Some people already think that Tom Krizmanich's legs are bionic with that way he can jump.

Now, his head proved to be just as solid. Less than a week after hitting his head on the court against Valparaiso and missing two days of practice because of it, Krizmanich bounced back nicely against South Bend Clay in the second game of the Warsaw Holiday Tournament Friday.

The Tigers' leading scorer this season scored 24 points on 9-of-11 shooting to lead Warsaw to a 60-53 win over the Colonials and into the championship game against South Bend Washington (an 82-81 winner over South Bend Riley).

Krizmanich especially stepped up big for the Tigers in the fourth quarter when he hit 3-of-3 from the field and 2-of-4 at the charity stripe.

Tyler Charlton added 16 points, 11 in the fourth.

Krizmanich and Charlton helped to awake a sleeping Tiger offense that had accounted for only 32 points through three quarters of play, but got 28 in the fourth quarter alone.

"In the first half, we just had too many turnovers," Warsaw coach Al Rhodes said. "It is not basketball skill, it is just decision making. In the second half, we cut down on the turnovers and added some outside shooting. Tyler Charlton and Tom Krizmanich were big in terms of that. Tom went wild on the baseline, and that brought the game home."

Warsaw protected its slim lead in the fourth quarter by hitting 13 of 19 free throws.

After opening up a 17-12 lead after the first quarter, both offenses went into hibernation for the middle two quarters, combining for 35 points and ended in a 32-32 tie after three quarters.

Warsaw took a 43-34 lead as Charlton and Krizmanich combined to hit 5-of-5 from the field. Clay cut the margin to four points, 57-53, as Lincoln Glass scored 10 of his 12 points, most coming on slashing layups.

But P.J. Wiley hit a free throw and Charlton took a long pass and clinched the game with a layup in the final seconds.

"It is where you are trying to back off, and they put their heads down and come at you," Rhodes said. "They hit a couple of threes against us, and that pulled us out of our zone, and they were able to dribble penetrate."

After meeting the championship game of this tournament the past two seasons, it was a different feel as these two teams met in the semifinals.

Not just because it wasn't for the championship, but always because this matchup usually had the added meeting of watching Clay's Jaraan Cornell and Warsaw's Kevin Ault go at it in classic duels.

But Cornell is starting for Purdue, and Ault is doing the same for Southwest Missouri State.

"It was certainly team against team," Rhodes said. "Clay is a very good 2-7 team. They have been right there in games. It is a road of hard knocks for them."

Clay, now also without head coach Tom DeBaets, is in the midst of a seven-game losing streak.

The Tigers will now be in the championship game for the third straight year, every year that it has been at Warsaw.

"This group will respond to the challenge, and we are certainly look forward to the opportunity in the championship game," Rhodes said. "We have some negatives that we have to keep working on. We have to get rid of some of those before tomorrow (tonight). South Bend Washington is a tremendous team with a great deal of athletic ability. We certainly have our work cut out for us."

Clay and Riley will play at 6 p.m. tonight in the consolation game, while Washington and Warsaw will play in the title game at 8 p.m.

SB Washington 82, SB Riley 81

Washington got a measure of revenge over Riley when Jamal Henry nailed a three-pointer with five seconds left to give Washington the win in the first game of the tourney.

Earlier this year, Cephus Phillips hit a last-second jumper to beat Washington.

Cedric Moodie led Washington with 31 points and 11 rebounds.

Riley was paced by Tony Echols, who hit 14-of-18 shots for 34 points and added 11 rebounds.

Riley is 5-2, while Washington is 6-2. [[In-content Ad]]