Warren Central Achieves Third Consecutive Victory at 4th Region Championship

Golden trophy celebration scene

Warren Central Achieves Third Consecutive Victory at 4th Region Championship

Bowling Green, KY. – In an extraordinary triumph for the third year running, Warren Central Dragons have emerged victorious at the Boys 4th Region Championship, beating Bowling Green 64-57 in a nail-biting overtime encounter.

Head Coach of Warren Central, Will Unseld, voiced his pride in his team’s achievement. He said, “I told the kids before the game if we win this one, it’d be the biggest one we’ve won… They trusted me. They believed in me. They followed the game plan and we came out winning”.

Emblem of Success: Warren Central’s Victory Roll

This win marks Warren Central’s third straight regional championship, and its sixth regional title in the past seven years. This success showcases the team’s consistency and determination to maintain their status as top contenders.

Spearheading the Dragons’ victory, Senior Kade Unseld made a spectacular performance on the court, bagging 26 points, seven rebounds, two steals, and creating a flawless 6-6 record from the stripe. He also succeeded in 6-7 attempts from behind the arc.

Drevin Bratton deserves acclaim too, contributing a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Teammates Elijah Howard and Elijah Starks also played their part effectively, contributing nine and eight points, respectively.

Defeated but not Decimated: Bowling Green’s Attempt

The Purples put up a sturdy fight with Jace and MJ Wardlow leading the Bowling Green team on the scoreboard with 14 points each. Mason Ritter also contributed 13 points while leading his team with five rebounds. Deuce Bailey managed to score nine points and gained four steals.

The match began with both teams trading buckets. However, Bowling Green managed to pull ahead by seven points at the end of the first quarter, thanks to a series of costly turnovers by the Dragons.

Twists and Turns: Eventful Match Play

The Purples extended their lead late in the second quarter. However, at the verge of halftime, Central’s Cadin Hammer scored a crucial three-pointer, narrowing the gap to 31-26.

The second half saw Bowling Green’s defense holding strong, despite Warren Central reducing the deficit to a single possession game midway through the quarter. The Purples thereafter started pulling away once again, leading 45-37 going into the final frame.

However, an electrifying three-pointer by Kade Unseld and a couple of free throws by Elijah Howard narrowed the deficit to three points. A game-tying layup by Drevin Bratton heightened the tension, leading to overtime tied at 48-48.

The Final Showdown: An Epic Overtime

wIn the overtime, Bowling Green scored the first points from the field. However, Kade Unseld replied with a three-pointer that regained the lead for the Dragons. The Dragons exhibited firm control over the game thereon, eventually emerging victorious with a 64-57 triumph, despite leading for just four minutes of the entire match.

Warren Central’s head coach Will Unseld expressed immense pride in his team’s tenacity, especially praising his son Kade who was declared the player of the game. “He said it the whole day, ‘This is not it for me. Dad, this is not it…We got to overtime and he said, ‘Imma win it’. Then he did,” said the proud father and coach.

What’s Next? Into the Sweet 16

Fueled with this impressive victory, the Dragons have earned their ticket into the KHSAA Sweet 16 State Tournament. They will be up against the winner of the 13th Region Tournament, Harlan County, on Thursday, Mar. 21 at 11 a.m. ET.