Coming into this game, I was frankly very, very afraid as a Dragon fan.  Bowling Green has been playing excellent ball, and the Dragons, well, I'd say they were enduring one of the worst stretches of basketball they've had this year.  Central entered 4-3 in their last seven games, and several of those, they looked a bit lost on offense.  They were going to be without starter Armani Byrd, and had a couple of players returning off of injury/illness.  Meanwhile, the Purples had won seven in a row, and in the matter of a week had two offensive outputs that were two of their highest scores in 22 years.  The moment seemed ripe for Bowling Green to snag a win on the road, and put themselves into very good position for the #1 seed in the district.

In the first half, those fears proved well founded.  Neither team played particularly great in the first quarter, but Bowling Green was slightly better, not allowing more than a tie in the quarter, and scored the final six of the opening period to take a 13-7 lead.  Bowling Green kept up the pressure into the second quarter, and that 6-0 run eventually became 10-0 and then 18-4, and the Purples held a 25-11 advantage midway through the third.  A Banks three followed two Dragon free throws to make it 28-13, the largest lead Bowling Green would have in the first half (and equaling their best of the night).  Central cut it to 12, but Luke Idlett came up with a rebound late and dropped in a two as time expired on the first half, and Bowling Green held a 30-16 lead at the half.  Honestly, Bowling Green should have been up more.  They were effective at defending Central's two best scorers - Ant McAfee had only one attempt and zero points, and Jarek Kirk had zero as well.  With Kirk, the first time the teams played, he had rather easily gotten open in the post for layup after layup.  In the first half, Bowling Green managed to push him a bit further from the rim, and he had to settle for some hook shots that weren't dropping.  The Purples press wasn't overwhelming, but was forcing enough turnovers.  But the Purples didn't shoot all that well themselves, despite the lead.  That would ultimately prove to be a big deal.

Central's comeback wasn't immediate.  Their energy level definitely increased, and the press was more aggressive.  Ant McAfee started the scoring by picking off a pass at midcourt and driving for an uncontested dunk for his first points.  Banks answered two possessions later with a three from the wing, equaling their largest lead at 33-18, and it was 35-20 when the game turned.  It began on the defensive end where Wardlow rebounded a miss, and had his putback blocked by McAfee - a play that made the entire Bowing Green bench and crowd very animated and livid that there was no foul called.  Racing back the other direction, McAfee nailed a three to cut it to 12.  A Bowling Green miss was rebounded and flicked to KJ Johnson, who drove the length of the court to lay it in, cutting it to 10.  With the crowd into the game for first time, the Purples called timeout.  Critically, as Deuce Bailey approached the bench, he addressed an official, presumably about that no call (pure speculation, but it sure was something the ref didn't like).  He was hit with a technical, which not only gave Central two free throws to cut it to 8, but they also had possession.  They missed on that trip, and Kadyn Carpenter raced up court, had a great pump fake to have two defenders fly by - and then missed the layup.  KJ Johnson led the fast break and laid it in to cut it to six.  Idlett missed a three from the top of the key, and then McAfee knocked down a three to cut it to three.  Banks missed on the next possession, and McAfee knocked down a quick three and suddenly, almost inexplicably, the game was tied.  It was a 15-0 run, and neither team would lead by more than four again until the final score.  The game was back and forth until Dominique Anthony hit a wide open three that hit the rim, bounced straight up, dropped softly onto the rim, and in, to give Central a 48-45 lead they would not relinquish.  Central hit seven free throws to seal the deal, and finished with an improbably 55-49 win.

For Central, it was a gut check win.  Missing a starter, their stars not scoring in the first half, down big - Central won a game that they really probably shouldn't have.  It came at the end of a trying stretch of difficult games, part of a stretch that will see them play eight games in 12 days - they're on day eight, game five.  Momentum was really moving against them, and I think they needed this.  The #1 seed may or may not be a big deal - we've seen that the 14th District can have anyone compete.  If the #4 ends up being Greenwood, they have really struggled in 2025, but also gave the Dragons all they wanted in a game in early January (not so much the second matchup).  But it is always good to beat your rival and you'll usually take your chances with the top seed.

