Warsaw’s Season Ends With Loss To Elkhart
March 6, 2021 at 4:22 a.m.
Warsaw’s Season Ends With Loss To Elkhart
By Chip Davenport-
Warsaw, trailing 56-43 with nearly 2:30 left in the fray, put a 14-3 late run together punctuated by Bishop Walters’ 3-pointer at the buzzer, his second of the late Tiger run. The orange and black had finally solved Elkhart’s aggressive trapping defense, but the damage that dug the hole for Warsaw was irreparable.
“The benefit goes to the aggressor, and in many cases, they were the aggressor tonight,” Tiger head coach Matt Moore said, “In pursuing rebounds, defensively attacking the ball. We were a little hesitant.”
Elkhart’s offensive rebounding, particularly on their missed free throw attempts, demonstrated their ability to get to the loose ball more quickly than the Tigers despite their efforts to block out the Lions.
Warsaw trailed 44-38 after three periods and shaved off one point of the deficit thanks to 5 straight points by Jaxson Gould, who finished the night, and the season, with a career-high 32 points. Elkhart subsequently ran off eight straight points as part of a 12-5 run, flustering the Tigers with their effective half- and full-court presses.
The Lions had an answer for each of the Tigers’ usual offensive weapons except for Gould. The 6’2” sophomore scored 14 of Warsaw’s 18 second quarter points and accompanied his 32-point night with eight rebounds and four assists.
“Our guys have to understand that (Gould’s) a valuable piece of what we do,” Moore remarked, “But they're going to have to come alongside him and not just let him be the lead horse. When teams have success in tournament runs it's usually because there's a few guys you can run with that lead runner.”
Moore discussed how the team will have to let the sting of this season-ending loss sink in for next season’s motivation.
“I’m proud of my group, I would not trade it would not trade the experience,” Moore commented, “Sometimes you gotta leave ‘em alone and let it bleed a little bit, hurt a little bit. They're going to realize it's OK.”
“I told the guys in locker room just now,” Moore continued, “In our community, our state, and our country in many ways learn to love each other the way you guys did we would be a pretty awesome community.”
The Tigers’ Walters (nine points on three treys), Judah Simfukwe (eight points, five assists), Jackson Dawson (six points on three for three shooting), and Russ Winchester (two points) rounded out the team’s scoring. Ben Bergen and Drew Heckaman added three assists each.
Elkhart outrebounded Warsaw 33-28, but they grabbed 17 offensive caroms to Warsaw’s eight. They were led by four double-figure scorers: Cam ‘Ron Daniels (13 points), Damarion Anderson and Malachi Emmons (11 points apiece), and Donovan Johnson (10 points).
Warsaw ends it season 15-8. Elkhart (13-11), avenging a regular season one-point loss to the Tigers, moves on to play Penn (12-11) in Saturday’s sectional final. The winner advances to the Michigan City regional March 13.
Warsaw, trailing 56-43 with nearly 2:30 left in the fray, put a 14-3 late run together punctuated by Bishop Walters’ 3-pointer at the buzzer, his second of the late Tiger run. The orange and black had finally solved Elkhart’s aggressive trapping defense, but the damage that dug the hole for Warsaw was irreparable.
“The benefit goes to the aggressor, and in many cases, they were the aggressor tonight,” Tiger head coach Matt Moore said, “In pursuing rebounds, defensively attacking the ball. We were a little hesitant.”
Elkhart’s offensive rebounding, particularly on their missed free throw attempts, demonstrated their ability to get to the loose ball more quickly than the Tigers despite their efforts to block out the Lions.
Warsaw trailed 44-38 after three periods and shaved off one point of the deficit thanks to 5 straight points by Jaxson Gould, who finished the night, and the season, with a career-high 32 points. Elkhart subsequently ran off eight straight points as part of a 12-5 run, flustering the Tigers with their effective half- and full-court presses.
The Lions had an answer for each of the Tigers’ usual offensive weapons except for Gould. The 6’2” sophomore scored 14 of Warsaw’s 18 second quarter points and accompanied his 32-point night with eight rebounds and four assists.
“Our guys have to understand that (Gould’s) a valuable piece of what we do,” Moore remarked, “But they're going to have to come alongside him and not just let him be the lead horse. When teams have success in tournament runs it's usually because there's a few guys you can run with that lead runner.”
Moore discussed how the team will have to let the sting of this season-ending loss sink in for next season’s motivation.
“I’m proud of my group, I would not trade it would not trade the experience,” Moore commented, “Sometimes you gotta leave ‘em alone and let it bleed a little bit, hurt a little bit. They're going to realize it's OK.”
“I told the guys in locker room just now,” Moore continued, “In our community, our state, and our country in many ways learn to love each other the way you guys did we would be a pretty awesome community.”
The Tigers’ Walters (nine points on three treys), Judah Simfukwe (eight points, five assists), Jackson Dawson (six points on three for three shooting), and Russ Winchester (two points) rounded out the team’s scoring. Ben Bergen and Drew Heckaman added three assists each.
Elkhart outrebounded Warsaw 33-28, but they grabbed 17 offensive caroms to Warsaw’s eight. They were led by four double-figure scorers: Cam ‘Ron Daniels (13 points), Damarion Anderson and Malachi Emmons (11 points apiece), and Donovan Johnson (10 points).
Warsaw ends it season 15-8. Elkhart (13-11), avenging a regular season one-point loss to the Tigers, moves on to play Penn (12-11) in Saturday’s sectional final. The winner advances to the Michigan City regional March 13.
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