After a slow start, the Bowling Green Hornets parlayed the energy of an enthusiastic home crowd Friday to an impressive win, outscoring the visiting Dayton Air Strikers 118-98. It was the first game and, of course, first win in the history of the Central Basketball League charter member team, which makes its home at Russellville High School's Jim Young Gymnasium.
Dayton jumped out to a 21-13 lead, but that quickly changed when Vic Moses entered the game. The Lexington Henry Clay product who recently led Georgetown College to the NAIA national championship took off from near the free throw line on a dunk that seemed to energize the Hornets. Former WKU player Kahlil McDonald hit a long 3-pointer, Moses stuck a rebound back in to tie the game, and McDonald scored on a beautifully executed dunk via an alley-oop. That pass came from former Hilltopper running mate Jamal Crook to tie the score. Moses put the home team ahead for keeps with six seconds remaining on an assist from Justin Taylor to give the Hornets a 25-23 advantage at the first break.
The second quarter began with a 3-pointer by Tony Key, a 6-11, 280-pound center who was better known as a player at RHS for his thunderous, backboard-crashing dunks than his outside shooting prowess. Key finished with 9 points, 4 rebounds and 3 blocks.
The Hornets led 47-42 at the half with Key scoring on an assist from Taylor, who is a former Tennessee Tech player, with four seconds remaining. The Hornets were masterful in scoring with the clock running down. The third quarter ended with former Tennessee Wesleyan player Zacharius McClendon of Clarksville scoring on one of Crook’s seven assists to make the Bowling Green lead 81-66.
In the fourth quarter, Crook sped out from the Dayton basket with a rebound, went the length-of-the court and shifted to his right for a short goal. Seconds later McClendon hit a 3-pointer on an inside-out assist from McDonald. That gave the Hornets their first 20-point lead at 94-74. The margin reached 23 twice, first on a left-handed layup by Crook and then on a 3-pointer by Teeng Akol, who is listed at 6-11 but is a little taller than Key. Akol finished his career at WKU this winter.
For the record, the team’s first-ever field goal came on a reverse layup by Crook on an assist from Taylor, and the first play in team history that brought the crowd to its feet came on an assist from one giant to another as Akol, who was playing the high post, found Key open on the low post.
Coaches Otis Key and Nathan Thompson used all 12 players in uniform extensively, resting the starters for tonight’s game at St. Louis and building depth.
Moses finished with 26 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks. McDonald hit 4 of 12 attempts from long range on his way to 22 points, but he also had 6 assists. Crook had 18 points, 7 assists and 2 steals. Akol had 11 points and 7 rebounds. Taylor joined them in double figure scoring with 11. Michael Stone, who played for Transylvania University, finished second with 8 rebounds. Runtreal Braxton, who played for Cumberland University in Tennessee, and McClendon each scored 7. Saville Evans added 4 points, and former Todd Central/Thomas Moore College player Andrae Woodard gave Crook relief at the point.
The most publicized players for the Air Strikers are 6-11 Brandon Hassell, who played for Penn State, 6-8 Aaron Pogue, a former Cleveland State player, and 6-8 Tyrone Bradshaw of Southern Indiana. All three have played international basketball in several venues. Dayton was led, however, in this game by Darius Foster and Terry Head, who each scored 18 points.
Fun night at RHS
Meanwhile a lot of people were involved in making this night memorable and in welcoming this professional sports team to Russellville.
Among those attending were RHS Principal Kim McDaniel, Football Coach/Director of Transportation John Myers, and Board Member David Corbin. The only public official in evidence was Russellville City Councilman Jack Whipple.
A key member of McDaniel’s staff, Mary Celsor, is the Hornets’ contact person at RHS, and she coordinated many of the activities involving the team and the school. Her son, Murray State student Lucas Celsor, was all over the floor and the stands, getting the crowd involved and emceeing promotions.
The mascot for the team, wearing a festive hornet costume, is J.D. Menser, a former Big Red at WKU. His grandparents, Norm and Janet Menser of Russellville, were part of the crowd.
RHS student Phillip Crawford was impressive in singing The National Anthem a cappella.
Waseem Moorad, the Hornets owner who had flown in Thursday from his home in Springfield, Va., was busy overseeing the entire operation. He is also in the key position of director of planning for the CBL.
CBL founder and director of operations John Guy of Peoria, Ariz. was here both days. He has assembled a five-team league from five states—Kentucky, Ohio, Tennessee, Missouri and Illinois—and has assembled a team of league leaders from 10 states—Arizona, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Colorado, Indiana, Illinois, North Carolina, Texas and Minnesota. Plans are underway for a fall schedule and expansion of franchises.
League Photographer Clint Wood of Nashville was one of several out-of-town photographers covering the game. The Bowling Green Daily News sent a reporter and a photographer, as did the WKU College Heights Herald and WBKO television. The headline over Daily News reporter Zack Greenwell’s story of the game in bold uppercase letters was SUCCESSFUL DEBUT. The subhead: Hornets begin play in Russellville with easy victory in front of about 400 fans.
CBL Director of Officials Paul Carter of Hendersonville, Tenn., was one of the officials for the historic game. Also toting a whistle was veteran high school and college official Troy Winders of Todd County. The third official drove from mid-Indiana to be part of the Hornets’ debut.
Several members of next year’s WKU men’s basketball team were in attendance, including shooting guard Brandon Harris, forward Kene Anyigbo and Butler transfer Chris Harrison-Docks.
The team left by van Saturday morning for St. Louis where they were to play their first-ever road game that night against the Hawks at the Emerson Performance Center of Harris-Stowe State University. The Hornets will play at home again next Friday against the same Hawks.