Fast Start Lets Tigers Cruise To Win Over Minutemen
Fast Start Lets Tigers Cruise To Win Over Minutemen
Posted
Steve Krah-
Fast Start Lets Tigers Cruise To Win Over MinutemenDUNLAP — Concord played visiting Warsaw even on the scoreboard in the second half Friday in a Northern Lakes Conference boys basketball contest.
The Tigers (10-3, 3-1) built a large lead and wound up putting the Minutemen (1-10, 0-4) away, 56-36.
“We had a good week of practice,” said Ogle. “I’m not surprised we got off to a good start.” With Blake Marsh scoring nine of his team-high 17 points in the opening period, Warsaw was ahead 15-2 at the close of the first quarter.
That lead grew to 17-2 in the first minute of the second quarter and Tigers were up 28-8 at halftime.
Jackson Dawson scored four points and Brock Poe three for Warsaw in the second quarter.
The Tigers made 13-of-23 shots from the floor while Concord went 4-of-13 in the first half.
“We shot well in the basket area, “ said Ogle. “We got it inside a lot.” With Dawson scoring six points, Poe five and Luke Adamiec four, Warsaw pushed it lead as high as 28 in the third quarter — the last time at 46-18.
“Dawson came off the bench and was very efficient,” said Ogle after seeing the 6-foot-6 sophomore make 5-of-6 attempts from the floor to score 12 points and pulling down six rebounds in just over 21 minutes of play.
On a night when the visitors made 23-of-27 from the floor, Marsh was 6-of-8.
The Minutemen were able to cut the gap to 51-36 with just over three minutes to go.
“The second half got a little rough,” said Ogle. “I’m disappointed in how we played in the second half. But we had built up enough of a margin.
“We lost our poise a little bit. We’ve got some work to do yet.” Wyatt Amiss tallied all five of his points for Warsaw in the fourth quarter.
Adamiec and Keegan Larsh finished with six points each.
“Concord is a young team and finding their way,” said Ogle. “I was impressed with Zaven Koltookian. He’s a sophomore post who was pretty efficient in the basket area.” The 6-5 Koltookian made 9-of-14 floor attempts on the way to a game-best 19 points, including 15 in the second half.
“Anytime you can win a Northern Lakes Conference road game, you can’t really be too disappointed,” said Ogle.
Paxton Starrett buried three 3-points and finished with 11 points for the Minutemen.
Concord coach Derrick DeShone said turnovers that led to transition points for Warsaw proved to be his team’s undoing.
“My biggest fear this game with us being young and them being really old was can our bodies physically withstand the 32-minute blows,” said DeShone. “That’s a hard-nosed, physical team and we went physically toe-to-toe with them a lot better than I thought we could.” DeShone shared something he told his team in the locker room after the contest.
“‘Do you guys have any clue how much better you have gotten?,’” said DeShone. “We’re responding better. Our mental toughness is getting better.
“In December if it had been 17-2, we would have folded. Not on purpose, but we didn’t know how to respond.” In the junior varsity game, Warsaw defeated Concord 48-28. Judah Simfukwe (14 points) guided the JV Tigers (11-2). Nathan Schoenherr (9) led the JV Minutemen (3-8).
