Tyler Sharpe hit 5 of 11 3-point tries and scored 31 points to lead the Bullitt East High School boys basketball team to an 82-73 victory over Central on Monday in a quarterfinal of the Forcht Bank King of the Bluegrass Holiday Classic at Fairdale.
Sharpe added six assists and four steals as Bullitt East (8-0) – No. 8 in the state in The Courier-Journal’s preseason poll of coaches – advanced to face No. 10 Trinity (8-0) in Tuesday’s 7:30 p.m. semifinal.
Jared Farris (13 points, seven rebounds) and Garrett Wilson (10 points) also had big games for the Chargers, who led 39-23 at halftime and maintained control throughout the second half.
Bullitt East guard Bailey Rakes played just 85 seconds after bumping heads with a Central player and coming out of the game for good. Bullitt East coach Bob Blackburn said Rakes received stiches underneath one of his eyes. Rakes’ status for Tuesday’s semifinal is uncertain.
Brandon Wells scored 22 points and Dai’Von Thompson added 15 points and seven rebounds to lead No. 13 Central (4-3), which will face No. 3 Paul Dunbar (7-1) in a consolation game at 6 p.m. Tuesday.
CENTRAL 16 7 21 29 – 73
BULLITT EAST 22 17 16 27 – 82
Central (4-3) – Swint 1, Wells 22, Douglas 5, Thompson 15, Davis 3, Southers 6, Firman 13, Gaines 8.
Bullitt East (8-0) – Ezell 6, Sharpe 31, Green 6, Osborne 3, Polson 4, Klefot 9, Wilson 10, Farris 13.
3-point goals – Wells 3, Douglas, Thompson, Firman, Gaines 2; Sharpe 5, Osborne, Wilson 2.