Hanging championship banners is something the Pioneers have gotten used to recently. If they keep up the pace set last week, Charlie Dalton Gym could get some more decorations soon.

Warren County smoked Shelbyville 75-47 at home Friday, completing a 2-0 run in District 6-4A games last week. The Pioneers, winners of five of their last six games, downed Franklin County on the road last Tuesday, but they saved their best performance for the home crowd against the Eagles.

Alex van Vuuren poured in a career-high 19 points off the bench, while Treyton Terry added 14 points and Nate Elrod continued his stellar play with 11 points. By the end of the blowout, 11 Pioneers had got on the scoreboard as Shelbyville couldn’t weather the storm on the road.

Warren County (9-13) won back-to-back district titles in 2020 and 2021, but fell off last year. The Pioneers are back to playing championship-level ball now, especially in teh first quarter.

Warren County has come out of the gate lately throwing haymakers and Friday was no different. The Pioneers pressed Shelbyville into submission early, completely erasing any chance the Eagles had at a win with constant pressure. 

Shelbyville held its only lead at 4-3, just seconds before the Pioneers took over with a 10-0 run. Terry had five points in the spurt, while Sawyer Seymour splashed home a 3-pointer and Elrod grabbed a steal and finished an easy layup to make it 13-4.

By the time Elrod used the glass on a 3-pointer and freshman Devin Fish hit nothing but net on a corner triple, it was 21-7 and Shelbyville was stunned. It only got worse for the Eagles once van Vuuren caught fire.

The junior made an immediate impact off the bench, hitting a 3-pointer just seconds after checking in. He was an instant inferno from there, ultimately connecting on five triples on a way to a career night.

Van Vuuren had a layup that made it 30-10 in the second quarter and Shelbyville would never get closer the rest of the way. Warren County led 41-16 at halftime and got to celebrate its younger players in the late stages.

Nate Turner got a huge cheer when he hit a late 3-pointer, while freshmen Carter Simpson and Keyton Reno also got buckets in the second half. 

The Pioneers can extend their hot streak in district play Tuesday. Warren County will face off with Coffee County, also 2-0 in district, in Manchester. Tip-off is set for 7:30 p.m.

Pioneer scoring – van Vuuren 19, Terry 14, Elrod 11, Fish 9, Seymour 7, Braylon Grayson 4, Turner 3, Simpson 2, Reno 2, Chase Newby 2