The Bowling Green boys’ basketball team did its part to stake a claim as the top team in District 14 with a 54-43 win over Warren East on Friday at Bowling Green High School.

Bowling Green (18-9 overall, 7-1 District 14) shot 36.5 percent from the field but used a huge advantage on the glass to pull through and finish tied with Warren Central for a share of the District 14 regular-season title.

The Purples outrebounded Warren East 48-22, which included 27 offensive rebounds.

“I’m proud of our kids because I think they kept battling tonight,” Bowling Green coach Derrick Clubb said. “When the shots aren’t going you have to go get other opportunities, so 27 offensive rebounds – that’s big for us.”

Bowling Green entered the night with a 47-game win streak against the Raiders, including an 81-57 win at Warren East on Jan. 19, but needed a strong second half to keep the streak alive.

Warren East (14-11, 3-5) controlled the pace in the first half and used a late push to go into the locker room with the lead.

Bowling Green started hot with six straight from Jarius Key, but Warren East scored the final seven points in the first quarter to push in front 10-9.

The Purples regained the edge, leading 18-14 after a shot from Key, before another strong close by the Raiders. Warren East scored five points in 14 seconds – a 3-pointer from Tashawn Neal and a steal and layup by Thomas Maxey to make the score 21-18 Warren East at the half.

Maxey scored the opening bucket in the second half before Bowling Green turned up the defensive pressure and started to get the game at its pace. A 9-2 spurt gave the Purples the lead. Neal tied the game at 27, but a steal and layup from Ziyon Kenner and a putback by Justice Dingle sparked a 7-1 run that gave the Purples a 34-28 advantage.

The Raiders got the deficit down to one on a 3 from Neal, bur Kenner answered with a 3 at the horn that made the score 39-35 at the end of the third quarter.

Warren East was still within 43-40 with 5:04 left, before the Purples closed with an 11-3 run to put the game away.

“If anything we are walking out of here tonight with a whole lot more respect than when we walked in,” Warren East coach Brandon Combs said. “We told our kids at halftime that if we could keep our composure in the third quarter we would give ourselves an opportunity to win. The third quarter it kind of got away from us.

“The thing when you play your Warren Centrals and Bowling Greens, you can have turnovers but they need to be dead ball turnovers. We had two or three live turnovers in a row. We also had some empty trips in the fourth quarter when it was a one- or two-possession game. You can’t have those either.”

Key led the Purples with 18 points and 17 rebounds, while Kenner added 13 points.

“Coach told us before the game to go win and go get first place in the district,” Key said. “About the middle of (the) third quarter when our shots weren’t falling (coach) told us to keep rebounding. That’s what we did. We had to grind out the win. We just had to do what we had to do to get the win.”

Maxey led the Raiders with 13 points, while Neal finished with 12 points.

Warren East is locked in as the three seed in the District 14 Tournament, which begins Feb. 19 at Greenwood.

The Raiders will face either Bowling Green or Warren Central, who will draw for the one and two seeds at Saturday’s District 14 Tournament meeting at Greenwood High School.

“We are excited to get a share of the one seed,” Clubb said. “I’m really proud of the guys for achieving that accomplishment, but once the district tournament starts everybody is 0-0. The team that comes in focused and ready to compete for 32 minutes will probably come out on the winning end.”

Bowling Green returns to action at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday playing at Russellville. Warren East will play at Todd County Central at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.

WEHS 10 11 14 8 – 43

BGHS 9 9 21 15 – 54

WE – Maxey 13, Neal 12, Barber 9, Whitney 5, Wallace 3, Perdue 1.

BG – Key 18, Kenner 13, Dice 8, Mason 5, Wardlow 4, Dennis 3, Dingle 2, Gray 1.

Girls

Bowling Green 56, Warren East 52

The Lady Purples rallied from a nine-point, fourth-quarter deficit to beat the Lady Raiders in a preview of the upcoming District 14 tournament.

“We were able to grit our teeth and grind it out,” BG coach Calvin Head said. “Our press started being a little more active and we played with a little more energy. I was very proud of our fight and our effort. We could have easily gave up. I’m very proud of their fight.”

Warren East was looking to snap a 21-game losing streak against the Lady Purples and appeared to be in control heading into the fourth period.

The Lady Raiders took a 17-15 lead on a bucket from Lucy Patterson midway through the second period and pushed the advantage to 25-17 after a 3 from Patterson with 2:53 left in the half.

Bowling Green (16-9 overall, 6-2 District 14) trimmed the deficit to 27-23 by halftime and pulled within 33-31 on a drive to the basket by T’Alla Brown midway through the third period.

Warren East (16-12, 4-4) was able to get the lead back to seven by the end of the third, and held a 47-38 advantage after two Olivia Price free throws with 7:12 remaining, before Bowling Green roared back with a 14-2 run to take the lead for good.

Warren East got within 52-51 on a jumper by Price with 1:49 left, but Keyozdon Jones answered with a 3 at the top of the key to make the score 55-51 and essentially end the Lady Raiders’ comeback bid.

“It felt really good (to step up late),” Jones said. “I was kind of off in the first half so it was exciting to step up for my team.”

Keely Morrow led Bowling Green with 21 points and seven rebounds. Brown added 14 points and eight rebounds and Jones finished with 13 points.

Cressida Duncan led Warren East with 22 points and 14 rebounds, while Price added 10 points. The Lady Raiders shot 45.7 percent, but committed 24 turnovers.

“It come down to the end,” Warren East coach Orlando Hayden said. “We had a lot of turnovers we shouldn’t have had, but at the same time I told the officials, ‘Some of those calls, you’ve got to call them.’ I don’t care if she is off balance or what, call the walk. If you call the walk then I can set my defense up and play instead of having to set up in transition.

“I told the girls that we can’t let the officials dictate the game for us and it all comes down to taking care of the ball.”

The two teams will meet again in the District 14 Tournament at Greenwood, which begins Feb. 19.

Hayden said his team will be ready for that matchup and has a lot to build off of despite Friday’s loss.

“The first few times we played them we just kind of played them and it really didn’t mean much to the girls,” Hayden said. “I think this one meant a little more to them. You could tell in the locker room. I think they know this is their opportunity to get out (and advance to the Region 4 tournament). I’ve got three seniors that want to get out. They are going to play as hard as they can the next time we play.”

Warren East will play at Franklin-Simpson at 6 p.m. Tuesday, while Bowling Green plays Graves County in the Murray Bank Lady Tiger Classic at 4:15 p.m. Saturday.

WEHS 10 17 16 9 – 52

BGHS 13 10 13 20 – 56

WE – Duncan 22, Price 10, Patterson 9, Howard 9, Forrester 2.

BG – Morrow 21, Brown 14, Jones 13, K. Gray 6, Owens 2.{&end}