For Bowling Green, it was more like a punch in the gut.  The memory of last year's region final loss where they let a lead slip away probably remains in their memory.  This was a larger lead than that, and they really had Central looking lifeless.  As the host in the district tournament, probably playing a Greenwood team that, again, is really flagging down the stretch, this win likely would have made them feel incredibly confident about advancing.  Not that they won't be still confident, but upgrading to "incredibly".  It's hard to believe they would have a much better situation than what they were facing going into the second half, but it slipped away.  All that said, they're still playing good basketball, peaking at the right time, and while tonight didn't represent that, they are still a team you expect to make the region final, and that'll be the only one of these matchups that will matter anyway. 

One strange quirk - Bowling Green only had two players score in the second half.  Braylon Banks, and Joseph Hurt were the only Purples to score, in a half that they only scored 19 points. 

 

Go Dragons!

DF, that was a great recap! That read felt like I was in the gym watching the game! 

Is there anyone in the 4th that could prevent these two teams playing in the regional final? 

2 hours ago, The Professor said:

DF, that was a great recap! That read felt like I was in the gym watching the game! 

Right, DF is pretty amazing!!

56 minutes ago, Pi said:

Is there anyone in the 4th that could prevent these two teams playing in the regional final? 

History tells us that it is unlikely.  They've played in the last three finals, six of the last seven, and 11 of the last 15.  Bowling Green hasn't lost a postseason game to a region team other than Warren Central since 2008. 

But, if we were speculating on who might, it is highly likely it would be either one of the teams they face in the 14th District tournament (South Warren or Greenwood), or Clinton County.  With South and Greenwood, we've seen them push each team at least once this year, with South Warren going to double overtime at home with Central, Greenwood having a furious 4th Quarter comeback to test Central early in January, and Greenwood having a similar comeback to test Bowling Green at Greenwood a week before that.  We don't yet know who will be playing whom.  The district tournament is at Bowling Green. The Purples have never lost to South Warren, and they haven't lost at home to Greenwood since 2009.  It would be a significant upset for either.  So ironically, if I were tabbing one team that is more vulnerable there, it would be Central, particularly if they ended up against South Warren.  I don't think either would beat Central, but it's not out of the realm of possibility.

Clinton County is the great unknown.  They're 24-1, but their schedule has been dreadful.  The best team they've beaten according to the Massey Ratings is Russell County, followed by Wayne County and Cumberland County.  None of those teams are particularly great.  The result that actually speaks the highest of them is the loss - they fell in overtime to Hazard, in a game they probably should have won.  So we know they're capable of playing with good teams.  They're likely to coast to a district title, so they'll be at region almost certainly.  Where things get iffy for me is a mix of team composition and history.  Clinton County plays six guys.  I've watched over and over again teams that have short rotations come up against Central and Bowling Green at region and it almost never ends well.  Those teams play fast, speed you up, and wear you down.  Clinton County is 1-14 all-time in region tournament play against teams from the 14th District.  The lone win was over a crippled Greenwood team in 2017 that had its two best players suspended.  That game is the only time in the last nine games between Clinton County and a 14th District representative that the result was in single digits.  Bowling Green has won 12 in a row against 16th District representatives at region, and their loss in 2004 to Monroe County is the only one since 1988.  Warren Central is 14-1 all-time against 16th District representatives at region, with the quasi-miracle loss in 2009 to Russell County the only time they faltered.  In other words, Clinton County has a history of not being able to win against the BG/Warren County teams and Bowling Green/Warren Central have a history of owning that district.

I personally think it is far more likely that someone in the 14th District stops one of them than Clinton County stopping one, and I have zero hope for anyone outside those teams.  Barren County is the best of the rest, and they didn't come close to beating either Bowling Green or Warren Central, and that was at home.

One would think that Clinton County should have scheduled a couple of the Warren County schools, especially this season when they have one of their best teams ever. If for no other reason to just see where they stack up to those traditional powerhouses. 

On 2/8/2025 at 12:40 AM, DragonFire said:

For Bowling Green, it was more like a punch in the gut.  The memory of last year's region final loss where they let a lead slip away probably remains in their memory. 

Yet another.  Would take a big effort to beat Central in the Region Final.  Bowling Green hasn't won one of those in a minute.  Have to wonder what their resolve is to finish the game vs Central.  I hope it improves.

But I will say, when you get up that big that early to a good team its tough to hold the lead especially on the road.