Warren Central 52 Bowling Green 50 (OT) (4th Region Championship)

[Purple_Reign]

Purples got an open look to win the game in OT with a 3 from Luke Idlett that just bounced off the front of the rim at the horn. Just a phenomenal game in the 4th region. BG has nothing to hang their heads about as they took the wire to wire #1 team in the state to the brink of elimination. Purples return their entire roster next season. Starting lineup of 1 freshman, 2 sophomores, and 2 juniors played their absolute hearts out tonight. Congrats to the Dragons for holding on. Will be massive favorites in Lexington. 

[Purple_Reign]

Replay of the missed 3 that sends the Dragons to Rupp. 

[BIG BLACK JACK]

Purples outplayed the Dragons IMO. Rebounded well, shot it well, just couldn’t get the lead late. 
 

Purples are going to be a PROBLEM for the rest of the state next season. They’ll be battled tested as DG didn’t shy away from tough games this season. Most teams would lose their last two and go into postseason with drained confidence. BG, mostly with huge improvements from Ritter, made a strong postseason showing. 

[Kentucky Windage]

20 minutes ago, Purple_Reign said:

Replay of the missed 3 that sends the Dragons to Rupp. 

FullSizeRender.MOV

Wow! On line, he liked it. Just could clear the front edge. Heartbreak! 

 

Huge fan of KY High School basketball. This is what it's all about! 

[Randy Parker]

I certainly didn't expect this to be that close.  This has to be one of the top 2 or 3 rivalries in Kentucky high school basketball. 

[Purple_Reign]

8 minutes ago, Randy Parker said:

I certainly didn't expect this to be that close.  This has to be one of the top 2 or 3 rivalries in Kentucky high school basketball. 

Central has now tied BG for 4th region championships. 18 a piece. 

[Randy Parker]

2 minutes ago, Purple_Reign said:

Central has now tied BG for 4th region championships. 18 a piece. 

That's awesome. 

[DragonFire]

Cannot say enough about Bowling Green tonight.  They made this a game for the ages, even if neither team was at their sharpest.  I can't put my finger on what they did, but they kept Central from finding their rhythm, and I think when the game was at it's tensest, it was Bowling Green that rose to the occasion.  Central just seemed to play tight the whole game.  And it also seemed to me that they weren't holding the ball at times they needed to, and vice versa.  Bowling Green was clearly making them uncomfortable.  If the Purples had shot better early, they likely cut down the nets.  They didn't find their groove till Idlett hit those two threes in the third, and that seemed to give the Purples a shot in the arm.  They still trailed by as many as 14 in the third, and as many as nine in the fourth, but they just kept chopping away until they tied it on Ritter's and-1.  I thought it was a bit of an odd strategy for them to allow Warren Central to hold for the last shot with so much time to bleed at the end of regulation and overtime, but it almost worked for them.  It's crazy to think that if that shot had gone in Bowling Green would have literally led for zero seconds in the game but come away with the win.  My hat is off to them, and I fully expect them to be legit contenders statewide next year. 

For Warren Central, they never really found their shot during the region tournament, at least not from outside.  They were strong from midrange in the first two games, but it was in the paint where they did most of their damage tonight.  They are probably better for having been pushed in this manner, but they'll need to lock in more at state than they did tonight.  The name of the game is survive and advance, but they'll want to be sharper.  It's really tough to beat a good team four times, and Bowling Green is a good team.  I'm grateful WC got the win.

[Purple88]

As a BG fan in a game like this, I simply want them to leave it on the court.  Most know Warren Central is if not the best team in the state, they are in the handful of teams that are in that conversation.  Losing to your rival 4 times in a season is very difficult, but I saw a team that left it all on the court.  No the last shot didn't fall, but the effort was there to pull off this upset.

I tip my hat to the Dragons.  They are a terrific team this season.  Now go get the Big Trophy!