Kentucky high school boys' basketball tournament rundown: 4th Region first-round

March is here, which means it’s tournament time. You hear the term “Road to Rupp” a lot throughout the season. Now, the time has come when teams are put to the ultimate test of longevity in order to survive and advance.

The 4th Region encompasses teams in the south-central area of Kentucky, including reigning state champions Warren Central along with No. 7 ranked Bowling Green.

The first round, held at Western Kentucky University, featured a Cumberland County victory over Barren County in a 54-50 nail-biter, accompanied by Bowling Green breezing past Russellville in a dominant 85-62 win on Tuesday, followed by two more games on Wednesday. Let’s break down some of the action from earlier this week with a look ahead to next week’s semifinals.

Cumberland County 54, Barren County 50

Cumberland County and Barren County proved to be a well-matched game. Both teams remained composed through multiple lead changes and momentum shifts. Cumberland County fed their forwards all night, which proved successful, as sophomore Braden Perdue led the way with 20 points and junior Zachery Harwood closely followed with 17.

The first half was a chess match between the teams. After getting acclimated to one another, Cumberland found their groove in feeding Harwood under the basket, drawing quick points and offensive boards.

Tate Spillman carried the Trojans offensively throughout the first half, moving around the Panthers’ defense to open up opportunities for himself and his team to score. The first half closed with Cumberland just ahead at 22-20.

Second Half

Barren County came out of the locker room with a newfound urgency. Scoring 18 points total and shooting 58.3% from the field, the Trojans offense took advantage of their momentum to push past the Panthers and take the lead at 38-34 to end the third.

Cumberland wasn’t going out that easy, though. The Trojans tallied 20 points total in the fourth quarter alone, shooting 75% from the field thanks to guys like Perdue and Harwood.

At 50-47 with the Panthers ahead, Barren County fouled Perdue with 30 seconds remaining, allowing the Panthers to go up 52-47. Another foul extended Cumberland County’s lead to 54-47, and a last-minute three by Barren County allowed the game to finish 54-50.

Cumberland County finishes on top 54-50!! pic.twitter.com/rPB0R3Lzmd
— Piper McCoun (@PiperMcCounKSR) March 6, 2024

The Cumberland County Panthers advance to the 4th Region semifinals to face the No. 7 ranked Bowling Green Purples. Tipoff is set for Monday, March 11 at 6:00 p.m. EST at WKU.

No. 7 Bowling Green 85, Russellville 62

The No. 7 Bowling Green Purples defeated Russellville in dominant fashion 85-62. The Purples had four players in double digits, including Deuce Bailey with 13, Kadyn Carpenter and Luke Idlett with 12, and MJ Wardlow marking 11.

Bowling Green is a fundamentally sound team. The IQ they display on the court and chemistry as a team allowed them to win in style. Having talented guards around their big Mason Ritter enabled quick scores and a huge 54-32 lead to close the first half.

The Purples shot 51.5% from the field, 36.4% from three, and 64.3% from the free throw line. Bowling Green has been able to put up shots on offense because of their trust in their defense, especially when Ritter is protecting the rim, who tallied 12 total rebounds against Russellville.

After leading 65-42 at the end of the third, Bowling Green brought their bench in midway through the fourth, eventually ending the game on top 85-62.

Bottom Half of the Bracket

To close out the first round on Wednesday, Warren Central defeated Logan County 72-42 while Glasgow bested Metcalfe County 70-68 in an overtime victory.

Glasgow and Warren Central will go to compete in the semifinals. Some of Glasgow’s weapons include John Carter Walbert, who averages 15.7 points per game while shooting 44.6% from the field and 81.4% from the free throw line. Jerrick Martin is another edge for Glasgow, averaging 11.5 points per game on 53.3% shooting from the field.

They will be met by some of Warren Central’s best, including Elijah Starks, who averages 17.6 points per game, shoots 58% from the field, and averages 9.6 rebounds per game. WKU commit Kade Unseld will be another problem for the Scotties, as he averages 15.8 points per game and 6.8 boards per game.

Assuming the region favorites win in the semifinals, it’s likely that Warren Central will face No. 7 Bowling Green for the 4th Region title on Tuesday, March 12. It’s all happening next week at Diddle Arena. KSR will be in attendance to bring you immediate coverage.