NOT OVER YET: Purples rally for second straight Sweet 16 OT win

Published 1:32 pm Friday, March 28, 2025

By Micheal Compton

LEXINGTON – For most of regulation, it was an uphill battle for Bowling Green in Friday’s state quarterfinal game against Ashland Blazer at the KHSAA Boys’ Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena.

Overtime was a different story.

After leading for all of 20 seconds in regulation, Bowling Green rallied late to force overtime and pull away in the extra session – advancing to the semifinals after an 80-74 win over the Tomcats.

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Deuce Bailey tied it with 15 seconds left in regulation and Bowling Green (30-6) controlled most of the extra session to win a second straight overtime game at the Sweet 16.

“That was a good basketball team we just beat,” Bowling Green coach D.G. Sherrill said. “We had to do everything we could possibly do. They had us down just about all of regulation. We were lucky enough to kind of pull that off late.

“ … It was just about game-winning plays in that fourth quarter and overtime, trying to get stops and get rebounds and do all the little things to try to win games.”

Ashland Blazer (24-8) rode the hot hand of Tyson LaLonde in the first quarter to build an eight-point advantage.

LaLonde was 4-for-4 from long range in the quarter – including a pair of 3-pointers after the Purples briefly slipped in front 6-5 – with the Tomcats holding a 21-13 lead heading into the second.

“They were red hot early,” Sherrill said. “I’m like, ‘When is it going to stop?’ It seemed like every time I turned around they were banging another 3 on us.”

The margin grew to 30-19 after 3 from Preston Hoskins with 3:57 left in the half, before Bowling Green started to rally. The Purples scored five straight to slice the deficit to six. After a 3 from Ashland Blazer briefly halted the momentum, BG closed with five straight to make the score 33-29 at the break.

The Purples were able to get within a point early in the third before Ashland Blazer scored six straight to push the advantage back out to 43-35. That would become a second half trend with the Purples getting within striking distance only for the Tomcats to build a small cushion again.

The score was 57-52 heading into the fourth when BG scored five straight – tying the score on a 3 from Luke Idlett with 6:48 left in regulation. Both teams traded layups before an intentional foul call on Bailey sparked a 6-0 spurt to put Ashland Blazer back in control.

Idlett would answer with his own personal 6-0 run, including a steal and layup that tied the score 65-65 with 46 seconds to go in the fourth.

“We were in a run-and-gun situation down two,” Idlett said. “I saw the trap. They were kind of loose with the ball. My first instincts were go get the ball and finish at the rim.”

Ashland Blazer hit two free throws to regain the lead with 30.2 seconds left before Bailey struck again, with a drive to the basket similar to his game-winning shot in Wednesday’s overtime win against Adair County.

The Tomcats got off a 3 in the final seconds, but were unable to connect – sending the game to overtime.

Ashland hit a free throw to take the lead in overtime with 1:53 remaining before Braylon Banks’ three-point play gave the Purples the lead for good 16 seconds later. It was the start of a 9-0 run that pushed the lead out to 76-68 in the final minute. Ashland Blazer were unable to get closer than five the rest of the way.

“We were all just trying to stay composed, stay together and not get shaken up,” Bailey said. “If we stay together and keep our composure, we can keep chipping back at the lead and get back on top.”

Idlett led the way for BG with 26 points. Bailey added 18 points, while Kadyn Carpenter finished with 17 points.

Zander Carter had 33 points to lead the Tomcats. LaLonde added 14 points, while Elijah Neel finished with 10 points.

“We always feel like we can get into some legs late in the game,” Sherrill said. “We had to get into our legs today. I thought they missed a couple of shots that in the first quarter, second quarter would have been (in) – wouldn’t have touched the rim. Then we had to get a couple of rebounds and we mixed it up a little offensively.”

With the win, Bowling Green advances to the state semifinals for the first time since 2017 when the Purples won the state title. To repeat that, BG would have to win two games on Saturday. The semifinal matchup against South Oldham – a 76-75 winner against Jeffersontown on Friday – is scheduled for 10 a.m. CDT with the championship game scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CDT.

“You’ve got five seniors that have played together since they were sixth graders,” Sherrill said. “They’ve won every conference championship they’ve played in. We add Joe (Hurt) in there. He’s been a great addition to our group. Then we have a bunch of young guys that really do a great job of helping us prepare.

“This group right here – nobody picked them. All you media fellows had somebody else up here. That’s fine with us. Don’t pick us. We will keep clawing and fighting and scratching. … You can’t measure heart and they didn’t quit. They haven’t quit.”

BGHS 13 16 23 15 13 – 80

ABHS 21 12 24 10 7 – 74

BG – Idlett 26, Bailey 18, Carpenter 17, Wardlow 9, Banks 8, Hurt 2.

AB – Carter 33, LaLonde 14, Neel 10, Clarke 8, Hoskins 6, Smith 3.

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

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