NLC Title On The Line When Rivals Warsaw, Plymouth Meet
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
Ogle knows the last four NLC championships have been won with a 7-0 record.
Warsaw’s veteran hoops coach is also quick to point out the last four NLC titles were won by four different teams.
When they host rival Plymouth Friday night, Ogle’s Tigers, the reigning conference champions, have a chance to do something that hasn’t been done in nearly a quarter of a century.
A win over the Pilgrims, and Class 4A No. 4 Warsaw will go undefeated in the NLC in two consecutive seasons.
The Tigers are the last team to win back-to-back league titles, doing so in 2010 and 2011, but were 13-1 against NLC opponents.
The last team to run the conference table in consecutive seasons?
Yes, the Warsaw Tigers, who were 6-0 in both 1994 and 1995 with coach Al Rhodes.
Elkhart Memorial joined the conference during the 2000-01 school year, bumping the NLC from seven to eight teams.
“We’re in a position where we can have back-to-back NLC championships by ourselves, and not only that, but to have not lost any games,” said Ogle, who is looking for his fifth conference championship in his 14th season at the helm of Warsaw’s tradition-rich program.
“To go unbeaten in the NLC in two consecutive seasons would be special. I would consider that a pretty good accomplishment.”
The Tigers enter Friday’s showdown with the best record in the state at 18-0 overall and 6-0 in the NLC.
Class 3A No. 1 Tipton entered Tuesday’s game against Eastern with a 14-0 record, but lost 65-57.
Plymouth has won nine of its last 10 games and is 14-4 overall and 5-1 in conference play.
NorthWood, ranked third in this week’s 3A poll, is also 5-1 in the league standings, with the loss being a 51-35 setback to Warsaw on Jan. 29 in Nappanee.
Plymouth’s only NLC blemish this season is a 75-57 loss to NorthWood on Dec. 18 in Nappanee.
“With Plymouth’s team, this is certainly a losable game for us, and we know that,” said Ogle. “They’ve got inside scoring with Josh Anders, who’s averaging about 16 points per game. They have a very good point guard in Nick Felke, who’s averaging 15 points per game. And they have two other guys who can make three-pointers. They have balance on offense.
“I know that our players are highly-motivated. I think it’s safe to say that Plymouth’s players will also be highly-motivated.”
Plymouth is the last team to beat Warsaw in NLC action, topping the Tigers 38-31 on Feb. 13, 2014.
The Pilgrims would love nothing more than to score another win in the Tiger Den and earn a share of the conference crown.
“Our strength is our leadership,” said fifth-year Plymouth coach Ryan Bales. “Our seniors and captains have done an outstanding job, especially since Christmas, of getting us to play at a higher level. We have continued to get better each week, which is a huge key this time of year.
“We feel a lot of teams peak in January because the season begins to wear on you, as it is such a long season. But we have really pushed them to get better each and every week, which has led to a great run for us as of late. As a whole, we have had many of our players step up their game, and that has helped put us in the position we are in. We are glad to get this shot and that we are in this position. I expect a hard-fought game from both teams.”
Not only is Friday’s contest a conference championship game, it’s also another installment in one of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in the state, no matter the sport.
In terms of boys basketball, Warsaw and Plymouth first met during the 1913-14 season, with the Pilgrims winning 33-10.
The two teams have since met 135 times.
The Tigers own a record of 80-56 in the all-time series against Plymouth.
The two schools have produced NBA players Scott Skiles and Rick Fox, hall of fame coaches Jack Edison and Al Rhodes, and multiple state championships.
For many, there’s just something special about Warsaw and Plymouth squaring off.
“I’m glad this game is back on a Friday night ... for a while it was on a Thursday night,” said Ogle. “It’s been a while since it actually meant something. When I was the JV coach for Coach Rhodes, for a lot of years the conference championship came down to the game with Plymouth. And then my second year as the varsity coach, they came here and we beat them on a last-second shot ... Michael Wienhorst made a shot that made us conference champs. That was really the last one between Warsaw and Plymouth that was like this, and that would have been in 2004.
“It’s back on a Friday night, both teams are good, there should be a big crowd. It just feels right again.”
Though he played his prep hoops career at North Judson, and has only been the coach at Plymouth five years, Bales is well aware of the rivalry between the Tigers and Pilgrims.
“I think of all the great players, coaches and teams that have been a part of these programs over the years,” said Bales, who is 3-1 against Warsaw. “I am nowhere near the level of a coach like Coach Edison. He helped make this rivalry very special because of the program he built here at Plymouth.
“Coach Ogle has done an outstanding job of carrying on the Warsaw tradition that was built by Coach Rhodes and so many great players and teams of years past. I think it’s great that this game is now on a Friday night.”
To go with Anders’ 16 points per game, as well as Felke’s 15, Cam Eveland scores nearly eight points per game for the Pilgrims, while Jack Barron and Matt Friar add six per contest.
The Tigers are led by the backcourt duo of junior Kyle Mangas and senior Paul Marandet.
Mangas makes 52 percent of his field goal attempts overall, 43 percent of this three-pointers and 80 percent of his free throws en route to 19 points per game.
In his third season as Warsaw’s starting point guard, Marandet has hit 51 percent of his shot attempts, as well as 83 percent of his charity tosses, and averages 12 points and 4.5 assists per game.
Senior Riley Rhoades and junior Jeremy David both average five points per game for the Tigers, while senior Evan Schmidt chips in with four.
One of the key ingredients to Warsaw’s success this season has been its defense.
The Tigers, who score an average of 55 points per game, are giving up just 40 points per game and have held 11 of their opponents to 39 or fewer points.
