferring in from Frederick Douglass High School, has impressed Brown with more than just his physical ability this season.
“He’s not only a good basketball player, he’s a great kid,” Brown said. “He’s quiet, he’s willing to learn and he works hard.”
Boone said he’s continuing to put in the work to get ready to play at the college level. Right now, he’s focused on improving his ballhandling and sharpening up his mid-range shooting.
Getting down to Bowling Green again served as extra motivation for putting in that daily work, Boone said.
“It actually felt great,” Boone said. “I haven’t been down here since I think September, so it felt good to play basketball down here.”
