LEXINGTON, Ky. – Terry Taylor posted 23 points, 14 rebounds and four assists to lead the Bowling Green High School boys basketball team to a 75-59 victory over Elliott County on Wednesday in the first round of the Whitaker Bank/KHSAA Sweet 16 at Rupp Arena.
Bowling Green (31-2) – No. 8 in the state in The Courier-Journal’s Litkenhous Ratings – beat Elliott County 86-44 in the first round of last year’s Sweet 16, and Lions coach Greg Adkins knew his undersized team once again would have problems guarding the 6-foot-6 Taylor.
“He’s a nightmare for us and anybody else he goes against with as athletic as he is,” Adkins said. “It’s hard to give two guys on Taylor because their other guys spread the floor so well.”
Taylor hit 9 of 11 shots and 5 of 6 free throws as the Purples – last year’s state runners-up – improved their state-best winning streak to 25. Taylor helped Bowling Green outscore Elliott County 46-18 in the paint.
Bowling Green was without 6-6 junior Kyran Jones (12.3 ppg, 10.1 rpg), who was serving the second game of a mandatory two-game suspension after being ejected from the semifinals of the Fourth Region Tournament. Jones will be eligible to play in Friday’s quarterfinals.
“The guys wanted to get their teammate out there for another game,” Bowling Green coach D.G. Sherrill said. “Kyran’s a great kid, and he’s in (the locker room) jumping around and so happy right now because he knows he gets to put the uniform back on again.”
Perry Ayers and Dangelo Wilson both added 12 points for the Purples, who shot 57.7 percent (30 of 52).
Chase Porter hit 13 of 19 shots and scored 28 points to lead Elliott County (22-8).
ELLIOTT COUNTY 15 14 14 16 – 59
BOWLING GREEN 17 21 13 24 – 75
Elliott County (22-8) – Porter 28, Spencer 12, L. Griffith 7, R. Griffith 6, Howell 6.
Bowling Green (31-2) – Wilson 12, Key 6, Taylor 23, Booker 9, Ayers 12, Jackson 3, Thurman 2, Chaney 2, Jones 4, Carothers 2.
3-point goals – Porter 2, L. Griffith, R. Griffith 2; Wilson 2, Ayers, Jackson.