MERRILLVILLE – A second-half surge by the Merrillville Pirates proved too much for the Warsaw Tigers to overcome Saturday night.
In a high school boys basketball rematch of last year's Class 4A Michigan City Regional final, which Merrillville won 50-46, the host Pirates led just 21-20 at halftime but distanced themselves from the Tigers after the intermission en route to a 62-45 win.
Merrillville outscored Warsaw 41-25 in the second half, a 16-minute surge that saw the Pirates score 24 points in the third quarter.
Merrillville extended its win streak to four games and improved to 14-7, while Warsaw lost its second straight game and fell to 10-9.
The Tigers, whose game Friday against Northern Lakes Conference rival Plymouth was postponed to Tuesday because of the weather, were playing for the first time since their 63-50 loss to Elkhart Memorial nine days earlier.
Warsaw shot a respectable 45 percent from the field in the first half and 42 percent in the third and fourth quarters.
Merrillville made 44 percent of its field goal attempts while the game was close in the first 16 minutes, and then caught fire in the second half, making 13 of 15 shots after the break.
Johnny Bernard led the Pirates with a game-high 26 points, making 7 of 13 field goal attempts and 10 of 14 at the free throw line. Jaylon Holmes tallied 14 points, seven assists and six rebounds in the win, while Keon Thompson was 6 of 8 from the field en route to 12 points.
For Warsaw, senior Zach Riley led the way with 16 points and four rebounds, while sophomore Brian Elliott finished with 12 points and four boards.
Senior Jack Rhoades scored five points, junior Jaylen Reese and sophomore Blake Marsh chipped in with four each, and juniors Nolan Groninger and Trevor Rumple finished with two points each.
Groninger dished out six assists for the Tigers, while junior Tyler Metzinger led the team in rebounds with five.
Warsaw is back in action Tuesday against Plymouth, a game in which the winner is guaranteed at least a share of the Northern Lakes Conference title.
The Tigers, who are in search of an unprecedented fourth straight NLC?championship, are tied atop the league standings at 4-2 with Plymouth, Elkhart Memorial and Northridge.
Memorial plays at NorthWood tonight, and Northridge hosts Concord Thursday.
In Saturday’s JV game, Merrillville beat Warsaw 47-44 in overtime.
Keagan Larsh led the JV?Tigers with 16 points and seven rebounds, and Jaylen Coon chipped in with 15 points and three boards.
