Eagles Chill Tigers
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
The trend held true.
In the war known as the Columbia City-Warsaw girls' basketball rivalry, the team that wins the regular season battle and enters the sectional as the more experienced, higher-regarded team is the one that tends to come out as the loser in the postseason.
The Eagles, with only two starters back from last year, avenged a pair of one-point losses to the Tigers (58-57 in last year's sectional and 45-44 in this year's regular season) with a 54-39 win in the semifinals of the Warsaw Sectional Thursday.
With four starters back from last year's sectional championship team, it was Warsaw that was expecting big things this year and with a young team, it was Columbia City that looked to be rebuilding this season.
That fits the profile to a tee.
The Eagles did it this year by changing their style of play, and their players reacted to it perfectly. Columbia City, more of a pressing, three-pointing shooting type of team in the past, went to a more physical, halfcourt defensive game this year. It paid dividends against the Tigers as Columbia City held Warsaw to 16 of 52 (31 percent) shooting from the field.
"It goes back to the first four weeks of practice, we put it in these kids' heads that we could be the best defensive team anywhere," Columbia City coach Wayne Kreiger said. "When you hold a Warsaw team to 39 points on its floor, I don't care who you are, you have to be awfully proud. Because that team is not that bad of a basketball team. In terms of their size and what we had to contend with, they had us outsized probably 2 inches minimum a kid."
Warsaw coach Will Wienhorst saw things just a bit differently. The Eagles' defense was good, but the shots the Tigers were getting just wouldn't fall.
"We got into big-time foul trouble early," Wienhorst said. "But we took the ball to the hole and got some offensive fouls, but that is what we have to do. I told them that they did the things they had to do, but the shots just didn't fall."
Warsaw fell behind quickly 17-6 by making only 2 of 11 shots from the field in the first quarter. Things started to get better for the Tigers, and brought the margin to one, 23-22, before Cory Stahl's three-pointer in the closing seconds made it 26-22.
The Tigers knew they had to correct only one major thing at halftime - shooting. Warsaw hit on 10 of 26 (38 percent) in the first half, including 4 of 14 (29 percent) in the first quarter.
Warsaw didn't fare much better in the third period, hitting on 3 of 11 in the quarter and fell further and further behind. It was 40-29 entering the fourth quarter when the Tigers resorted to trying to trap the Eagles at halfcourt. Not generally regarded as a quick team, the Tigers ended up getting called for more fouls than getting steals.
Columbia City made 12 of 16 free throws in the fourth quarter to preserve the win.
"I looked at halftime and asked, how did we get down? We just missed our shots," Wienhorst said. "That is what we talked about at halftime. There was no blatant thing they we were doing wrong. We knew that would be a key in the third quarter, and we just came out and missed our shots again. They just wouldn't fall. Those were shots we hit all year long.
"We are not a trapping team," he said. "We don't have much team speed. We have to do the things that we do. When we get down 8-10 points, and especially when teams hold it like they did, it is a long way to go."
On the night, Warsaw was whistled for 26 fouls compared to 13 for Columbia City, sending the Eagles to the line 30 times to 11 for Warsaw. The Eagles outscored the Tigers 20-7 at the charity stripe.
"We adjusted to the style of play, it was real physical," Kreiger said. "Then we came out in a situation where we wanted to protect the lead, they came out in the halfcourt trap, and all we did was adjust and make them have to foul us. We stepped up and hit free throws tonight. Those are things we can do to hurt people."
Out for the Eagles this season was the three-point bombs of Jamie Holderman and in was the inside play of junior Erica Schory (15 points vs. Warsaw) and freshman Connie Myers (10 points). It just took the young Eagles a while to finally figure out what Kreiger was trying to show them. Early in the season, Columbia City had tough losses to Churubusco and Warsaw, but showed it was peaking at the right time by beating Huntington North late in the regular season.
"When you are in the situation where you have two starters back, and we were changing our style of play, we knew there were going to be some lumps," Kreiger said. "I told the kids you have to believe in what I am telling you and it was make us the best team we can be. I think they have stayed with it and seen it develop."
The Tigers were led by sophomore Katie Elliott, who had 10 points and eight rebounds. Columbia City held Warsaw's leading scorer Tiffany Ross to only four points, 10 points below her season average.
The Tigers ended a promising season with a 13-7 record and a disappointing loss way before most people had expected them to stop playing.
The future for the rivalry between Columbia City and Warsaw remains unclear with the emergence of class basketball next year. Warsaw leads the all-time series between the two teams, 16-15. In the postseason, it is all knotted up at 6-6. This game mark the 11th straight year the two teams have met in the postseason.
"My hat's off to Columbia City," Wienhorst said. "We have had some great rivalries. It is a situation where the state is going to take a great rivalry away. This is a game people like to see.
"It is very disappointing because we felt we could have won this basketball game," he said "I know you look at the scoreboard and you are not playing again, but we have come a long way. I told them that if you are going to lose to go out fighting and take away from the other team."
Wienhorst, who has been under some heat this year, vows he wants to remain at Warsaw although his future is also unclear.
"I want to stay here," he said. "I am not thrilled about the class system, but I want to coach here. I am looking forward to a strong team next year. I plan on coaching here next year."
Columbia City (15-6) faces Churubusco, a 54-40 winner over Argos, in the championship game Saturday at 7:30 p.m. [[In-content Ad]]
The trend held true.
