Warsaw Girls Win Physical Game At Whitko
July 28, 2016 at 4:25 p.m.
By Anthony [email protected]
In reality, the host Whitko Lady Wildcats (2-5) were whistled for 24 fouls to the Warsaw Lady Tigers' 20, while shooting just one more free throw in a 65-46 Warsaw win.[[In-content Ad]]"Warsaw and Whitko has become a big rivalry over the past couple of years," Warsaw coach Michelle Harter said about the chippiness in the game. "We knew it was going to be physical tonight. One thing we continued to talk about was keeping calm, keeping our composure out there. I thought our girls did a nice job with that."
The Lady Tigers (2-2) did keep their composure, with the climax of the physical play coming when Whitko was whistled for a flagrant foul on sophomore Jennifer Crawford-Walker late in the fourth quarter.
"These kids play hard and they aren't going to back down from anyone," Whitko coach Rob Bell said. "Warsaw has no problem playing the physical game and our kids aren't going to back down from that."
Whitko may have gone toe-to-toe with Warsaw in the physical game, but on the scoreboard, the Lady Tigers were in control.
After going back-and-forth throughout the majority of the first half, Warsaw used an 8-2 run to close the half with a 34-22 advantage.
"I thought we played them real well in the first half," Bell said. "It was about a six-point game for the most part, going back-and-forth, and then there was a three-minute stretch when we settled for the outside shot."
Whitko never got the deficit back into single digits after that, mainly because of the way Warsaw spread its offense out.
The Lady Tigers were led by junior Lauren Burish's 14 points, followed by Walker-Crawford's 10, senior Kayla Stout's nine and eight points each from freshmen Ashley Ousley and Brooklyn Harrison.
"You just never know who might step up and hit shots," Harter said about her team. "We have some girls that can hit from the outside, penetrate and that helps open it up inside for our post players."
Sporting a team with just one senior, Harter has been relying on youth, and it came through Friday in efforts from Ousley and Harrison.
"The younger girls are getting more comfortable out there," Harter said. "They're understanding the game a little bit more and it's I think it's starting to slow down for them. It is a big jump going from eighth grade to the varsity level."
Accompanying the freshmen has been sophomore Lindsay Baker, who scored just five points, but controlled the tempo of the game with six rebounds, six assists and a steal.
"Lindsay does such a great job for us defensively," Harter said. "Offensively, she gets the ball where it needs to go. Teams are keying on her, so she's not getting her open shot, but she's finding the open girl. Those assists are just like points for us."
While Warsaw was getting production from its entire roster, Whitko had 78 percent of its points come from two girls.
Junior Karissa Olinske had a game-high 23 points and classmate Micaela Sylvester netted 13 to go with her four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Scoring the 23 points, Olinske was feeling it from the outside, hitting 4 of 9 three-pointers.
"We were able to get penetration and kick it out to her," Bell said. "She was able to drop them in, and that's good. We still need to get that other outside shooter. Once we get that, we'll be pretty good."
Warsaw takes on its third Three Rivers Conference opponent of the season on Dec. 7 when the Lady Tigers travel to Class 2A No. 10 Wabash. Whitko's next opponent is Norwell on Dec. 3.
WARSAW 65, WHITKO 46
War 16 18 16 15 - 65
Whi 12 10 12 12 - 46
Warsaw - Madison Davis 2-4 0-0 4, Lauren Burish 3-3 4-6 14, Lindsay Baker 2-9 0-1 5, Kayla Stout 1-6 7-8 9, Megan Heagy 3-5 0-0 6, Ashley Ousley 3-4 1-1 8, Paige Wood 0-0 0-0 0, Eryn Leek 0-1 1-4 1, Jennifer Walker-Crawford 4-4 2-3 10, Brooklyn Harrison 3-9 2-2 8, Nikki Grose 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-45 17-25 65.
Whitko - Micaela Sylvester 4-9 5-9 13, Karissa Olinske 5-12 9-11 23, Cagney Craig 0-4 2-4 2, Nicole Slaymaker 0-3 2-2 2, Katee Reiff 0-3 0-0 0, Josie Sparks 0-1 0-0 0, Rachelle Kessie 3-5 0-0 6, Cassie Jones 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 12-38 18-26 46.
Three-point goals - Warsaw 5-9 (Burish 3, Ousley, Baker), Whitko 4-13 (Olinske 4); Team Fouls (fouled out) - Warsaw 20 (Davis), Whitko 24 (Jones); Turnovers - Warsaw 19, Whitko 24; Rebounds - Warsaw 27 (Stout 7), Whitko 24 (Kessie); Assists - Warsaw 15 (Baker 6), Whitko 7 (Sylvester 4); Steals - Warsaw 12 (Davis 5), Whitko 9 (Olinske 3); Blocks - Warsaw 0, Whitko 4 (Kessie 2); Records: Warsaw 2-2, Whitko 2-5
JV - Warsaw 37, Whitko 17
Warsaw - Kayla Snider 11, Nikki Grose 9, Melanie Holladay 7, Abby Schue 6, Ousley 2, Jordyn Walker 2
Whitko - Sparks 6, Melanie Kelsey 4, Holly Frantz 4, Bailee Juillerat 2, Jordan Hall 1
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In reality, the host Whitko Lady Wildcats (2-5) were whistled for 24 fouls to the Warsaw Lady Tigers' 20, while shooting just one more free throw in a 65-46 Warsaw win.[[In-content Ad]]"Warsaw and Whitko has become a big rivalry over the past couple of years," Warsaw coach Michelle Harter said about the chippiness in the game. "We knew it was going to be physical tonight. One thing we continued to talk about was keeping calm, keeping our composure out there. I thought our girls did a nice job with that."
