Giants Stand Tall Against Warsaw
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
In games where Warsaw's boys basketball team has faced an opponent with a No.1 state ranking, coach Al Rhodes owns a 3-1 record.
The "1" came Friday in the form of a 70-62 decision at home to Marion, also ranked third nationally in the USA Today high school poll.
The loss drops Warsaw's overall season record to 10-4. Marion, which currently owns the state's longest winning streak, improves to 16-0.
With last night's win, the Giants have won five of its last six games with Warsaw. The Tigers hosted and upset top-ranked Marion 55-52 in 1986, giving Rhodes his 100th coaching victory and snapping the Giants' 40-game win streak.
With all this information, last night's confrontation carried with it the atmosphere of a huge game. How huge?
Huge enough for three radio stations, at least three television crews, varsity basketball players from Wawasee and Concord high schools, as well as Grace College players, and former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, to be in attendance.
"This is the best of all of them," said former Manchester, now Marion coach, Moe Smedley when asked of last night's atmosphere. "I can't think of a place any more vocal. They keep bringing up '86."
Smedley is now 3-0 when coaching against Rhodes.
The Giants jumped out to a 6-2 lead, but 6-foot-4 senior Chris Wiggins connected on a three-point attempt to bring Warsaw within one with 4:55 remaining in the opening quarter.
Wiggins made good on four three-point attempts in the game and led the Tigers in the scoring column with 19 points on 7-of-18 shooting. He also pulled down five boards and made three steals. Senior Zach Nelson added 14 points and three rebounds. Senior Ross Kesler chipped in with 11 points, four rebounds and seven assists.
The Giants were led by 6'8', Michigan State-bound Zach Randolph's 34 points and 14 rebounds. Randolph's scoring output last night was a career high. Randolph's career high in rebounds is 26, in a game last year against Richmond.
Asked where Randolph would rank among players he's coached against, Rhodes said: "Probably one of the best because of his stature and physical sense. He found the open man two or three times early. He had a nice game."
Randolph has posted a double-double in 51 of 75 career games.
Marion also got double digit scoring from sophomore Allen Miller, who scored 12 on 6-of-7 shooting.
Marion's roster consists of four players at 6'4' or taller. The Tigers, on the other hand, have four players under 6'4' on the roster.
Randolph spent most of the night guarded by the 6'6' Nelson.
"They're about the tallest team we've played," said Randolph. "They're a very big team, and they're a very good team."
After the scored was knotted at 14 after one quarter of play, the Giants jumped out to a 19-15 lead, but again a Wiggins three brought the Tigers back.
Until a Randolph field goal with 49 seconds remaining in the first half pushed Marion's advantage to 36-28, The Tigers never trailed by more than six.
Warsaw trailed 38-30 at the half.
"We had a let down in the second quarter that allowed Marion to get ahead," said Rhodes. "That's why they were up eight at halftime."
The Giants were up by as much as 13 (45-32) in the third quarter before taking a 10-point lead into the final frame.
Randolph was 4 of 4 from the field in the fourth quarter. He also pulled down five boards in the final eight minutes.
"Our game plan was to go to him as much as we could," said Smedley of Randolph. "I thought he did a good job. Give the kid credit, he got tired a couple of times. (Todd) Chin had a couple of good passes to him. Unselfish play, that's why we're 16-0."
Said Rhodes: "We couldn't stop Randolph whether we had one guy on him or if we were double-teaming him, especially in that last stretch."
Warsaw never got closer than six in the fourth quarter, but did out score the Giants 17-15 in the final frame.
"All in all I thought our defense was pretty solid," said Smedley. "Offensively we got a double-digit lead and couldn't finish. Al's kids don't quit."
Warsaw is only the third team this year to lose to Marion by as few as 10 points.
"I was proud of the fact that we battled hard," said Rhodes. "I was concerned about the rebounding aspect. We tried very hard in that area."
Warsaw outrebounded Marion 26-25.
The Tigers will be in action tonight at Elkhart Memorial.
"We have to pick ourselves up and play Memorial, a potential sectional opponent," said Rhodes. "It'll be a test of character for our team tommorrow."
MARION 70, WARSAW 62
Marion 14 24 17 15 - 70
Warsaw 14 16 15 17 - 62
Marion FG FT S R Pts.
Randolph (C) 16-23 2-5 14 0 34
McClung 2-5 2-2 1 1 6
Chin (G) 2-3 4-4 2 0 8
Nevels (G) 2-2 1-3 1 1 5
Miller (F) 6-7 0-1 3 2 12
Backs (F) 1-5 2-2 3 4 5
Totals 29-45 11-17 25 8 70
Warsaw FG FT S R Pts.
B. Seiss (G) 2-3 0-1 1 3 4
Martin 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Buck (F) 5-9 0-2 6 0 10
Wiggins (G) 7-18 1-2 5 2 19
Henthorn 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Walmer 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Kesler (F) 5-6 1-2 4 0 11
Finnegan 1-5 2-2 5 0 4
Rhodes 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
G. Seiss 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Nelson (C) 5-9 4-4 3 0 14
Totals 25-50 8-13 26 5 62
Three-point goals - Marion 1 (Backs), Warsaw 4 (Wiggins 4). Turnovers - Marion 11, Warsaw 11. Fouls - Marion 14, Warsaw 18. Fouled out - Kesler, Buck.
