{"id":10477,"date":"2024-01-23T15:05:34","date_gmt":"2024-01-23T15:05:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/?p=10477"},"modified":"2024-01-23T15:49:07","modified_gmt":"2024-01-23T15:49:07","slug":"at-long-last-after-snow-ice-nti-days-and-two-postponements-warren-central-and-bowling-green-finally-square-off","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/?p=10477","title":{"rendered":"AT LONG LAST …\/After snow, ice, NTI days, and two postponements, Warren Central and Bowling Green finally square off"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
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MASON RITTER (RIGHT) AND THE PURPLES
TOOK WARREN CENTRAL TO THE LIMIT LAST YEAR
IN THE 4th REGION TITLE GAME, FALLING 52-50.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

PURPLES REMAIN RANKED IN STATEWIDE POLLS<\/strong>; DRAGONS HAVE WON FIVE STRAIGHT<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

(Editor’s note:<\/em><\/strong> This is a re-write of last week’s preview of the Warren Central-Bowling Green High School boys basketball game, which was twice postponed last week, including Friday night. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

(The Dragons (6-5 overall, 2-0 in KHSAA 14th District play) will tangle with BGHS (16-4, 2-0) about 25 minutes after the conclusion of the WCHS-Bowling Green girls game, scheduled for a 6 p.m. tip-off at Warren Central.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s been a tough nine or 10 days for boys and girls basketball coaches across the Mid-South, including South Central Kentucky.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About four inches of snow began to fall a week ago Monday, which was the Martin Luther King holiday, and schools remained closed on Tuesday because of the road conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bowling Green High School had to postpone a girls\/boys doubleheader against Barren County at the BGHS Arena, and the Purples\u2019 archrival from crosstown Warren Central High School, the defending KHSAA Sweet 16 boys state champion, hasn\u2019t held classes since last week, although they did have NTI days (Non-Traditional Instruction) on Wednesday and Thursday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They resumed classes in the BGISD \u2014 \u201cour district is just seven square miles,\u201d BGHS coach D.G. Sherrill said \u2014 on Wednesday, but snow and frozen rain was in the forecast for Friday morning, so there\u2019s some uncertainty about the KHSAA 14th District showdown between Warren Central (8-5, 2-0 in the 14th District) and Bowling Green (16-4, 2-0) on Friday night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m just waiting to hear from Coach (Anthony) Hickey, our athletic director,\u201d WCHS coach William Unseld said Thursday night. \u201cI have no clue, really, but we\u2019re going to have to be ready to play. They\u2019re a really good team, ranked in the Top 10.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Icy roads returned on Friday, however, so the girls\/boys doubleheader at Warren Central was postponed a second time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They’ll tip off with the girls game at 6 p.m., followed by the boys game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
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BRAYLON BANKS (RIGHT) AND BGHS
HAVE HAD LITTLE TROUBLE WITH
DISTRICT RIVALS GREENWOOD AND SOUTH WARREN.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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WARREN CENTRAL HAS A BACKLOADED SCHEDULE;
THE DRAGONS ARE 6-5 HEADED INTO TONIGHT’s GAME.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
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WARREN CENTRAL COACH WILLIAM UNSELD
IS INTERVIEWED BY BRIAN DAVIS
OF THE FRANKLIN FAVORITE LAST MONTH.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bowling Green is ranked 11th, statewide, by Maxpreps, and ninth in this week’s Courier-Journal poll. The Purples are ranked 11th in the state by Kentucky Sports Radio, and they’re the No. 1-ranked team, followed by defending state champion Warren Central, in the Daily News’ area poll.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

