Quick start lifts Dragons over Bowling Green

Published 11:35 am Saturday, January 18, 2025

by Micheal Compton

The Warren Central boys’ basketball team got the early jump on its biggest rival, taking the first meeting of the season against Bowling Green 62-51 on Friday at Bowling Green High School.

Warren Central (14-1 overall, 3-0 District 14) built an early lead and kept the Purples at bay from there to earn the road win and get the upper hand in the District 14 standings.

“It’s tough to win here,” WC coach William Unseld said. “It’s a district game. They are a really good basketball team. We didn’t play clean. We had a bunch of bad turnovers and we didn’t rebound like I wanted to in the first half. We did a better job in the second half … (but) we got stuff we’ve got to clean up.”

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Warren Central only trailed once at 3-2 less than two minutes in before using a huge kick to take control. Armani Byrd’s bucket in the paint gave the lead back to the Dragons and fueled a 16-3 run that gave Warren Central an 18-6 lead with 1:39 left in the first quarter.

“It gave us confidence for the game,” Warren Central forward Jarek Kirk said. “It got our motors going.”

Bowling Green (12-4, 2-1) was able to stem the tide, trimming the deficit to 20-9 after one and opening the second quarter with a 9-2 spurt to pull within four points.

Warren Central got the lead back up to 30-23 after a 3-pointer from Robert McAfee, but Bowling Green was able to answer with five straight to get within two points. The Dragons got the momentum back at the end of the half, with Byrd’s 3 from the right corner off an inbounds with 0.6 seconds left making the score 33-28.

“That was a big shot for them,” BG coach D.G. Sherrill said. “It’s a two-point game and now it’s a five-point game. We never could get those two stops we needed to get ourselves a lead.”

The Dragons scored the first four points in the second half to push the margin back to nine, but BG answered again with five straight to make the score 38-35. Warren Central extended its lead back to seven late in the third when McAfee picked up his fourth foul.

Bowling Green was unable to take advantage of McAfee’s absence, getting within 45-41 before McAfee re-entered with 6:34 left. McAfee immediately made his presence felt with a jumper on Warren Central’s next possession. Bowling Green was unable to get closer than four points the rest of the way, with the Dragons using a 7-2 spurt in the final two minutes to put the game away.

“We just couldn’t close it,” Sherrill said. “They got an early lead on us. It was almost like the game was decided in the first quarter. They got that 10-11 point lead on us and we were playing catch up all night long. I think this was a four- or five-point loss really, but it seemed like a four- or five-point game all night. They would stretch it to seven or eight. We’d cut it to three or four, but we never could get that closing possession or two that we needed to get ourselves a lead.”

McAfee led the Dragons with 21 points and seven rebounds despite fouling out in the final minute. Kirk had 17 points and Byrd added 13 points and nine rebounds.

The Dragons shot 49% and outrebounded Bowling Green 39-19.

“I can’t even tell you what our record is in here,” Unseld said. “In the last six or seven games, we’ve probably won one game here. The state championship team won here. Outside of that we haven’t won here in a few years. The kids did a great job. The only thing I was really worried about was we had a lot of kids that had never played in this game. So if you can get through the first quarter you are going to be OK and we got through the first quarter.”

Braylon Banks led the Purples with 16 points, while Jace Wardlow added 12 points.

WCHS 20 13 11 18 — 62

BGHS 9 19 10 13 — 51

WC — McAfee 21, Kirk 17, A. Byrd 13, Cash 6, Ry. Hulbert 4, Anthony 1.

BG — Banks 16, Wardlow 12, Idlett 9, Bailey 8, Carpenter 4, Hurt 2.

GIRLS

Bowling Green 76, Warren Central 3

Katy Smiley set the school record with 10 made 3s as the Lady Purples cruised to the district win.

“Our kids had a blast,” BG coach Calvin Head said. “They played unselfishly. They helped a teammate get a school record. That’s the kind of culture we are trying to build. It’s been a very tough stretch and our practices have gotten tougher too. They got to see some fruits of their labor tonight.”

Smiley connected for four 3s in the first three minutes and five total in the first quarter as Bowling Green (7-6 overall, 3-0 District 14) built a 31-2 advantage. The senior added two more 3s in the second as the lead ballooned to 48-2 at halftime.

Bowling Green scored 11 points in the third, with Smiley connecting on three 3s, breaking the school record on her final bucket of the night at the end of the third quarter.

“I didn’t know at first but then coach (Chloe) Elam came in and let me know at halftime,” Smiley said. “I have to give credit to my teammates for giving me the ball. It wasn’t possible without them.”

Smiley finished with 34 points, while Amaya Brown added 12 points.

Warren Central (0-13, 0-3) was held to three made free throws from Mauwa Faustine.

WCHS 2 0 0 1 — 3

BGHS 31 17 11 17 — 76

WC — Faustine 3.

BG — Smiley 34, Brown 12, Davenport 9, Ware 5, Pratt 4, Graves 3, Burton 3, Woods 2, Macy 2, Smith 2.

About Micheal Compton

I am a sports reporter and movie critic for the Bowling Green Daily News.

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