Jim Mashek

WARREN EAST WINS SEVENTH STRAIGHT; DEA BRADLEY, HART COUNTY SUBDUE GREENWOOD GIRLS, 69-62

The Greenwood High School boys basketball team had penned quite the comeback story.

Trailing former 14th District rival Warren East, at home, by as many as 20 points. On Senior Night. Finding the resolve to make it a competitive game.

And then, suddenly, grabbing a 1-point lead in the final 30 seconds.

Isaiah Andrews and the vastly improved Warren East squad were impressed. Second-year coach Kyle Benge and his squad called a timeout, with 3.6 seconds showing on the clock. Everyone in the Greenwood gym knew the ball was going inside, to Andrews, with the game on the line.

That’s where it went.

“We thought we could get a good shot,” Benge said.

They did.

Andrews, the Raiders’ slender, 6-foot-4 senior, took an inbounds pass from under the Greenwood basket. Warren East’s Caiden Murrell got the ball high enough that only Andrews would come down with it. Andrews turned quickly, in the lane, and got off a six- or eight-foot shot in front of the basket. It bounced off the rim.

Once, twice …

And fell through the net.

The Raiders pulled out the memorable 61-60 victory on Friday night at The Swamp, extending their winning streak to seven games. Warren East has moved from the KHSAA’s 14th District, to the 15th, with Glasgow, Barren County and Allen County-Scottsville, but this was a chance to settle a score. Or two.

“We hadn’t beaten Greenwood since I’ve been here, this senior class,” Andrews said. “They defended that last play pretty well. I was able to spin back to the right, and it went in …”

Andrews scored a game-high 28 points and stayed on the attack, most of the night. Greenwood forward Lofton Howard, whose inside basket had put the Gators in front, 60-59, was one of two defenders who collapsed on Andrews.

It was a devastating defeat for Greenwood, which lost eight seniors from last year’s 24-5 team. The Gators have had some trouble finding their footing this season, but they’ve come up short in one close game after another. They’ll take a 7-16 overall record into Saturday’s non-district home game against Monroe County. Tip-off is scheduled for approximately 3:30 p.m., after the Greenwood girls’ game with Monroe County.

Howard, the Gators’ all-state outside linebacker, is headed for his hometown Western Kentucky University on a football scholarship. He was quick to give Andrews credit, but the Raiders needed a Greenwood turnover to get that last shot off under the Greenwood basket.

“It was hard, taking it on the chin like that,” Howard said. “It was a really good shot … We’ve got to put it behind us.”

Kyle Benge, Warren East’s second-year coach, admitted it was a significant win because of the Raiders’ struggles in the cut-throat KHSAA 14th District. Some of the East players did the “Gator Chomp” on their way off the floor, but Benge was impressed with Greenwood’s ability to get back in the game after trailing by as many as 20 points.

Andrews had 11 points in the first quarter as Warren East built a 22-4 lead. The Gators scrambled back into the game and trailed by just seven points at halftime, but Warren East protected its lead until the game’s final two minutes.

“This game meant something to us tonight,” Benge said. “It was a chance to make a statement. It’s seven wins in a row, and I’m not sure the last time that’s happened at Warren East …”

The Raiders (16-7) play host to KHSAA Third Region powerhouse Owensboro Catholic (23-3) on Saturday night. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.

“We did some kind of silly things in the fourth quarter,” Benge said, “and we could have given up, the way (Greenwood) came back so strong … This win really means something at Warren East.”

Greenwood coach Will McCoy told Don Sergent of the Bowling Green Daily News that the Raiders’ Isaiah Andrews showed his mettle when it counted most. The 6-foot-4 Warren East senior is effective inside as well as on the perimeter.

“Andrews made an insanely tough shot, a contested shot,” McCoy said. “You gotta commend him for making it in that moment.”

Greenwood sophomore forward Asher Pettus, Howard and senior guard Luke Stansbury, son of the WKU head coach Rick Stansbury, fueled the Gators’ gritty comeback bid. Rick and Meo Stansbury were on hand for Senior Night, as well as Lofton Howard’s parents, Gators head football coach William Howard and his wife, Stacy.

“They had a great atmosphere here tonight,” Benge said. “Greenwood is going to be a really good team in the next couple years.”

Pettus led the Gators with 22 points, while Howard and Stansbury added 14 and 13 respectively. Greenwood sophomore Nick Simpson gave the Gators their first lead, converting an East turnover into a layup with about two minutes left in the game. Lofton Howard had two inside baskets, to put Greenwood back in front, before Isaiah Andrews soared into the sky on his game-winning shot as time expired.

“We relaxed a little bit after getting that big lead,” Andrews said.

Andrews had 28 points and the bulk of the game’s highlights material. Freshman guard Kaleb Prince finished with 10 points and East teammate Brendon Bratcher added eight.

Warren East will play host to the KHSAA’s 15th District Tournament and square off with Glasgow High School in the semifinals, with the winner automatically advancing to the 4th Region tourney at WKU’s E.A. Diddle Arena. Greenwood also will have the home-court advantage, for its 14th District Tournament semifinal, but the Gators are paired with crosstown rival Warren Central (23-1), the No. 1-ranked team in the Commonwealth.

HART COUNTY GIRLS 69, GREENWOOD 62

Hart County junior guard Dea Bradley was nothing short of brilliant, scoring 44 points — 16 in the first quarter alone — while leading the Lady Raiders to victory.

Greenwood junior Leia Trinh had another sensational game for the Lady Gators, leading her team with 31 points. Senior forward Kayla Grant, who was honored with her parents between games, finished with 18 points. Grant’s father, Marcus Grant, is an assistant coach on WKU’s staff and has been associated with Rick Stansbury since his playing days at Mississippi State.

Hart County is 12-11 on the season while Greenwood checks in at 13-14. The Lady Gators will square off with crosstown rival South Warren on February 20 in the 14th District semifinals, with the winner automatically advancing to regional play at Diddle Arena.

Bowling Green High School will be the top seed in that tournament.