Warren Central 56 Bowling Green 52 (4th Region Finals)

[Randy Parker]

Final per Bowling Green Preps.

[PurplePride92]

I can’t lie. I’m really happy for the Dragons! Good luck at Rupp!!!!!

[Metcalfe2010]

Heck of a game. Both teams will return a ton next season too. Very happy for Central! Best of luck in Rupp!!

[DragonFire]

I felt like Central's seniors were the difference in the game. Bowling Green has talent for days, but they are extremely youth oriented. This bodes well for their future, but they have only two seniors and one junior who play. Senior Kolbe Gray did all he could, dropping in a game-high 21 points. I don't think I've ever seen him score so much. He tried to put the team on his back. But Central go performances like 7 points out of Tre Pillow, an unexpected senior source. Jamale Barber hit a big three in the fourth. Tayshaun Bibb hit some big free throws to seal the game. These were guys who were veterans from last year's run that made some big plays in moments where Central needed it. That's to not even touch on Dre Boyd who almost had a triple double with 16 points, 13 rebounds, and 7 assists. He was a man on the glass, and helped the Dragons win the boards when they had really struggled with that previously against Bowling Green. Kobe Brents chipped in 12, going 3/7 from three. Those are all upperclassmen, and I think when the chips were down, that experience counted a great deal.

 

The game itself was very back and forth. Like last year, Bowling Green got the early jump. It was 8-8 early, then they scored 7 straight to get some distance, and led 19-12 after one. Central couldn't chip away early, and Bowling Green took their largest lead of the night at 25-16, about 3 minutes into the second - all six points came from Gray in that quarter. They would not score again in the half and Central tied it at 25 all after 9 straight. They extended that to an 11-0 run to take the lead when the third began, and they trailed only for 21 seconds in the quarter, leading 42-40 going into the fourth. Central would never trail again, though it would be tied twice in the fourth. Bowling Green turned up the pressure in the quarter, but it was Jamale Barber's three about midway through - the only three attempted by Central in the quarter - that gave them the lead for good. They still had to weather a couple of tense moments late. With a four point lead after two Tegra Muleka free throws, Gray knocked down a three from the wing to draw it to 53-52, with less than 30 seconds remaining. Kobe Brents split 1 of 2 free throws to make it 54-52, and Turner Buttry had a deep look from three for the lead that didn't go. Bibb got the rebound, knocked down two free throws with less than five seconds remaining, and that was that.

 

It's the second straight year that Central lost the district but won the region against Bowling Green. As a Dragon fan, I'm not thrilled Bowling Green has won six straight district titles, but the region titles in the last two do ease the pain. Both of these teams are loaded up for repeat engagements next season. As mentioned, Bowling Green only graduates two. Their underclassmen are extremely good. Two years from now they will be legit state contenders. I probably lean their way for #1 next year today.

[Shadow_son4th]

Took Warren Central a majority of the year to get their 7 transfers on the same page, but they got it done when they needed too most. Look for them to add a few more pieces this offseason again to make another run.

[BIG BLACK JACK]

Took Warren Central a majority of the year to get their 7 transfers on the same page, but they got it done when they needed too most. Look for them to add a few more pieces this offseason again to make another run.

 

Your narrative sounds awful familiar to a twitter account that can’t let go of the transfers when any local media outlet mentions WC 🤔

[Shadow_son4th]

Your narrative sounds awful familiar to a twitter account that can’t let go of the transfers when any local media outlet mentions WC

 

I don’t have a twitter account so that isn’t me. Wasn’t taking anything away from WC because they played a great game. There’s even an article in the paper today talking about how it took them a while to get the 7 transfers to gel. Not sure how you can confuse “narrative” with a factual statement.

[4 Quarters]

Took Warren Central a majority of the year to get their 7 transfers on the same page, but they got it done when they needed too most. Look for them to add a few more pieces this offseason again to make another run.

 

SEVEN!

[Big Smooth]

That shot with 8.9 seconds on the clock thou!!!!!!

[DragonFire]

That shot with 8.9 seconds on the clock thou!!!!!!

 

Coach Clubb admitted in his postgame interview that he regretted not having a timeout to set something up. I don't think it's that they don't have confidence in Buttry to make that shot. He's a 46% three point shooter, and it's not like he missed it badly - he front rimmed it. But there is no doubt in my mind that they would have preferred to play for overtime, going inside which is their bread and butter. And I'm sure they'd have liked Gray (senior and game's leading scorer) or Mason (team's leading scorer on the season) to have gotten a touch. Gray had not 20 seconds before knocked down a three pointer from the wing to get the team within one and put pressure back on the Dragons. No one would have remembered it being not necessarily the best choice had it gone, but it was an unfortunate shot decision for BG.