LEXINGTON, Ky. — No more target on its back, the Warren Central High School boys basketball team could exhale and celebrate.

“State champs” was a magical sound for the Dragons.

“It was about business every day,” junior guard Kade Unseld said. “Now that we got it, we’re partying tonight.”

Warren Central backed up its No. 1 ranking, surviving a late comeback to beat George Rogers Clark 64-60 in Saturday’s final of the UK Healthcare Boys Sweet 16 in front of 11,664 fans at Rupp Arena.

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The Dragons (36-1) finished with a 27-game winning streak and captured their second state championship, the first coming in 2004.

Coach William Unseld said he never worried about losing this season, not with five of the top six scorers back from last season’s team that lost to GRC 43-42 in the state final.

“There’s not really been a game all year I thought, ‘Oh, my God. We might lose this one,’” Unseld said. “I honestly was like, ‘Just go make a play.’”

Warren Central’s superior balance was on full display Saturday as Kade Unseld, Damarion Walkup and Omari Glover scored 17 points apiece. Chappelle Whitney was named Sweet 16 MVP after posting 10 points and eight rebounds. Point guard Izayiah Villafuerte dished out five assists.

“They’ve shared the ball all year,” William Unseld said. “Any of these guys could be somewhere (else) and average 25 or 30 points a game. It’s hard to guard when you have five really good basketball players. I like playing teams when they have one or two.”

It was the fourth time in Sweet 16 history there was a rematch in the state final — Lexington swept Somerset in 1918 and 1919; Maysville and Brewers split in 1947 and 1948; and Clay County and Ballard split in 1987 and 1988.

No. 4 GRC (30-6) was trying to become the first repeat champion since Fairdale in 1990 and 1991 but just missed. Morehead State signee Jerone Morton led the Cardinals with 23 points, six rebounds and six assists.

KHSAA Boys Sweet 16: Warren Central, George Rogers Clark win Saturday semifinals

Cardinals coach Josh Cook said his team was “gassed” after playing 8:30 p.m. games Thursday and Friday and a semifinal game that started at 1:30 p.m. Saturday.

“We talked about, ‘Play with your heart, not your legs, not your excuses,’” Cook said. “A couple of times I wish the ball would have bounced our way. Maybe a call or two would have helped it swing in our favor. I think it defined our team when you saw us get down and you saw a team that played with such a sense of urgency and fight.”

Warren Central appeared to be in control when Glover scored for a 48-32 lead with 4:40 left in the third quarter. But the Cardinals found a final gear and pulled within 54-51 on Reshaun Hampton’s 3-pointer with 6:44 remaining.

Again, Warren Central’s coach didn’t panic.

“I just thought we would make enough plays,” William Unseld said. “I knew at a certain point they were going to extend too far and we were going to be able to capitalize. We got a little careless with the ball a couple of times, and they made some shots.”

Walkup’s 3-pointer gave the Dragons a 57-51 lead, and Glover’s layup made it 61-56 with 1:17 left. Sam Parrish’s layup pulled the Cardinals within 62-60 with 12 seconds left, but Kade Unseld sealed it with two free throws with 8.1 seconds remaining.

“I told them to give me the ball and I was going to make the free throws,” Kade Unseld said. “And I did that.”

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GEORGE ROGERS CLARK 12       15       15      18 - 60

WARREN CENTRAL               18       18       16      12 - 64

George Rogers Clark (30-6) – Reshaun Hampton 13, Jerone Morton 23, Sam Parrish 17, Trent Edwards 7.

Warren Central (36-1) – Damarion Walkup 17, Izayiah Villafuerte 3, Kade Unseld 17, Omari Glover 17, Chappelle Whitney 10.

MVP – Chappelle Whitney (Warren Central).

All-tournament team – Kade Unseld, Damarion Walkup (Warren Central); Jerone Morton, Sam Parrish, Trent Edwards (George Rogers Clark); Armelo Boone, Aveion Chenault (Frederick Douglass); Aden Nelson, Jasper Johnson (Woodford County); Travis Perry (Lyon County); Cole Edelen (Male); Rheyce DeBoard (Ashland Blazer); Ayden Evans (Elizabethtown).

Jason Frakes: 502-582-4046; jfrakes@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @kyhighs.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: KHSAA Sweet 16 title game: Warren Central beats George Rogers Clark