On Friday, the Dragons “weathered the storm early,” according to Berdine, and beat Prep 70-62 at Warren Area High School.

Trailing by double digits early in the second quarter, Warren cut the halftime Prep lead to six points, 37-31. A 19-8 third quarter gave Warren a lead they would extend big in the fourth quarter before a couple late Prep 3-pointers made it single digits.

“(Prep) came out on fire,” said Berdine. “Our kids didn’t quit on each other. We held them to single-digit points in the third quarter as we found our stride offensively.”

Warren senior Braylon Barnes had seven of his game-high 25 points in the 19-point third quarter, including one of three Dragon 3-pointers. Konnor Hoffman and Tommy Nyquist also hit key threes as Warren (4-0) took over the game.

Photo courtesy of Mark Evans Warren senior Braylon Barnes shoots over Prep’s Cormac Thunell (10) in the Dragons’ 70-62 nonregion win on Friday at Warren Area High School.

Barnes had another 8 points in a 20-17 Warren fourth quarter.

“I thought our kids really got aggressive defensively on the ball after the first quarter, got into the passing lanes, jammed cutters, and switched,” said Berdine. “We also rebounded very well tonight as a team.”

Prep had four 3-pointers in the fourth quarter and was forced to foul as the Ramblers furiously tried to come back.

Warren senior Brady Berdine had 11 points in the first quarter in which the Dragons battled to stay in the game. He finished with 17 points. Nyquist contributed 11 points, Logan Crissey 9 and Hoffman 6.

Amaree Pickens, Prep’s only returning starter from last season, missed the game due to injury.

Michael Thompson led the Ramblers (0-1) with 19 points and Max Wallace and Nando Mirarchi had 15 points each in the loss.

“I think a win like this should give us confidence that we can play with just about anyone, and motivate us to put that type of effort in every time we take the floor,” said Coach Berdine.

PREP (62)

McDonald 0, Kanne 1 0 3, Horton 1 0 3, Mirarchi 6 0 15, Thunnell 0, Wallace 6 3 15, Spano 0, Thompson 7 2 19, Galla 3 0 7. Totals 24 5-7 62.

WARREN (70)

Corbett 0, Sitler 1 0 2, Berdine 8 0 17, Crissey 4 0 9, Nyquist 3 3 11, Barnes 11 0 25, Hoffman 1 3 6. Totals 28 6-10 70.

3-point goals–Kanne, Horton, Mirarchi 3, Thompson 3, Berdine, Crissey, Nyquist 2, Barnes 3, Hoffman.

Prep 27 10 8 17 — 62

Warren 18 13 19 20 — 70