Warsaw Goes Into Season With Blend Of Vets, Varsity Newcomers
November 4, 2021 at 9:35 p.m.
Warsaw Goes Into Season With Blend Of Vets, Varsity Newcomers
By Steve Krah-
Sixth-year head coach Lenny Krebs welcomes back five letterwinners (seniors Kacilyn Krebs, Abby Sanner and Bailie Stephens, junior Zoe Bergan and sophomore Ava Wetzel) and has seven varsity newcomers, including four freshmen, as the Lady Tigers open the slate at home Saturday, Nov. 6 against traditionally-strong Norwell (6 p.m. junior varsity start).
Warsaw is coming off a 2020-21 season in which it went 18-6 overall and
6-1 in the Northern Lakes Conference (runner-up to Goshen).
The non-conference schedule this time around features not only Norwell (23-6, sectional and regional champions in 2020-21) but defending 4A state champion Crown Point (25-1), Merrillville (14-6 at sectional champs), Penn (21-4 and sectional champs), Homestead (20-6 and sectional champs) and — for the first time — Lake Central.
Crown Point and Merrillville are in the Duneland-Northern Lakes Classic on Nov. 20. Lake Central visits Warsaw Dec. 22. Garrett has been added to the Lady Tiger Classic Dec. 30.
“Those young kids are going to have to grow up quickly,” says Krebs. “We pride ourselves in being Top 25 or Top 30 for strength of schedule in the state. We think that’s necessary to compete in the NLC and our sectional.
“Those tough non-conference games help us prepare for those moments.”
Non-letterwinners include seniors Morgan Nichols and Abby Taylor, sophomore Abigail Davis and freshmen Mia Jones, Leila Knepp, Abbey Peterson and Brooke Winchester.
“We’ll see how quickly some of our young kids can come along
catch on to the speed of the game and mature,” says Krebs.
Sanner is back for her fourth varsity season and Stephens for her third.
Sanner averaged 9.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and made 33 blocks while Stephens produced 6.6 points, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals per outing. Krebs averaged 8.9 points and 2.9 rebounds and made 33 3-pointers.
“I’m thrilled with what we’ve got coming back,” says Krebs. “Last year balanced scoring. I don’t know you’re going to see shot distribution being quite as equal as in the past.
“We’re going to try to get our best scorers more shots.”
The coach expects Sanner and Krebs to fill that bill.
“We want to get the ball into certain players hands in certain positions so they can create and operate,” says Krebs. “We want to push the basketball once again and make rim runs.”
Post players Sanner and Winchester run the floor well and there are others who can swiftly deliver the basketball.
Graduation took Kensie Ryman (now playing at Grace College after averaging 9.6 points with 48 3-pointers for Warsaw in 2020-21), Audrey Grimm (8.0 points and 4.8 rebounds) and Kendall Wain (4.5 points and 4.0 rebounds).
Grimm and Wain were also leaders on defense.
Krebs (64-32 in five seasons at Warsaw and 194-206 in 19th season overall) explains the key for good defense.
“It’s constant on-the-ball pressure,” says Krebs. “In addition, we want to make sure we have great help-side and (allow) small gaps (for the opponents to drive). Even when we play zone it goes back to those man-to-man principals.
“We’ve been fortunate to have some very intelligent defensive players the past few years that can make those changes to shut people down.”
Warsaw has finished with at least 15 wins in all four seasons with Krebs at the helm.
The “50-point mark” has been the key during Krebs’ tenure at WCHS. In
victories, Warsaw has scored at least 50 points in 37 of 64 games in the last
four seasons, including 25 of 34 the last two season. In the 32 losses during
those four years, the Lady Tigers failed to score 50 in 28 of those 32 games.
A year ago, Warsaw carried a 48.0 offensive average and 36.3 defensive average. Opponents were held under 38 points or fewer in 16 games.
Sixth-year head coach Lenny Krebs welcomes back five letterwinners (seniors Kacilyn Krebs, Abby Sanner and Bailie Stephens, junior Zoe Bergan and sophomore Ava Wetzel) and has seven varsity newcomers, including four freshmen, as the Lady Tigers open the slate at home Saturday, Nov. 6 against traditionally-strong Norwell (6 p.m. junior varsity start).
Warsaw is coming off a 2020-21 season in which it went 18-6 overall and
6-1 in the Northern Lakes Conference (runner-up to Goshen).
The non-conference schedule this time around features not only Norwell (23-6, sectional and regional champions in 2020-21) but defending 4A state champion Crown Point (25-1), Merrillville (14-6 at sectional champs), Penn (21-4 and sectional champs), Homestead (20-6 and sectional champs) and — for the first time — Lake Central.
Crown Point and Merrillville are in the Duneland-Northern Lakes Classic on Nov. 20. Lake Central visits Warsaw Dec. 22. Garrett has been added to the Lady Tiger Classic Dec. 30.
“Those young kids are going to have to grow up quickly,” says Krebs. “We pride ourselves in being Top 25 or Top 30 for strength of schedule in the state. We think that’s necessary to compete in the NLC and our sectional.
“Those tough non-conference games help us prepare for those moments.”
Non-letterwinners include seniors Morgan Nichols and Abby Taylor, sophomore Abigail Davis and freshmen Mia Jones, Leila Knepp, Abbey Peterson and Brooke Winchester.
“We’ll see how quickly some of our young kids can come along
catch on to the speed of the game and mature,” says Krebs.
Sanner is back for her fourth varsity season and Stephens for her third.
Sanner averaged 9.8 points and 8.5 rebounds per game and made 33 blocks while Stephens produced 6.6 points, 2.5 assists and 2.0 steals per outing. Krebs averaged 8.9 points and 2.9 rebounds and made 33 3-pointers.
“I’m thrilled with what we’ve got coming back,” says Krebs. “Last year balanced scoring. I don’t know you’re going to see shot distribution being quite as equal as in the past.
“We’re going to try to get our best scorers more shots.”
The coach expects Sanner and Krebs to fill that bill.
“We want to get the ball into certain players hands in certain positions so they can create and operate,” says Krebs. “We want to push the basketball once again and make rim runs.”
Post players Sanner and Winchester run the floor well and there are others who can swiftly deliver the basketball.
Graduation took Kensie Ryman (now playing at Grace College after averaging 9.6 points with 48 3-pointers for Warsaw in 2020-21), Audrey Grimm (8.0 points and 4.8 rebounds) and Kendall Wain (4.5 points and 4.0 rebounds).
Grimm and Wain were also leaders on defense.
Krebs (64-32 in five seasons at Warsaw and 194-206 in 19th season overall) explains the key for good defense.
“It’s constant on-the-ball pressure,” says Krebs. “In addition, we want to make sure we have great help-side and (allow) small gaps (for the opponents to drive). Even when we play zone it goes back to those man-to-man principals.
“We’ve been fortunate to have some very intelligent defensive players the past few years that can make those changes to shut people down.”
Warsaw has finished with at least 15 wins in all four seasons with Krebs at the helm.
The “50-point mark” has been the key during Krebs’ tenure at WCHS. In
victories, Warsaw has scored at least 50 points in 37 of 64 games in the last
four seasons, including 25 of 34 the last two season. In the 32 losses during
those four years, the Lady Tigers failed to score 50 in 28 of those 32 games.
A year ago, Warsaw carried a 48.0 offensive average and 36.3 defensive average. Opponents were held under 38 points or fewer in 16 games.
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