Jim Mashek

WCHS WINS SEVENTH STRAIGHT; BOTH TEAMS PLAY IN SATURDAY’S INVITATIONAL

Chappelle Whitney is Warren Central High School’s primary inside scoring threat.

But the 6-foot-5 senior forward gets a lot of help from his friends.

After a truncated, foul plagued first half, the No. 1-ranked Dragons settled into a defensive groove before pulling away for a methodical 54-39 victory over archrival Bowling Green High School on Friday night.

The KHSAA’s 4th Region is loaded, and BGHS and Warren Central comprise half of the association’s 14th District. Anyone with Sweet Sixteen ambitions in South Central Kentucky will have to go through at least one of these teams, and, in all likelihood, both, to get to Lexington’s Rupp Arena in March.

Whitney scored a game-high 17 points and WCHS teammate Kade Unseld added 14 as the Dragons earned their seventh consecutive victory before a packed house at the BGHS Arena.

“It’s the biggest game in the city, probably,” Whitney said when it was over. “The crowd was firing us up. We probably had too much energy in the first half … There was some talking out there. We had to settle in, we know they’re a real good team.

“It’s hard to win here.”

Warren Central won on Bowling Green’s home floor for the first time since 2018. The Purples, ranked ninth statewide by MaxPreps, stayed within striking distance through most of the first three quarters. But Warren Central’s Damarion Walkup opened the fourth quarter with a put-back, extending the Dragons’ lead to 46-30, and they never looked back.

“It really was an ‘effort game,'” WCHS senior point guard Izaiyah Villafuerte said.

Bowling Green dropped to 15-4 overall and 2-1 in KHSAA 14th District play. The Purples will face Pope John Paul II, a private school in Hendersonville, Tennessee, in the Toyota of Bowling Green Classic on Saturday afternoon at Greenwood High School.

Tip-off is scheduled for noon.

“We grew up some tonight, but we didn’t grow up enough,” BGHS coach D.G. Sherrill said.

Sherrill has to remind himself that the Purples don’t have a single senior on their roster, and that’s one of the Dragons’ many strengths. Veteran WCHS coach William Unseld rotates seven seniors in and out of his lineup, along with 6-foot-5 swingman Kade Unseld, his son and the Dragons’ junior sharpshooter.

Warren Central has the kind of experience to dominate in March.

“We took some satisfaction in that we could play with them, physically,” Sherrill said. “We just have to rebound better …

“With Warren Central, once you get past one defender, you’re usually gonna have two waiting for you. They’re very good, but we know we’re going to be playing them again.”

In fact, in case you’re wondering, the rematch is scheduled for Friday, February 3, on the Dragons’ home court. Warren Central and Bowling Green played four times last season, with the Dragons winning three of those games, including the 14th District and 4th Region title tilts.

Warren Central then won its first three games at the KHSAA’s Sweet Sixteen before falling 43-42 to George Rogers Clark High School in the championship game.

With all that talent returning for the 2022-23 season, the Dragons’ William Unseld tried to put a challenging schedule together for this team. Warren Central has played at home once, in its first 17 games, and you’ll see WCHS students sporting navy blue T-shirts with “Road Warriors” emblazoned on the front.

Warren Central will make the short trip across the city to tangle with Lebanon (Tennessee) High School in the Toyota of Bowling Green Classic on Saturday. Tip-off for that game is scheduled for 4 p.m. at Greenwood High School.

“I think our guys got caught up in the moment, early on in the game,” William Unseld said. “It’s a rivalry game, on the road. Lots of fouls, lots of theatrics in the first half … In the second half, we moved our feet better. Played defense.

“That’s all.”

That’s usually all it takes for the Dragons, who lost just two players from last year’s Sweet Sixteen runner-up, shooting guard Jaiden Lawrence and backup forward Dalton Farley. Chappelle Whitney and Kade Unseld have emerged as Warren Central’s leading scorers this season, but the Dragons can also unleash the likes of Damarion Walkup, Omari Glover and steady point guard Iziyah Villafeurte, who picked up his third foul with 2:34 left in the first quarter.

