Warren Central High School graduate Donovan Halsel (WCHS Class of 2012) hit four 3-pointers and scored 14 points to help East Central University’s men’s basketball team beat Arkansas Tech 81-73 Thursday in the Great American Conference Championship Tournament semifinals.

Halsel was 4 of 5 from beyond the 3-point arc for the second-seeded Tigers. He also added two assists and a rebound in the victory.

East Central (22-7) will next face No. 3 seed Ouachita Baptist in Saturday’s semifinal round at Bruin Fieldhouse in Bartlesville, Okla.

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Eastern Kentucky ended Austin Peay’s season with an 82-68 victory in the first round of the Ohio Valley Conference Women’s Basketball Tournament on Thursday at Municipal Auditorium in Nashville.

Sydney Gooch (Franklin-Simpson Class of 2014) finished with six points and six rebounds. The 5-10 sophomore forward/center also had three assists.

Sophomore guard Madison Rich (Edmonson County Class of 2014) added four points and two steals for the Governors, who finished the season with an overall mark of 10-20.

– Jeff Nations