Photo by Gary Nieter, Times-Union Wawasee senior Kennedy White makes a move to the basket as Abby Hile of Central Noble defends during the first quarter of Wednesday night’s non-conference game..
Photo by Gary Nieter, Times-Union Wawasee senior Kennedy White makes a move to the basket as Abby Hile of Central Noble defends during the first quarter of Wednesday night’s non-conference game..
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SYRACUSE – Scoring 10 points in the first four minutes, the Wawasee Warriors looked to be on their way to a victory over 9-4 Central Noble.

But difficulty holding onto and scoring the basketball throughout the rest of the contest would be the difference, as the offensive miscues would doom the Warriors in a 48-39 loss Wednesday night.

Wawasee, after starting the season 4-1, is now at .500 for the first time this year at 7-7.

“We were able to capitalize on some of their turnovers in the first quarter, we came out with some energy and picked up that lead. But you cannot turn the ball over and turn it over consistently and expect to win a basketball game,” Wawasee head coach Matt Carpenter said. “Our decision making was incredibly poor, our fundamentals were poor, and we can put that on me as a coach.”

It was a lightning rod start for the Warriors, who went on a 12-0 run after surrendering the first two points of the contest to get out to an early double-digit lead. Senior Kennedy White started the game with six straight points, on a night where she would handle a majority of the scoring duties. White was the only Warrior to finish the game in double figures, scoring 20 points.

“She’s the most athletic player on the floor, and she was able to use some of that athleticism,” Carpenter said. “She’s definitely capable of putting the ball in the basket, and usually she’s complimented nicely. Usually we have some balance, but we didn’t have that tonight.”  

With the Warriors up 12-6 going into the second period, turnovers and foul trouble would rear their ugly heads. Unable to keep from fouling, The Warriors put Central Noble in the bonus just two minutes into the second quarter. The Lady Cougars would take advantage, ripping off a 14-3 run led by Madison Vice, who would score six straight points for Central Noble en route to a 17-point performance. A couple of buckets in the final minute would bring Wawasee closer, and the team would go into the halftime locker room trailing by one.

The offensive struggles would continue in the third quarter for the Warriors, as the team managed just five points in the quarter. Three of those points would come in the final 30 seconds of the period. Wawasee would inch back closer in the final period, but were unable to retake the lead at any point.

“They didn’t trap us, they didn’t pressure us, half the time we would just throw them the ball,” Carpenter said. “Credit to them for making adjustments but we still have to be better.

Wawasee plays its next game Dec. 30 when the Warriors will host the Wawasee classic.