The Lady Tigers (2-2) did keep their composure, with the climax of the physical play coming when Whitko was whistled for a flagrant foul on sophomore Jennifer Crawford-Walker late in the fourth quarter.
"These kids play hard and they aren't going to back down from anyone," Whitko coach Rob Bell said. "Warsaw has no problem playing the physical game and our kids aren't going to back down from that."
Whitko may have gone toe-to-toe with Warsaw in the physical game, but on the scoreboard, the Lady Tigers were in control.
After going back-and-forth throughout the majority of the first half, Warsaw used an 8-2 run to close the half with a 34-22 advantage.
"I thought we played them real well in the first half," Bell said. "It was about a six-point game for the most part, going back-and-forth, and then there was a three-minute stretch when we settled for the outside shot."
Whitko never got the deficit back into single digits after that, mainly because of the way Warsaw spread its offense out.
The Lady Tigers were led by junior Lauren Burish's 14 points, followed by Walker-Crawford's 10, senior Kayla Stout's nine and eight points each from freshmen Ashley Ousley and Brooklyn Harrison.
"You just never know who might step up and hit shots," Harter said about her team. "We have some girls that can hit from the outside, penetrate and that helps open it up inside for our post players."
Sporting a team with just one senior, Harter has been relying on youth, and it came through Friday in efforts from Ousley and Harrison.
"The younger girls are getting more comfortable out there," Harter said. "They're understanding the game a little bit more and it's I think it's starting to slow down for them. It is a big jump going from eighth grade to the varsity level."
Accompanying the freshmen has been sophomore Lindsay Baker, who scored just five points, but controlled the tempo of the game with six rebounds, six assists and a steal.
"Lindsay does such a great job for us defensively," Harter said. "Offensively, she gets the ball where it needs to go. Teams are keying on her, so she's not getting her open shot, but she's finding the open girl. Those assists are just like points for us."
While Warsaw was getting production from its entire roster, Whitko had 78 percent of its points come from two girls.
Junior Karissa Olinske had a game-high 23 points and classmate Micaela Sylvester netted 13 to go with her four rebounds, four assists and two steals.
Scoring the 23 points, Olinske was feeling it from the outside, hitting 4 of 9 three-pointers.
"We were able to get penetration and kick it out to her," Bell said. "She was able to drop them in, and that's good. We still need to get that other outside shooter. Once we get that, we'll be pretty good."
Warsaw takes on its third Three Rivers Conference opponent of the season on Dec. 7 when the Lady Tigers travel to Class 2A No. 10 Wabash. Whitko's next opponent is Norwell on Dec. 3.
WARSAW 65, WHITKO 46
War 16 18 16 15 - 65
Whi 12 10 12 12 - 46
Warsaw - Madison Davis 2-4 0-0 4, Lauren Burish 3-3 4-6 14, Lindsay Baker 2-9 0-1 5, Kayla Stout 1-6 7-8 9, Megan Heagy 3-5 0-0 6, Ashley Ousley 3-4 1-1 8, Paige Wood 0-0 0-0 0, Eryn Leek 0-1 1-4 1, Jennifer Walker-Crawford 4-4 2-3 10, Brooklyn Harrison 3-9 2-2 8, Nikki Grose 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 21-45 17-25 65.
Whitko - Micaela Sylvester 4-9 5-9 13, Karissa Olinske 5-12 9-11 23, Cagney Craig 0-4 2-4 2, Nicole Slaymaker 0-3 2-2 2, Katee Reiff 0-3 0-0 0, Josie Sparks 0-1 0-0 0, Rachelle Kessie 3-5 0-0 6, Cassie Jones 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 12-38 18-26 46.
Three-point goals - Warsaw 5-9 (Burish 3, Ousley, Baker), Whitko 4-13 (Olinske 4); Team Fouls (fouled out) - Warsaw 20 (Davis), Whitko 24 (Jones); Turnovers - Warsaw 19, Whitko 24; Rebounds - Warsaw 27 (Stout 7), Whitko 24 (Kessie); Assists - Warsaw 15 (Baker 6), Whitko 7 (Sylvester 4); Steals - Warsaw 12 (Davis 5), Whitko 9 (Olinske 3); Blocks - Warsaw 0, Whitko 4 (Kessie 2); Records: Warsaw 2-2, Whitko 2-5
JV - Warsaw 37, Whitko 17
Warsaw - Kayla Snider 11, Nikki Grose 9, Melanie Holladay 7, Abby Schue 6, Ousley 2, Jordyn Walker 2
Whitko - Sparks 6, Melanie Kelsey 4, Holly Frantz 4, Bailee Juillerat 2, Jordan Hall 1
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