Warren Central 62 Greenwood 52

[DragonFire]

  

On 1/6/2025 at 9:29 AM, Purple88 said:

Warren Central looks really tough now and can anyone other than Bowling Green stand a chance vs them?  Honest question.

I said that we'd know more after this game - the answer is yes! 

Greenwood jumped out to an early 5-2 lead, but nothing went right for them the rest of the quarter.  They allowed the Dragons to dictate the game, and a 22-4 run put them behind, and they'd never fully climb the mountain.  But similar to how Greenwood played with Bowling Green, they never quite allowed Central to land a knockout, though it felt like they had at times.  Greenwood trailed by as many as 17, and indeed trailed by that many early in the 4th, at 52-35.  But the Gators had dictated the style of play for the middle quarters, and in the 4th, they struck.  They went on a 16-2 run, including scoring 11 straight to close it, drawing within 54-51 with 1:35 left.  But the Dragons were finally equal to the task, scoring on the ensuing possession, and holding off the Gators for a ten point home win. 

I think this is beneficial to Central, who frankly needed to get pushed to reveal their needs, but they also definitely needed to win this game, as you must defend your homecourt inside the 14th District.  The Dragons really struggled with pressure late, and it reminds you just how many younger/inexperienced pieces they put on the floor.  They also had a bit of a dud game from three point land, the first one of the season.  As for Greenwood, the game really highlights their resiliency, and they never feel really out of games.  They match up well with Central, maybe better than any team in the region.  They apply strong pressure on both sides of the floor, and they can shoot the three as well as anyone.  I think they are definitely #3 in the region, but they are a clear and present danger to the teams ahead of them.

[TheBarber]

I was really surprised that Greenwood was able to battle back. Just as a lot of teams do against Central length and pressure, they got rattle there, but hung in there. Coach McCoy was really upset with the officiating in his post game interview. I get it, but playing against Central’s pressure and officiating a game against Central’s pressure is hard. They probably do a foul lot, and just dare the refs to call them. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not blaming the officials. That’s hard to do.

I’m just proud of Greenwood for hanging in there and battling back against a very, very good team. To me they are one of the top 10 in the state.