In the war known as the Columbia City-Warsaw girls' basketball rivalry, the team that wins the regular season battle and enters the sectional as the more experienced, higher-regarded team is the one that tends to come out as the loser in the postseason.
The Eagles, with only two starters back from last year, avenged a pair of one-point losses to the Tigers (58-57 in last year's sectional and 45-44 in this year's regular season) with a 54-39 win in the semifinals of the Warsaw Sectional Thursday.
With four starters back from last year's sectional championship team, it was Warsaw that was expecting big things this year and with a young team, it was Columbia City that looked to be rebuilding this season.
That fits the profile to a tee.
The Eagles did it this year by changing their style of play, and their players reacted to it perfectly. Columbia City, more of a pressing, three-pointing shooting type of team in the past, went to a more physical, halfcourt defensive game this year. It paid dividends against the Tigers as Columbia City held Warsaw to 16 of 52 (31 percent) shooting from the field.
"It goes back to the first four weeks of practice, we put it in these kids' heads that we could be the best defensive team anywhere," Columbia City coach Wayne Kreiger said. "When you hold a Warsaw team to 39 points on its floor, I don't care who you are, you have to be awfully proud. Because that team is not that bad of a basketball team. In terms of their size and what we had to contend with, they had us outsized probably 2 inches minimum a kid."
Warsaw coach Will Wienhorst saw things just a bit differently. The Eagles' defense was good, but the shots the Tigers were getting just wouldn't fall.
"We got into big-time foul trouble early," Wienhorst said. "But we took the ball to the hole and got some offensive fouls, but that is what we have to do. I told them that they did the things they had to do, but the shots just didn't fall."
Warsaw fell behind quickly 17-6 by making only 2 of 11 shots from the field in the first quarter. Things started to get better for the Tigers, and brought the margin to one, 23-22, before Cory Stahl's three-pointer in the closing seconds made it 26-22.
The Tigers knew they had to correct only one major thing at halftime - shooting. Warsaw hit on 10 of 26 (38 percent) in the first half, including 4 of 14 (29 percent) in the first quarter.
Warsaw didn't fare much better in the third period, hitting on 3 of 11 in the quarter and fell further and further behind. It was 40-29 entering the fourth quarter when the Tigers resorted to trying to trap the Eagles at halfcourt. Not generally regarded as a quick team, the Tigers ended up getting called for more fouls than getting steals.
Columbia City made 12 of 16 free throws in the fourth quarter to preserve the win.
"I looked at halftime and asked, how did we get down? We just missed our shots," Wienhorst said. "That is what we talked about at halftime. There was no blatant thing they we were doing wrong. We knew that would be a key in the third quarter, and we just came out and missed our shots again. They just wouldn't fall. Those were shots we hit all year long.
"We are not a trapping team," he said. "We don't have much team speed. We have to do the things that we do. When we get down 8-10 points, and especially when teams hold it like they did, it is a long way to go."
On the night, Warsaw was whistled for 26 fouls compared to 13 for Columbia City, sending the Eagles to the line 30 times to 11 for Warsaw. The Eagles outscored the Tigers 20-7 at the charity stripe.
"We adjusted to the style of play, it was real physical," Kreiger said. "Then we came out in a situation where we wanted to protect the lead, they came out in the halfcourt trap, and all we did was adjust and make them have to foul us. We stepped up and hit free throws tonight. Those are things we can do to hurt people."
Out for the Eagles this season was the three-point bombs of Jamie Holderman and in was the inside play of junior Erica Schory (15 points vs. Warsaw) and freshman Connie Myers (10 points). It just took the young Eagles a while to finally figure out what Kreiger was trying to show them. Early in the season, Columbia City had tough losses to Churubusco and Warsaw, but showed it was peaking at the right time by beating Huntington North late in the regular season.
"When you are in the situation where you have two starters back, and we were changing our style of play, we knew there were going to be some lumps," Kreiger said. "I told the kids you have to believe in what I am telling you and it was make us the best team we can be. I think they have stayed with it and seen it develop."
The Tigers were led by sophomore Katie Elliott, who had 10 points and eight rebounds. Columbia City held Warsaw's leading scorer Tiffany Ross to only four points, 10 points below her season average.
The Tigers ended a promising season with a 13-7 record and a disappointing loss way before most people had expected them to stop playing.
The future for the rivalry between Columbia City and Warsaw remains unclear with the emergence of class basketball next year. Warsaw leads the all-time series between the two teams, 16-15. In the postseason, it is all knotted up at 6-6. This game mark the 11th straight year the two teams have met in the postseason.
"My hat's off to Columbia City," Wienhorst said. "We have had some great rivalries. It is a situation where the state is going to take a great rivalry away. This is a game people like to see.
"It is very disappointing because we felt we could have won this basketball game," he said "I know you look at the scoreboard and you are not playing again, but we have come a long way. I told them that if you are going to lose to go out fighting and take away from the other team."
Wienhorst, who has been under some heat this year, vows he wants to remain at Warsaw although his future is also unclear.
"I want to stay here," he said. "I am not thrilled about the class system, but I want to coach here. I am looking forward to a strong team next year. I plan on coaching here next year."
Columbia City (15-6) faces Churubusco, a 54-40 winner over Argos, in the championship game Saturday at 7:30 p.m. [[In-content Ad]]