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Looking to start stringing some wins together to build some momentum with the playoffs nearing, the Warsaw boys basketball team welcomed Marion to the Tiger Den on Tuesday. The Tigers went ahead early, extended their lead late and fought off a late comeback attempt by the visitors to pick up a 54-47 win.
“There are a lot of teams looking forward to spring sports and spring break. We have guys that are looking forward to getting on the floor and making an impact,” Warsaw head coach Matt Moore said. “If we keep practicing and staying focused on the right thing, you’re going to keep seeing this team improve.”
The Tigers got the start they were looking for in the first quarter. The home side controlled things at both ends of the court, getting out to a 6-2 lead over the first five minutes of the game. Warsaw’s defense especially was doing a really good job of staying patient while going against the methodical Giants offense, keeping focused and taking advantage of the opportunities that presented themselves.
Sophomores Drew Jones and Gabe Ioane scored the next seven points for the Tigers as the home side finished the first quarters as strongly as it started it. With the defense locking down Marion and multiple players stepping up to score points on the other end, Warsaw led 13-4 after eight minutes.
After a very rough opening period, the Giants began to figure out the hosts a little bit in the second. It took the visitors just three minutes to double their first quarter scoring output, making it a five-point game with four minutes until halftime. On the other end, the Tigers were going through a dry spell, allowing Marion to gain back some momentum by stacking stops and scores.
The final three minutes before the break were big for Warsaw, as the home side was able to get back to what had made them so successful earlier in the game. Ioane was certainly playing his part, acting as a major presence in the paint. The sophomore was cleaning up the glass, especially on the offensive end. He’d make the most of the extra opportunities he created, leading all scorers with eleven points in the first half. His final three points came in the final 10 seconds of the quarter, giving his team a 26-15 lead at the half.
“Really proud of that kid. It’s hard when you’re a sophomore without a lot of varsity experience,” Moore said. “He’s had pockets of time and he took advantage of his opportunities tonight. Very happy for him.”
That advantage only grew in the first few minutes of the third quarter. The Giants had gotten back to struggling mightily on the offensive end, in large part to the clamps the home side was putting on them. A big difference though is that here in the second half, the Tigers were doing a much better job getting into transition, turning those stops into quick baskets at the other end.
Warsaw senior Sam McDaniels uses his height for a clear shot during the second quarter...Nieter
Because of this, Warsaw was flirting with a 20-point lead at the midway point of the period. But, like in the quarter prior, Marion was able to fight through the adversity and crawl back into things. Down by 19, the visitors used an 8-0 run to get back within eleven in the final two minutes of the quarter and make things a bit more interesting.
The Giants continued to press the action late in the period, hitting the Tigers with a bit of their own medicine and forcing a few turnovers of their own down the stretch. A goofy play that saw a pass deflect off the arm of Jaron Courtois and into the basket in the final seconds of the third made it a 39-30 game heading into the fourth.
“I thought we didn’t rotate well in our traps,” Moore said. “Too much standing and watching allowed them to get some threes off. Offensively, we need to do a better job of picking our spots. We got too aggressive and paid for it a bit.”
Mydin Burgher, who had a quiet first half by his standards, had become the go-to option for the Tigers in the second. The senior was there to steady his team with a key basket in the game’s biggest moments, but even still, the visitors were catching fire. Two triples for Marion in the first two minutes of quarter were enough to make it a seven-point game as the game reached its crucial moments.
Warsaw answered well, scoring four straight points of their own to answer their opponent and go back up by eleven. With three minutes left it was 10 and the home side was taking its time offensively to try and shrink the possession total for the remainder of the game.
It worked. As the Giants spent their possessions frazzled, taking quick shots to try and erase the deficit in a hurry, the Tigers were extremely calm on the other end. Sharing the ball well and finding open teammates, the home side built its lead back up in the waning minutes of the contest to leave no doubt.
Burgher finished with 19 points, 17 in the second half, while Ioane added 13.
Warsaw (10-10) hosts NLC rival Plymouth on Friday.
