A three-minute stretch was the difference for the Bowling Green boys’ basketball team, which fell 64-54 to Ensworth (Tenn.) in the Rafferty’s South Warren Shootout at South Warren High School on Saturday.

Facing an Ensworth team out of Nashville that was one of the top teams in the state of Tennessee, Bowling Green (3-2) played even until early in the third quarter, when the Tigers were able to pull away to secure the victory.

“They are a really good basketball team,” Bowling Green coach Derrick Clubb said. “I thought we fought hard and battled. I think we were even with them on the glass, but there for a while they made more shots than we did.”

Bowling Green was locked in a tight battle for the first 18 minutes before the Tigers were able to seize the momentum and take control.

The first half featured five lead changes, with no lead larger than four points. Ensworth went into the locker room with momentum, scoring the final six points to hold a 32-28 advantage.

Jarius Key scored the first four points in the third quarter to tie the score. The teams then traded baskets before the Tigers surged ahead for good with a 13-0 run to stretch the margin to 47-34.

“We kind of let up for two or three minutes,” Key said. “Coach called a timeout and put some people in there that were going play hard. That’s what we tried to do – play hard and finish the game.”

That run was too much to overcome, despite a solid effort in the final 10 minutes by Bowling Green.

Ensworth stretched the lead to as many as 16 points in the fourth quarter, with the Purples unable to get closer than nine the rest of the way.

“I couldn’t have been more proud of them because it could have easily gotten to 25, but we kept playing hard,” Clubb said. “We kept competing hard and that is what you have to do. In December you have to play good teams and you have to learn how to compete. When things aren’t going well, you have to fight and that’s what we did tonight.”

Key led the Purples with 31 points and 12 rebounds. Trevor Dennis added 10 points for Bowling Green. The Purples shot 44.4 percent from the field and outrebounded Ensworth 33-29, but were plagued by 26 turnovers.

Warren Zager led Ensworth with 31 points.

Bowling Green returns to action at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, opening District 14 play at Greenwood.

EHS 16 16 22 10 – 64

BGHS 18 10 12 14 – 54

EHS – Zager 31, Lawrence 10, Wynn 10, Collier 6, Calloway 5, Lanier 2.

BG –Key 31, Dennis 10, Mason 5, Gray 3, Dice 3, Buchanan 2.