Plymouth scores 58 points per game and gives up 47.[[In-content Ad]]
Ogle knows the last four NLC championships have been won with a 7-0 record.
Warsaw’s veteran hoops coach is also quick to point out the last four NLC titles were won by four different teams.
When they host rival Plymouth Friday night, Ogle’s Tigers, the reigning conference champions, have a chance to do something that hasn’t been done in nearly a quarter of a century.
A win over the Pilgrims, and Class 4A No. 4 Warsaw will go undefeated in the NLC in two consecutive seasons.
The Tigers are the last team to win back-to-back league titles, doing so in 2010 and 2011, but were 13-1 against NLC opponents.
The last team to run the conference table in consecutive seasons?
Yes, the Warsaw Tigers, who were 6-0 in both 1994 and 1995 with coach Al Rhodes.
Elkhart Memorial joined the conference during the 2000-01 school year, bumping the NLC from seven to eight teams.
“We’re in a position where we can have back-to-back NLC championships by ourselves, and not only that, but to have not lost any games,” said Ogle, who is looking for his fifth conference championship in his 14th season at the helm of Warsaw’s tradition-rich program.
“To go unbeaten in the NLC in two consecutive seasons would be special. I would consider that a pretty good accomplishment.”
The Tigers enter Friday’s showdown with the best record in the state at 18-0 overall and 6-0 in the NLC.
Class 3A No. 1 Tipton entered Tuesday’s game against Eastern with a 14-0 record, but lost 65-57.
Plymouth has won nine of its last 10 games and is 14-4 overall and 5-1 in conference play.
NorthWood, ranked third in this week’s 3A poll, is also 5-1 in the league standings, with the loss being a 51-35 setback to Warsaw on Jan. 29 in Nappanee.
Plymouth’s only NLC blemish this season is a 75-57 loss to NorthWood on Dec. 18 in Nappanee.
“With Plymouth’s team, this is certainly a losable game for us, and we know that,” said Ogle. “They’ve got inside scoring with Josh Anders, who’s averaging about 16 points per game. They have a very good point guard in Nick Felke, who’s averaging 15 points per game. And they have two other guys who can make three-pointers. They have balance on offense.
“I know that our players are highly-motivated. I think it’s safe to say that Plymouth’s players will also be highly-motivated.”
Plymouth is the last team to beat Warsaw in NLC action, topping the Tigers 38-31 on Feb. 13, 2014.
The Pilgrims would love nothing more than to score another win in the Tiger Den and earn a share of the conference crown.
“Our strength is our leadership,” said fifth-year Plymouth coach Ryan Bales. “Our seniors and captains have done an outstanding job, especially since Christmas, of getting us to play at a higher level. We have continued to get better each week, which is a huge key this time of year.
“We feel a lot of teams peak in January because the season begins to wear on you, as it is such a long season. But we have really pushed them to get better each and every week, which has led to a great run for us as of late. As a whole, we have had many of our players step up their game, and that has helped put us in the position we are in. We are glad to get this shot and that we are in this position. I expect a hard-fought game from both teams.”
Not only is Friday’s contest a conference championship game, it’s also another installment in one of the oldest and fiercest rivalries in the state, no matter the sport.
In terms of boys basketball, Warsaw and Plymouth first met during the 1913-14 season, with the Pilgrims winning 33-10.
The two teams have since met 135 times.
The Tigers own a record of 80-56 in the all-time series against Plymouth.
The two schools have produced NBA players Scott Skiles and Rick Fox, hall of fame coaches Jack Edison and Al Rhodes, and multiple state championships.
For many, there’s just something special about Warsaw and Plymouth squaring off.
“I’m glad this game is back on a Friday night ... for a while it was on a Thursday night,” said Ogle. “It’s been a while since it actually meant something. When I was the JV coach for Coach Rhodes, for a lot of years the conference championship came down to the game with Plymouth. And then my second year as the varsity coach, they came here and we beat them on a last-second shot ... Michael Wienhorst made a shot that made us conference champs. That was really the last one between Warsaw and Plymouth that was like this, and that would have been in 2004.
“It’s back on a Friday night, both teams are good, there should be a big crowd. It just feels right again.”
Though he played his prep hoops career at North Judson, and has only been the coach at Plymouth five years, Bales is well aware of the rivalry between the Tigers and Pilgrims.
“I think of all the great players, coaches and teams that have been a part of these programs over the years,” said Bales, who is 3-1 against Warsaw. “I am nowhere near the level of a coach like Coach Edison. He helped make this rivalry very special because of the program he built here at Plymouth.
“Coach Ogle has done an outstanding job of carrying on the Warsaw tradition that was built by Coach Rhodes and so many great players and teams of years past. I think it’s great that this game is now on a Friday night.”
To go with Anders’ 16 points per game, as well as Felke’s 15, Cam Eveland scores nearly eight points per game for the Pilgrims, while Jack Barron and Matt Friar add six per contest.
The Tigers are led by the backcourt duo of junior Kyle Mangas and senior Paul Marandet.
Mangas makes 52 percent of his field goal attempts overall, 43 percent of this three-pointers and 80 percent of his free throws en route to 19 points per game.
In his third season as Warsaw’s starting point guard, Marandet has hit 51 percent of his shot attempts, as well as 83 percent of his charity tosses, and averages 12 points and 4.5 assists per game.
Senior Riley Rhoades and junior Jeremy David both average five points per game for the Tigers, while senior Evan Schmidt chips in with four.
One of the key ingredients to Warsaw’s success this season has been its defense.
The Tigers, who score an average of 55 points per game, are giving up just 40 points per game and have held 11 of their opponents to 39 or fewer points.
Plymouth scores 58 points per game and gives up 47.[[In-content Ad]]
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