The Greenwood boys’ basketball team entered Friday’s game at District 14 rival South Warren in control of its destiny.

A win and Greenwood would be no worse than a three seed in the District 14 Tournament – bypassing the play-in game between the fourth- and fifth-place teams in the district, thus avoiding the task of having to win two games in the district tournament to get to the Region 4 Tournament.

A loss and it would be the Spartans who would have the upper hand in the race for a top-three seed.

Greenwood stayed the course, overcoming a career night from South Warren’s Jace Carver to survive a 71-69 thriller over the Spartans.

Carver nearly carried South Warren back from a 19-point deficit, but the Gators held on late to seal the win and clinch at least a top-three seed.

“It’s a great feeling (to secure a top-three seed),” Greenwood senior guard Jack Roberts said. “It’s the same thing we had two years ago when it was me and Dawson Crump and Alex Fee and all of them. It’s good to know you have to play one game (to get to the region tournament). You never know what is going to happen, so there is a good possibility that we could go to region.”

Greenwood (11-11 overall, 4-3 District 14) came roaring out of the gates – shooting 62.5 percent in the first half to build a 42-26 halftime cushion.

The Gators stayed hot to start the third, stretching the lead to 49-31 after two free throws by Cade Stinnett with 4:50 remaining in the third period.

The margin was 58-42 late in the third when Carver tried to lead a South Warren comeback – with a 3-pointer and a layup to cap a 10-0 run that trimmed the deficit down to six.

The Gators scored five straight to extend the margin back to 11, but the Spartans answered again – with Carver adding eight more points during a 13-3 run that made the score 66-65 with 1:21 left.

Carver, who finished with a game-high 35 points – including 8-for-10 from 3-point range – wouldn’t score again and the comeback bid ended there with Greenwood hitting five of six free throws in the final 46 seconds to seal the victory.

“We switched our defense a bit down the stretch because Carver was killing us,” Bob Pels said. “He was shooting from way out and he didn’t miss many. We switched up on defense and that was our key point, ‘The guy has hit us for 35, so maybe we should do something.’ We have about three or four variations of what we do and we used one of those variations to slow him down.”

Roberts led the Gators with 20 points. Ben Carroll had 16 points, while Noah Stansbury added 14 and Stinnett finished with 11.

Tyler Martin added 14 points for South Warren (9-14, 2-5), while Caden Veltkamp added 11 points.

With the loss, the Spartans are guaranteed the four seed in the District 14 Tournament and will face five seed Warren East in the opening-round game.

“It’s basically set for us,” South Warren coach Blane Embry said. “We’ve dug ourselves a hole all year long. We just don’t understand how you have to compete for 32 minutes. We will always have that little lull in there and tonight we came out that way.”

South Warren will host Warren East in a preview of that tournament game at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Greenwood will face Owensboro Catholic in the opening game of the Wes Strader Schoolboy Classic on Saturday at noon at Warren Central High School.

GHS 23 19 16 13 – 71

SWHS 15 11 21 22 – 69

GHS – Roberts 20, Carroll 16, N. Stansbury 14, Stinnett 11, Williams 9, Loggins 1.

SW – Carver 35, Martin 14, Veltkamp 11, Stobaugh 5, Hill 2, Spurrier 2.

South Warren 61, Greenwood 53, girls

The Spartans raced out to a 20-point lead, but had to hold off a second-half rally by the Lady Gators to secure the district win.

South Warren (13-9 overall, 6-1 District 14) shot 50 percent in the first half, racing out to a 36-19 halftime lead.

The margin grew to 45-25 after two Hallie Parrish free throws midway through the third and was still 16 early in the fourth when Greenwood (10-12, 2-5) started to chip away.

The Lady Gators went on a 13-1 run to get as close as 52-48 with 3:41 left, but couldn’t get any closer.

“I think Greenwood really fought there late,” South Warren coach Lane Embry said. “They didn’t lay down at all and I totally credit them.

“To get a district win is always good, but there are things you can learn from it.”

Brooke Stevenson had 20 points to lead the Spartans. Natalie Pierce added 15 points and Taylor Enlow finished with 11 points.

Carly Miller led Greenwood with 23 points and 15 rebounds, while Jacqueline Jackson added 21 points.

“We showed some good resiliency and showed some fight at the end,” Greenwood coach Zach Simpson said. “We just can’t wait until the second half to start playing. That was our message in postgame. We know we can play. They know they can go out there and compete. We have to have the mentality that they can go out there and do it for 32 minutes, do the little things. The little things are what are hurting us right now.”

South Warren will host Warren East at 6 p.m. Tuesday. A win will guarantee the Spartans at least a share of the District 14 regular-season title.

Greenwood hosts Logan County at 6 p.m. Tuesday.

GHS 10 9 13 21 – 53

SWHS 19 17 12 13 – 61

GHS – Miller 23, Jackson 21, Une 6, Gordon 3.

SW – Stevenson 20, Pierce 15, Enlow 11, Parrish 5, Bush 4, Button 4, Weaver 2.{&end}