BGHS coach D.G. Sherrill said the Purples had to roll with the punches after the arctic-like blast hit South Central Kentucky eight days ago.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“We were able to get in some (practice),” Sherrill said via text message Tuesday morning. “But the weather kept us out of the gym for a few days. Nine days between games is not ideal, but it’s something we’re all dealing with, because of the weather.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warren Central coach William Unseld was able to get in some practice time with his team before WCPS schools re-opened eight days after the Martin Luther King national holiday on January 15.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Yes sir, we’re good to go. We practiced all weekend,” Unseld said via text message Tuesday morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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DREW HUDSON AND SOUTH WARREN NEEEDED
AN OT TO SLIP PAST GREENWOOD, 71-62,
ON MONDAY NIGHT AT SOUTH.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
KATY SMILEY AND THE BGHS GIRLS
TAKE A 10-4 RECORD INTO
THIS EVENING’s GAME AT WARREN CENTRAL.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Basketball was finally back in Bowling Green on Monday night, with Greenwood and South Warren making up their girls\/boys doubleheader at South.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Spartans swept the two games, with South’s girls stopping Greenwood 58-49, before Coach Carlos Quarles’ boys squad defeated the Gators 71-62 in overtime.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
DEUCE BAILEY AND THE PURPLES
HAVE WON NINE STRAIGHT GAMES.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
WILLIAM UNSELD’s DRAGONS
HAVE POSTED A 71-10 RECORD
OVER THE LAST 2.5 SEASONS.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bowling Green, ranked ninth in the latest Courier-Journal statewide poll, takes a nine-game winning streak into the game. Warren Central\u2019s girls squad (3-10 overall, 0-2 in the 14th District) will square off with Bowling Green (10-4 overall, 2-0) at 6 p.m., with the boys game to follow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019ve still got a high ceiling, but we\u2019ve got a ways to go,\u201d Sherrill said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Warren Central needed four hard-fought victories over Bowling Green last season, on its way to the Sweet 16 championship and an overall 34-1 record. The Dragons lost the bulk of that squad, which started four seniors \u2014 Chappelle Whitney, Omari Glover, Izayiah Villafuerte and Damarion Walkup \u2014 along with junior swingman Kade Unseld, the son of the WCHS coach.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kade Unseld, who will play next season at Western Kentucky University, missed the Dragons\u2019 first five games after undergoing surgery for a torn meniscus. He\u2019s worked his way back from the injury but is still on a \u201cminutes restriction,\u201d according to William Unseld, and the Dragons have other recent additions in 6-foot-5 senior forward Elijah Starks and guard Robbie Dye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
BGHS COACH D.G. SHERRLL (RIGHT)
AND AREA COACHES HAVE HAD TO ROLL
WITH THE PUNCHES FROM THE WEATHER …<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
SENIOR TRANSFER DREVIN BRATTON HAS BEEN
THE DRAGONS’ SCORING LEADER IN THE EARLY GOING.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to be really good, but we\u2019re playing one of the Top Ten teams in the state,\u201d Unseld said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to play better in the fourth quarter, we\u2019ve got to do a better job of closing out games.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senior swingman Drevin Bratton leads the Dragons in scoring while averaging 17.6 points and eight rebounds per game. Starks has quickly made his mark, however, and he finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds in the Dragons\u2019 69-60 victory over South Warren last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bowling Green nearly knocked off the Dragons in last year\u2019s KHSAA 4th Region championship game, with the Dragons pulling out a 52-50 victory at WKU\u2019s E.A. Diddle Arena. The Purples returned four starters from that team \u2014 senior center Mason Ritter, who\u2019s headed to the Ivy League and Columbia University, senior guard M.J. Wardlow and junior guard Braylon Banks, along with junior point guard Deuce Bailey \u2014 in addition to role players such as Jace Wardlow and Luke Islett while winning 16 of their first 20 games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M.J. Wardlow leads the Purples with 18.8 points per game, while the 6-foot-8 Ritter averages 14.8 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds per game. Bailey, the starting quarterback on the BGHS football squad \u2014 the Purples won a KHSAA Class 5A state title in December \u2014 excels in his role as the team\u2019s point guard, and Bowling Green has plenty of scoring threats on the perimeter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
BGHS CENTER MASON RITTER (No. 4)
IS HEADED FOR THE IVY LEAGUE
AND COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN NEW YORK.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
JAREK KIRK (No. 11) AND THE DRAGONS
STOPPED TAYLOR COUNTY, 52-39,
IN THEIR LAST GAME ON JANUARY 13.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe\u2019re going to be really good, but we\u2019re playing one of the Top Ten teams in the state,\u201d Unseld said. \u201cWe\u2019ve got to play better in the fourth quarter, we\u2019ve got to do a better job of closing out games.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Senior swingman Drevin Bratton leads the Dragons in scoring while averaging 17.6 points and eight rebounds per game. Starks has quickly made his mark, however, and he finished with 17 points and 11 rebounds in the Dragons\u2019 69-60 victory over South Warren last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bowling Green nearly knocked off the Dragons in last year\u2019s KHSAA 4th Region championship game, with the Dragons pulling out a 52-50 victory at WKU\u2019s E.A. Diddle Arena. The Purples returned four starters from that team \u2014 senior center Mason Ritter, who\u2019s headed to the Ivy League and Columbia University, senior guard M.J. Wardlow and junior guard Braylon Banks, along with junior point guard Deuce Bailey \u2014 in addition to role players such as Jace Wardlow and Luke Islett while winning 16 of their first 20 games.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

M.J. Wardlow leads the Purples with 18.8 points per game, while the 6-foot-8 Ritter averages 14.8 points and a team-high 8.2 rebounds per game. Bailey, the starting quarterback on the BGHS football squad \u2014 the Purples won a KHSAA Class 5A state title in December \u2014 excels in his role as the team\u2019s point guard, and Bowling Green has plenty of scoring threats on the perimeter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
JaSIYAH FRANKLIN (RIGHT) AND
THE BGHS GIRLS ARE 10-4 ON THE SEASON.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
WARREN CENTRAL’s KADE UNSELD (RIGHT)
SHOOTS AGAINST BGHS GUARD BRAYLON BANKS
IN LAST YEAR’s 4th REGION TITLE GAME.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKade (Unseld) is one of the four or five best players in the state,\u201d BGHS coach D.G. Sherrill said. \u201cHe\u2019s a deep threat and he\u2019s in his range when he steps off the school bus. They\u2019re big, they\u2019re physical and they\u2019re gonna crash the boards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think the shadow of Warren Central\u2019s last two teams (the Dragons were the Sweet 16 runner-up in 2022) has been tough for them, but they\u2019re very good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI really like the vibe around my team, when we\u2019re all pulling in the same direction. It doesn\u2019t matter if you bring a lot of horses to the barn \u2026 in the end, it\u2019s a basketball game.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
PIPER’s GOT IT MADE
IN THE SHADE, HOMESLICE …<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
I LIKE MY CHANCES OF RETURNING
TO RUPP ARENA FOR THE BOYS AND GIRLS
SWEET 16 TOURNAMENTS IN MARCH.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
\"\"
IT HELPS HAVIN’ A
PHOTOGENIC DOG,
KNOW WHAT I’M SAYIN’ …<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

PURPLES REMAIN RANKED IN STATEWIDE POLLS; DRAGONS HAVE WON FIVE STRAIGHT (Editor’s note: This is a re-write of last week’s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":10492,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[15,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-10477","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-hsbasketball","category-potpourri"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10477","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=10477"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10477\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10511,"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10477\/revisions\/10511"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/10492"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=10477"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=10477"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/jimmashek.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=10477"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}