Warsaw Finishes Perfect Week By Pushing Past Plymouth
February 12, 2022 at 3:50 a.m.
Warsaw Finishes Perfect Week By Pushing Past Plymouth
By Connor McCann-
The Tigers’ three seniors, Judah Simfukwe, Tyler Kuhn and Isaiah Courtois, all started the game alongside juniors Jaxson Gould and Drew Heckaman. The Pilgrims got off to a hot start, going on a 5-0 run to start the game and scoring ten quick points.
“There’s a lot of emotion in the beginning of games like this, and we try to get the guys to understand its not about playing with emotion, its about playing with focus and intensity,” Warsaw head coach Matt Moore said. “I thought we stayed poised during that stretch and did a good job once we got settled in.”
Once that settling in occurred, it was all Tigers for the remainder of the game. After an early stretch of poor rebounding, Warsaw anchored down and started grabbing boars. Plymouth players that were getting open looks in the first quarter found themselves getting clamped later on. Warsaw would go up by double-digits with a little over two minutes remaining in the first half, and would stay there for the remainder of the contest.
“When you force a team to shoot 25% from the field it’s a good night. We wanted to get into transition. We like playing that style, that tempo,” Moore said.
Gould and Simfukwe handled a majority of the scoring in the game, finishing with 18 points each. Gould also picked up four steals while Simfukwe led the team with seven boards. The Tigers remaining two seniors, Kuhn and Courtois finished with five and four.
Leading by 12 at halftime, Warsaw would go on a 13-0 run to begin the third quarter and put the game out of reach. Moore’s adjustments paid more dividends as the game continued to go on. The Tigers went through the motions of the second half, pulling away towards victory.
With about a minute and a half left in the game, Simfukwe, Kuhn and Courtois were subbed out and rewarded with a curtain call and standing ovation from the Warsaw faithful.
“That stuff is a lot of fun, man. You go through the youth program, you want to play in the Tiger Den, and then you get that chance,” Moore said. “These guys got to finish their career 9-3 here this season. Now they get to go on the road and fight to extend their year.”
The Tigers move to 14-7 on the season, and have won their last eight games against Plymouth dating back to the 2014-15 season.
“They’re in a little bit of a rebuild right now but they’ll be back soon and when they are that rivalry will be even better,” Moore said.
Warsaw ends its regular season with two road games on Feb. 22 and 25 against fellow coverage-area team Tippecanoe Valley and Carroll.
“We’re 14-7 right now with two road games that I think we can win both of,” Moore said, “I like the way things are stacking up for us right now.”
The Tigers’ three seniors, Judah Simfukwe, Tyler Kuhn and Isaiah Courtois, all started the game alongside juniors Jaxson Gould and Drew Heckaman. The Pilgrims got off to a hot start, going on a 5-0 run to start the game and scoring ten quick points.
“There’s a lot of emotion in the beginning of games like this, and we try to get the guys to understand its not about playing with emotion, its about playing with focus and intensity,” Warsaw head coach Matt Moore said. “I thought we stayed poised during that stretch and did a good job once we got settled in.”
Once that settling in occurred, it was all Tigers for the remainder of the game. After an early stretch of poor rebounding, Warsaw anchored down and started grabbing boars. Plymouth players that were getting open looks in the first quarter found themselves getting clamped later on. Warsaw would go up by double-digits with a little over two minutes remaining in the first half, and would stay there for the remainder of the contest.
“When you force a team to shoot 25% from the field it’s a good night. We wanted to get into transition. We like playing that style, that tempo,” Moore said.
Gould and Simfukwe handled a majority of the scoring in the game, finishing with 18 points each. Gould also picked up four steals while Simfukwe led the team with seven boards. The Tigers remaining two seniors, Kuhn and Courtois finished with five and four.
Leading by 12 at halftime, Warsaw would go on a 13-0 run to begin the third quarter and put the game out of reach. Moore’s adjustments paid more dividends as the game continued to go on. The Tigers went through the motions of the second half, pulling away towards victory.
With about a minute and a half left in the game, Simfukwe, Kuhn and Courtois were subbed out and rewarded with a curtain call and standing ovation from the Warsaw faithful.
“That stuff is a lot of fun, man. You go through the youth program, you want to play in the Tiger Den, and then you get that chance,” Moore said. “These guys got to finish their career 9-3 here this season. Now they get to go on the road and fight to extend their year.”
The Tigers move to 14-7 on the season, and have won their last eight games against Plymouth dating back to the 2014-15 season.
“They’re in a little bit of a rebuild right now but they’ll be back soon and when they are that rivalry will be even better,” Moore said.
Warsaw ends its regular season with two road games on Feb. 22 and 25 against fellow coverage-area team Tippecanoe Valley and Carroll.
“We’re 14-7 right now with two road games that I think we can win both of,” Moore said, “I like the way things are stacking up for us right now.”
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