In an intense and closely fought boys Sweet 16 State semifinal matchup, the Warren Central Dragons emerged victorious over Woodford County with a final score of 56-48.
First Half: The first half was a back-and-forth affair, as Warren Central jumped out to an early lead, outscoring Woodford County 15-9 in the first quarter. Woodford County quickly responded, taking the second quarter 13-9 and closing the gap to 24-22 in Warren Central’s favor at halftime.
Second Half: The third quarter continued to be competitive, with both teams scoring 11 and 13 points respectively. As the game entered the final quarter, Warren Central stepped up, putting up 21 points to Woodford County’s 13, ultimately securing a 56-48 win.
Key Players and Statistics:
Warren Central:
- D. Walkup (#00) played an instrumental role in the victory, scoring 16 points on 6-11 shooting, including 2-5 from beyond the arc, while also contributing 4 rebounds in 30 minutes of play.
- K. Unseld (#04) contributed 17 points on 6-11 shooting, 2-6 from three, and a perfect 3-3 from the free-throw line. He also added 3 rebounds and 3 assists in 31 minutes.
- C. Whitney (#21) led the team with 18 points on an efficient 8-13 shooting, grabbed 9 rebounds, and dished out 5 assists in 28 minutes.
Woodford County:
- A. Nelson (#04) led Woodford County with 11 points on 5-9 shooting, including 1-1 from the three-point range. He also contributed 6 rebounds in 32 minutes.
- J. Johnson (#02) scored 10 points on 3-16 shooting, making 2-10 three-pointers, and added 2 rebounds and 3 assists in 28 minutes.
- M. Smith (#01) finished with 9 points on 3-4 shooting, along with 3 rebounds in 32 minutes.
Team Comparison:
- Warren Central outrebounded Woodford County 31-18, with a significant advantage in defensive rebounds (23-12).
- Both teams had similar second-chance points (8-8) and bench points (0-6, in favor of Woodford County).
- Woodford County capitalized on Warren Central’s turnovers, scoring 9 points off 10 turnovers, while Warren Central managed 4 points off Woodford County’s 6 turnovers.
Blocks: Both teams demonstrated their defensive prowess in the game, with each team recording 3 blocks. These defensive stops helped to control the opponent’s scoring and played a critical role in maintaining the intensity and competitiveness of the match.
Second-Chance Points: Warren Central and Woodford County were evenly matched in terms of second-chance points, with both teams scoring 8 points in this category. These points, generated from offensive rebounds, provided crucial additional scoring opportunities for each team, keeping the game closely contested.
Turnovers: Warren Central committed 10 turnovers during the game, while Woodford County limited themselves to 6 turnovers. Although Warren Central had more turnovers, they were still able to emerge victorious due to their overall performance in other aspects of the game.
Points off Turnovers: Woodford County capitalized on Warren Central’s turnovers, scoring 9 points off these opportunities. In contrast, Warren Central managed to score only 4 points off Woodford County’s 6 turnovers. Despite this advantage in points off turnovers for Woodford County, it was not enough to secure a victory.
Bench Scoring: Woodford County’s bench outscored Warren Central’s bench, contributing 6 points to their team’s total. This additional scoring provided a slight edge for Woodford County, but ultimately, Warren Central’s starting lineup outperformed their counterparts, leading to their victory.
In conclusion, Warren Central’s victory over Woodford County in the Sweet 16 State Tournament can be attributed to strong individual performances and a dominant fourth quarter. Their ability to control the boards and maintain a high shooting percentage ultimately proved to be the deciding factor in this thrilling contest.