Photo - Les Nicholson
Bowling Green took command of the game in the second quarter and never eased off the pressure while beating University Heights 85-57 in the first round of the state tournament Wednesday at Rupp Arena. Bowling Green (24-2) won 88-50 over University Heights (15-10) on February 1 and did not have a lot more trouble this time while winning its 12th straight game.
A 3-point play by guard KJ Crump gave University Heights a 17-16 lead late in period one but the Blazers never led again as Bowling Green took command in period two behind the scoring of Turner Buttry and Jacobi Huddleston, who combined for 24 first-half points, to lead 42-28 at halftime after a Buttry 3-point from midcoast at the buzzer. The Purples went 5-for-10 from 3-point range the first half.
“It was very important for us to get off to a good start and match them physically,” UHA coach Grant Shouse said. “I thought we played pretty well in the first quarter and were still very much in the game. Their size and athleticism just wore us down combined with their good shooting. The 3 at the end of the half was a big momentum swing for them. But Bowling Green just has a really good team.”
Buttry finished with 20 points on 6-for-8 shooting and also had four assists and three rebounds. Huddleston finished with 14 points, 10 rebounds, and six assists while Isaiah Mason had 16 points, six rebounds, and three assists.
Bowling Green went 31 of 62 from the field and had 24 assists with six players having two or more assists.
“We have made it a mission of ours to share the ball,” Bowling Green coach D.G. Sherrill said. “This is a very unselfish team. It’s a veteran team that has played together. They are fun to work with and they really are an unselfish bunch.
“We can also play 10-11 kids comfortably. They (UHA) are aggressive and we knew they were going to come at us. We wanted to make sure we were pushing the ball.”
Bowling Green certainly did that in the second half when it extended the lead and never looked back.
Crump finished with 20 points on 7-for-18 shooting and also had five rebounds and two assists. William Bryan was 7-for-15 from the field and had 16 points, five assists, and two rebounds.
“A lot of people did not think we would get this far,” Bryan said. “Being here was amazing. We thought we would not be leaving this early but we left it all on the floor. It stinks to go home but I am proud of our team.”
Mason said it didn’t surprise him how Crump played based on what he knew from AAU play.
“I think very highly of him,” Mason said. “I know he is a great player and would be a challenge.”
Shouse got a bit emotional talking about Crump, Bryan, and his other seniors when asked what Crump and Bryan — players he brought to the postgame press conference — meant to him.
“I will try to answer without getting too emotional,” Shouse said. “It’s hard to put into words what they mean to me and the school. They have been our leaders, warriors on the court who never gave up. Individually they bot led us in every area possible. All the things they contributed to the program will never be forgotten.”
What they couldn’t do was offset Bowling Green’s size advantage that led to a 49-25 rebounding advantage, including 19 offensive rebounds for the Purples and 44 points in the paint.
“We were trying to get bodies on them and block out but even then they would just reach up above us at times,” Shouse said. “We knew that would be a factor. Their size just continued to wear us down around the glass. Even shots they missed, some they put back in.”
The Blazers were 22 of 64 from the field and 5-for-19 from 3-point range. Bowling Green went 9-for-18 from 3-point range.
