Warsaw's girls basketball team went 12-8 last year.

This season the Tigers entered Christmas break with a 7-1 record, their only loss coming to Huntington North, and they have the chance to start the new year and go back to school with a 9-1 record.

Warsaw will host its 21st Tiger Tournament Saturday with Mount Vernon (Fortville), Indianapolis Perry Meridian and Valparaiso.

"In this tournament there's usually two teams that are ranked and it's wide open," said Warsaw coach Will Wienhorst. "You could play one day and play again the next day and have a different winner. Valparaiso is the highest ranked and Mount Vernon knocked off Connersville, a previous No. 1."

True to form, there are two ranked teams in the tournament. Valparaiso brings to the table a class 4A No. 3 ranking and an unblemished 10-0 record. Perry Meridian comes in with a 9-2 record and a class 4A No. 8 ranking.

The Tigers are promised to face one of the ranked teams in the second round, and who it'll be won't be known until Saturday afternoon, but Wienhorst knows Warsaw's first- and second-round opponents have drastically different styles.

"It's unique," said Wienhorst. "In the first game we have Mount Vernon and they're more guard- oriented and scrappy. Whoever we play or wherever we're at in the second game, they'll be more inside-oriented. We have two different looks to prepare for."

The Tigers themselves bring to the table two different looks.

As a team, Warsaw shoots nearly 40 percent from the floor. They've made 42.7 percent (138-323) of their shots from two-point range and shoot 29.1 percent (28-96) beyond the three-point line.

The Tigers are led by 6-foot-2 senior center Katie Elliott's 17.4 points and 9.5 rebounds per game. The rest of the starting lineup, consisting of Jenna Rooney, Sara Parker, Jessica Zaugg and Kara Kesler, combines for 19.8 points and 16.8 rebounds per game.

If what Wienhorst said is true, that the second-round game will be inside-oriented, rebounding will be an important factor.

The Tigers pull down an average of 41.8 caroms per game and outrebound their opponents by seven boards a game.

A Tiger Tournament championship would be the 10th for Warsaw. The last came in 1991.

TIGER TOURNAMENT

Girls Basketball

Saturday

Warsaw (7-1) vs. Mount Vernon (7-2), 10 a.m.

No. 3 Valparaiso (10-0) vs. No. 8 Perry Meridian (9-2), 11:45 a.m.

Consolation game, 6 p.m.

Championship game, 8 p.m.

Cost: $6, all games; $4 per session

Warsaw results in the 1990s

Year, first-round score, second-round score

1998: Perry Meridian 48, Warsaw 27; Warsaw 49, Mount Vernon 45

1997: Mount Vernon 55, Warsaw 53; Valparaiso 57, Warsaw 36

1996: Valparaiso 59, Warsaw 26; Mount Vernon 60, Warsaw 41

1995: Warsaw 61, Elkhart Memorial 11; Valparaiso 61, Warsaw 47

1994: Warsaw 67, Mount Vernon 52; Valparaiso 45, Warsaw 39

1993: Valparaiso 35, Warsaw 34; Warsaw 54, Penn 20

1992: Warsaw 69, Penn 35; Valparaiso 55, Warsaw 39

1991: Warsaw 55, Mount Vernon 24; Warsaw 54, Valparaiso 42

1990: Warsaw 73, Mishawaka 16; Warsaw 57, Valparaiso 56

Tiger Tournament Champions

1979 - Warsaw

1980 - Warsaw

1981 - FW North

1982 - FW North

1983 - Valparaiso

1984 - Warsaw

1985 - Valparaiso

1986 - Warsaw

1987 - Warsaw

1988 - Warsaw

1989 - Warsaw

1990 - Warsaw

1991 - Warsaw

1992 - Valparaiso

1993 - Valparaiso

1994 - Valparaiso

1995 - Valparaiso

1996 - Valparaiso

1997 - Perry Meridian

1998 - Valparaiso

1998-1999 Warsaw statistics

Warsaw individual leaders

Points per game - Katie Elliott 17.4, Jenna Rooney 8.3, Christy Colt 7.9, Hilary O'Connell 6.9, Sara Parker 5.0, Nerecia Taylor 5.0, Jessica Zaugg 4.0, Kara Kesler 2.5, Laura Overton 2.0, Janelle Kessler 2.0, Rachel Conley 1.2, Kyla Stanley 1.0, Ashley Cavert 0.5

Rebounds per game - Elliott 9.5, Rooney 6.9, Taylor 6.6, Parker 6.5

Assists per game - O'Connell 2.4, Colt 2.1, Zaugg 2.0, Kesler 1.9

Warsaw team stats

Warsaw points - 484 (60.5 ppg)

Opponents' points - 361 (45.1 ppg) [[In-content Ad]]