Dragons scorch Greenwood
Published 11:55 pm Friday, January 31, 2025
Warren Central sophomore Armani Byrd (0) dunks during a double header between Greenwood and Warren Central on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at Greenwood High School. The Lady Gators defeated Warren Central 57-10, while the Dragons downed Greenwood 86-56.
Warren Central junior Dominique Anthony (15) looks to pass while Greenwood senior Garrett Hatcher (5) defends during a double header between Greenwood and Warren Central on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at Greenwood High School. The Lady Gators defeated Warren Central 57-10, while the Dragons downed Greenwood 86-56.
Greenwood senior Asher Pettus (4) puts up a shot while Warren Central junior Dominique Anthony (15) defends during a double header between Greenwood and Warren Central on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at Greenwood High School. The Lady Gators defeated Warren Central 57-10, while the Dragons downed Greenwood 86-56.
Warren Central junior Dominique Anthony (15) puts up a shot during a double header between Greenwood and Warren Central on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at Greenwood High School. The Lady Gators defeated Warren Central 57-10, while the Dragons downed Greenwood 86-56.
Warren Central junior Dominique Anthony (15) reacts during a double header between Greenwood and Warren Central on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at Greenwood High School. The Lady Gators defeated Warren Central 57-10, while the Dragons downed Greenwood 86-56.
Warren Central junior Ryan Hulbert (13) and Greenwood senior Nick Simpson (3) reach for a loose ball during a double header between Greenwood and Warren Central on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at Greenwood High School. The Lady Gators defeated Warren Central 57-10, while the Dragons downed Greenwood 86-56.
Warren Central senior Jayren Byrd (3) and Greenwood senior Nick Simpson (3) reach for a loose ball during a double header between Greenwood and Warren Central on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at Greenwood High School. The Lady Gators defeated Warren Central 57-10, while the Dragons downed Greenwood 86-56.
Greenwood senior Gracyn Nealon (11) puts up a shot during a double header between Greenwood and Warren Central on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at Greenwood High School. The Lady Gators defeated Warren Central 57-10, while the Dragons downed Greenwood 86-56.
Warren Central freshman Mauwa Faustine (4) looks to drive past Greenwood eighth grader Anzlee Hendrix (1) during a double header between Greenwood and Warren Central on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at Greenwood High School. The Lady Gators defeated Warren Central 57-10, while the Dragons downed Greenwood 86-56.
Greenwood junior Ava Morrison (30) looks to pass while Warren Central sophomore Artilla McGinnis-Boyd (23) defends during a double header between Greenwood and Warren Central on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at Greenwood High School. The Lady Gators defeated Warren Central 57-10, while the Dragons downed Greenwood 86-56.
From left: Greenwood senior Savannah White (5) Warren Central freshman Mauwa Faustine (4) Warren Central sophomore Amie Tambadu (14) and Greenwood sophomore Molly Tandy (10) all dive for a loose ball during a double header between Greenwood and Warren Central on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at Greenwood High School. The Lady Gators defeated Warren Central 57-10, while the Dragons downed Greenwood 86-56.
Greenwood sophomore Molly Tandy (10) puts up a shot during a double header between Greenwood and Warren Central on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at Greenwood High School. The Lady Gators defeated Warren Central 57-10, while the Dragons downed Greenwood 86-56.
Greenwood freshman Molly Spidel (15) puts up a shot while Warren Central sophomore Amie Tambadu (14) defends during a double header between Greenwood and Warren Central on Friday, Jan. 31, 2025 at Greenwood High School. The Lady Gators defeated Warren Central 57-10, while the Dragons downed Greenwood 86-56.
The Warren Central boys’ basketball team keeps rolling along, remaining perfect in District 14 play with a convincing 86-56 win at Greenwood on Friday.
Robert McAfee paced an offense that connected on 14 made 3-pointers as Warren Central (17-2 overall, 5-0 District 14) made it a season sweep over the Gators — and eight straight in the series dating back to 2022.
“We had two pretty good days of practice,” WC coach Will Unseld said. “We’ve struggled a little bit the last 10 days or so, which is good. I wanted to see it. I told my coaches that I am glad we are struggling. It means we got a little more to go.
“We had two really good days of practice and are starting to find our footing again, at the right time.”
The first meeting at Warren Central on Jan. 9 was a 10-point game that wasn’t decided until late in the fourth quarter. Friday’s rematch was one-sided, with the Dragons leading wire-to-wire.
Warren Central raced out to a 10-2 lead and extended the advantage to 24-8 after a thunderous dunk from Armani Byrd late in the first quarter.
Greenwood (14-9, 0-5) got the deficit down to 27-16 less than a minute into the second quarter, before a McAfee 3 fueled a 16-2 run that pushed the margin to 43-18.
“We let the game come to us,” McAfee said. “Just being tough, being competitive. We did what we were supposed to do out there.”
The lead was 45-24 at halftime and continued to grow, with the Dragons’ advantage growing to 64-37 late in the third. Greenwood was unable to get closer than 20 the rest of the way.
“They were special,” Greenwood coach Will McCoy said. “They were special tonight from tip to finish — across the board. It was multiple guys. McAfee had two points in the first quarter and I am pretty sure he ended up with a 30-piece. They don’t over dribble. They don’t overthink. The ball finds the right guy at the right time. When they are clicking like that, they are a really scary ball team.”
McAfee finished with 33 points to lead the Dragons. The senior was 8-for-12 from 3.
“When I went 4-for-4 in the first half I was like, ‘My shot is falling. I’m going to keep shooting,’ ” McAfee said.
Byrd had 15 points and seven rebounds, while Jarek Kirk added 11 points and six rebounds. Ryan Hulbert had nine points and a team high 12 rebounds.
“He rebounds the basketball,” Unseld said. “He’s tough. People don’t see how important he is to us. Kind of like how (Izayiah Villafuerte) was because they don’t have many points. The last game we played he had 10 points and 10 assists and had like five or six rebounds with that. Tonight I know he had a bunch of assists and a bunch of rebounds. That’s why we love him. He’s tough.”
Asher Pettus had 23 points to lead the way for the Gators.
WCHS 24 21 19 22 — 86
GHS 13 11 17 15 — 56
WC — McAfee 33, A. Byrd 15, Kirk 11, Ry. Hulbert 9, Johnson 8, Anthony 8, Carter 2.
GHS — Pettus 23, Simpson 9, Reiter 6, Murrell 5, York 5, Tuttle 4, Hatcher 4.
GIRLS
Greenwood 57, Warren Central 10
The Lady Gators built a 44-4 halftime lead and cruised from there, earning their second win in as many nights.
Thirteen Lady Gators broke into the scoring column. Anzlee Hendrix and Kamber Morgan led the way with nine points each. Gracyn Nealon finished with eight points, while Molly Spidel added seven points.
“I thought our first team and second team did the job,” Greenwood coach Terrance Williams said. “As we got deeper into our rotation we kind of saw the letdown — the youth took over — so we want to make sure we finish the way we start. We were able to get them some minutes. We ended the game with a seventh grader, an eighth grader and a couple of sophomores. It was pretty fun for them to be able to get some action.”
Mauwa Faustine had nine points for Warren Central (0-16, 0-5).
WCHS 0 4 5 1 — 10
GHS 18 26 10 3 — 57
WC — Faustine 9, Vitillie 1.
GHS — Hendrix 9, Morgan 9, Nealon 8, Spidel 7, Tandy 6, White 5, Holder 3, Cannon 3, Hunt 2, Cowan 2, Morrison 2, Padgett 1.
About Micheal Compton
I am a sports reporter and movie critic for the Bowling Green Daily News.
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