Warren Central triumphant in Sweet 16 quarterfinal battle against Ashland Blazer
The No. 1 ranked Warren Central Dragons improved its record to 34-1 on the season and advanced to the semifinals of the 2023 UK Healthcare Boys’ Sweet 16 Tournament at Rupp Arena after downing the Ashland Blazer Tomcats, 64-48.
“In my opinion, they’re the best team here,” Ashland Blazer head coach Ryan Bonner said. “They’ve got all the components and all the pieces to make a run at this, so my hats off to them.”
Bonner, who currently serves as the Tomcats’ interim head coach, knew that his team would have to fight to give them a shot at upsetting the top-ranked Dragons. And, boy, did the Tomcats display true grit, holding their own against the state title favorites. Forcing nine turnovers and shooting 45% from the field, Ashland Blazer ended its season on a high note.
Tomcats Keep it Tight in First Half
Ashland Blazer clearly did some homework before its quarterfinal matchup against Warren Central. The Tomcats came out shooting hot, making 3-4 three-pointers within the first four minutes of play.
Understanding Warren Central’s power around the rim from guys such as Tayvion Wells and Malik Jefferson, Ashland Blazer took its chances from the perimeter.
The Dragons leaned on guys such as Kade Unseld and Chappelle Whitney to stay ahead in the first, who combined for 15 out of 18 points in the first quarter. Ashland Blazer, although down by five at the end of the first, very much kept its composure to keep Warren Central within range going into the second.
The Tomcats kept this same energy going into the second quarter, playing the Dragons about as close as any team all season long. The difference maker that kept the Tomcats within range during the first half was scrappiness and conversions on 50-50 balls.
Rheyce Deboard is without a doubt a leader for Ashland Blazer. The senior scored 12 points in the first half alone. Great effort by the Tomcats allowed them to close the first half trailing by just seven at 34-27.
Second Half Stretch Favors the Dragons
Coming into the second half, hopeful Tomcats fans became extremely familiar with the talents of Unseld, Whitney and Omari Glover.
Unseld tallied 13 points, five boards and three assists on the night while Whitney had another double-double with 20 points and 10 rebounds for Warren Central. Glover contributed 14 points, two assists and three boards, as well.
While Ashland Blazer stayed within reach for much of the third quarter, Glover stretched the Dragons’ lead to nine at 45-36 with a tip-in that would give Warren Central momentum going into the final frame.
For the rest of the fourth, the Dragons would stretch the lead little by little, chipping away at Ashland Blazers’ hopes of a comeback victory. Warren Central utilized its strength on the boards and through its talented shooters to convert on 50-50 balls and have meaningful possessions.
“Proud of them. You know we had to lock in and guard. To hold a team like that, that shoots the ball the way they do, at 48 points is pretty good,” Warren Central head coach William Unseld said. “… [Ashland Blazer] shot it well today. But we made the plays when we needed to. State tournament game you’re not gonna always be sharp, but you gotta make plays when you have to and we made plays when we needed to.”
Looking Ahead to Saturday
The Warren Central Dragons will rest the remainder of the night to prepare for the semifinals on Saturday, where they’ll face the Woodford County Yellowjackets, which have made a very impressive postseason run after a slow start to the season.
“I’ve seen ’em a bunch,” Coach Unseld said of Woodford County. “They play well. They’re athletic, they’re taking care of the ball, from looking at scores they’re playing a little bit slower, you know, but we just gotta go play and make some shots.
“I think they match up with us, we match up with them… It’s gonna be whoever’s making shots and whoever’s taking care of the basketball and whoever rebounds. Basketball’s real easy, you know, we do those things we’ll be okay.”
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