Bowling Green’s Deuce Bailey converted a loose ball into a layup to open the second quarter, and suddenly the Purples trailed by just 17-13 on their home floor.

The packed arena came to life.

Bowling Green was within striking distance for the rest of the first half, and Warren Central took a 24-18 lead into the locker room after Glover found Whitney for a layup before the break.

“We still have a lot of things to work on,” Glover said. “Coach (Unseld) got on us a little bit, at halftime, and we moved the ball better in the second half.”

Villafeurte’s presence certainly helped.

“We had to get through the first half without Iziyah for 10 minutes,” WCHS coach William Unseld said. “He’s the conductor for this train.”

It’s a formidable train, indeed, but the Purples understand what they’re up against.

“I think all the early whistles Mason (Ritter) out of his game,” BGHS coach D.G. Sherrill said. “This is a young team, but we have a very high ceiling. We have to rebound at both ends of the floor, and keep our bigs (Ritter, Elijah Starks and Gavin Lightning) engaged.”

BGHS sophomore guard Deuce Bailey, who guided the Purples’ football team to a KHSAA Class 5A state runner-up finish just five weeks ago, led his team with 10 points. Junior guard M.J. Wardlaw had nine points and Ritter finished with eight.

“We’ve got to get better, defensively, but I think we’re in a good spot right now,” Bailey said.

Warren Central’s Chappelle Whitney was able to draw the 6-foot-8 Ritter away from the basket on occasion, and his quickness to the basket proved to be a critical factor.

“Chappelle had the mismatch (with BGHS junior center Mason Ritter) and he took advantage of that,” William Unseld said. “We’re going to have a mismatch, somewhere, every night.”

Warren Central wll play its second home game of the season on Tuesday night, when a vastly improved South Warren squad (14-2 overall, 1-1 in 14th District play) travels to the Dragons’ lair. Bowling Green’s next district game takes place next Friday, at home, against Greenwood (5-13, 0-3).

“As ugly as it was (Friday night), in the first half, we were able to withstand that,” William Unseld said. “We didn’t shoot well, but we guarded … We just have to play to our level, every night, dial in on defense.”

BOWLING GREEN GIRLS 62, WARREN CENTRAL 15

The Lady Purples have one of the KHSAA 4th Region’s rising stars in junior guard Ryleigh Campbell.

Campbell hit several 3-pointers from the baseline and helped Bowling Green take care of business with little trouble on Friday night.

“Ryleigh was lightin’ that thing up tonight,” BGHS senior center Meadow Tisdale said. “She’s playing with a lot more confidence this season.”

Bowling Green earned its fourth consecutive victory, improving to 12-5 overall and 3-0 in 14th District play. The Lady Purples led 35-10 at halftime, before CWe gave our girls some defensive goals for this game, and they came through on that,” Head said. “Ryleigh is shooting every day, after practice. That’s a huge positive, moving forward.”

Campbell had the hot hand in the third quarter.

“I kind of felt it, in the third quarter,” Campbell said. “I think I just had more confidence, shooting the ball.”

Veteran BGHS coach Calvin Head emptied his bench in the fourth quarter. Tisdale and fellow BGHS senior Saniyah Shelton, who have signed with Northern Kentucky University and Eastern Kentucky University, respectively, had just 10 points between them in the blowout victory.

“Every night, it could be somebody different,” Head said. “Meadow and Saniyah understand that. We gave our girls some defensive goals for this game, and they came through on that.

“Ryleigh is shooting every day, after practice. That’s a huge positive, moving forward.”

Tanaya Bailey led the Lady Purples with 18 points, while Campbell finished with 16.

Bowling Green is on the road on Saturday, to face KHSAA 3rd District powerhouse Henderson County (11-3 overall). Tip-off for that game is at 1:30 p.m.

Warren Central (3-16, 0-3 in 14th District play) was led by Aida Akhmedova’s eight points. The Lady Dragons take the short trip across town to face South Warren (8-10, 2-1) next Friday.