JV: Warsaw 53, Marion 42 [[In-content Ad]]
In games where Warsaw's boys basketball team has faced an opponent with a No.1 state ranking, coach Al Rhodes owns a 3-1 record.
The "1" came Friday in the form of a 70-62 decision at home to Marion, also ranked third nationally in the USA Today high school poll.
The loss drops Warsaw's overall season record to 10-4. Marion, which currently owns the state's longest winning streak, improves to 16-0.
With last night's win, the Giants have won five of its last six games with Warsaw. The Tigers hosted and upset top-ranked Marion 55-52 in 1986, giving Rhodes his 100th coaching victory and snapping the Giants' 40-game win streak.
With all this information, last night's confrontation carried with it the atmosphere of a huge game. How huge?
Huge enough for three radio stations, at least three television crews, varsity basketball players from Wawasee and Concord high schools, as well as Grace College players, and former Los Angeles Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, to be in attendance.
"This is the best of all of them," said former Manchester, now Marion coach, Moe Smedley when asked of last night's atmosphere. "I can't think of a place any more vocal. They keep bringing up '86."
Smedley is now 3-0 when coaching against Rhodes.
The Giants jumped out to a 6-2 lead, but 6-foot-4 senior Chris Wiggins connected on a three-point attempt to bring Warsaw within one with 4:55 remaining in the opening quarter.
Wiggins made good on four three-point attempts in the game and led the Tigers in the scoring column with 19 points on 7-of-18 shooting. He also pulled down five boards and made three steals. Senior Zach Nelson added 14 points and three rebounds. Senior Ross Kesler chipped in with 11 points, four rebounds and seven assists.
The Giants were led by 6'8', Michigan State-bound Zach Randolph's 34 points and 14 rebounds. Randolph's scoring output last night was a career high. Randolph's career high in rebounds is 26, in a game last year against Richmond.
Asked where Randolph would rank among players he's coached against, Rhodes said: "Probably one of the best because of his stature and physical sense. He found the open man two or three times early. He had a nice game."
Randolph has posted a double-double in 51 of 75 career games.
Marion also got double digit scoring from sophomore Allen Miller, who scored 12 on 6-of-7 shooting.
Marion's roster consists of four players at 6'4' or taller. The Tigers, on the other hand, have four players under 6'4' on the roster.
Randolph spent most of the night guarded by the 6'6' Nelson.
"They're about the tallest team we've played," said Randolph. "They're a very big team, and they're a very good team."
After the scored was knotted at 14 after one quarter of play, the Giants jumped out to a 19-15 lead, but again a Wiggins three brought the Tigers back.
Until a Randolph field goal with 49 seconds remaining in the first half pushed Marion's advantage to 36-28, The Tigers never trailed by more than six.
Warsaw trailed 38-30 at the half.
"We had a let down in the second quarter that allowed Marion to get ahead," said Rhodes. "That's why they were up eight at halftime."
The Giants were up by as much as 13 (45-32) in the third quarter before taking a 10-point lead into the final frame.
Randolph was 4 of 4 from the field in the fourth quarter. He also pulled down five boards in the final eight minutes.
"Our game plan was to go to him as much as we could," said Smedley of Randolph. "I thought he did a good job. Give the kid credit, he got tired a couple of times. (Todd) Chin had a couple of good passes to him. Unselfish play, that's why we're 16-0."
Said Rhodes: "We couldn't stop Randolph whether we had one guy on him or if we were double-teaming him, especially in that last stretch."
Warsaw never got closer than six in the fourth quarter, but did out score the Giants 17-15 in the final frame.
"All in all I thought our defense was pretty solid," said Smedley. "Offensively we got a double-digit lead and couldn't finish. Al's kids don't quit."
Warsaw is only the third team this year to lose to Marion by as few as 10 points.
"I was proud of the fact that we battled hard," said Rhodes. "I was concerned about the rebounding aspect. We tried very hard in that area."
Warsaw outrebounded Marion 26-25.
The Tigers will be in action tonight at Elkhart Memorial.
"We have to pick ourselves up and play Memorial, a potential sectional opponent," said Rhodes. "It'll be a test of character for our team tommorrow."
MARION 70, WARSAW 62
Marion 14 24 17 15 - 70
Warsaw 14 16 15 17 - 62
Marion FG FT S R Pts.
Randolph (C) 16-23 2-5 14 0 34
McClung 2-5 2-2 1 1 6
Chin (G) 2-3 4-4 2 0 8
Nevels (G) 2-2 1-3 1 1 5
Miller (F) 6-7 0-1 3 2 12
Backs (F) 1-5 2-2 3 4 5
Totals 29-45 11-17 25 8 70
Warsaw FG FT S R Pts.
B. Seiss (G) 2-3 0-1 1 3 4
Martin 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Buck (F) 5-9 0-2 6 0 10
Wiggins (G) 7-18 1-2 5 2 19
Henthorn 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Walmer 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Kesler (F) 5-6 1-2 4 0 11
Finnegan 1-5 2-2 5 0 4
Rhodes 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
G. Seiss 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Nelson (C) 5-9 4-4 3 0 14
Totals 25-50 8-13 26 5 62
Three-point goals - Marion 1 (Backs), Warsaw 4 (Wiggins 4). Turnovers - Marion 11, Warsaw 11. Fouls - Marion 14, Warsaw 18. Fouled out - Kesler, Buck.
JV: Warsaw 53, Marion 42 [[In-content Ad]]