Lady Tigers Extend Win Streak
January 5, 2017 at 5:22 p.m.
By Dale [email protected]
Playing for the first time in a week, Warsaw opened the 2017 portion of its schedule in fine fashion, holding the host Wabash Lady Apaches to just nine points in the second half and cruising to a 52-28 win at Coolman Gymnasium.
The Lady Tigers trailed 6-5 at one point in the first quarter, but dominated from there, as they improved to 15-1 on the season and spoiled Wabash coach Matt Stone’s birthday.
Wabash fell to 7-9 with its seventh loss in nine games.
“Defense is our calling card,” said Warsaw coach Michelle Harter. “That’s something that we can control every night. If we can come out and shut teams down if we’re struggling offensively, that’s a big plus for us because that can help maybe get us some easy offense.
“You have to be able to score, definitely, but defensively you have to be able to stop people. We talked about it last year and the girls didn’t buy into it as much, but you’re seeing this year that they’re really buying into it. They’re doing a tremendous job of playing good team defense.”
Through 15 games, the Lady Tigers are giving up an average of just 38 points per game.
Only Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, who scored 50 in Warsaw’s season opener, has scored more than 46 points against the Lady Tigers.
Wabash scored eight in the first quarter Wednesday and had 19 at halftime, but the Lady Apaches found it more difficult in the second half, scoring just four points in the third quarter and five in the fourth.
Wabash made just 10 of 30 field goal attempts in the loss, including a 3-of-14 effort in the second half.
“They’re length hurt us,” Stone said of the Lady Tigers. “We tried to drive, and I thought our girls got a little out of control driving. That’s how we play, we try to take it to the hole, try to get to the free throw line. Warsaw’s length caused us some problems. They’re athletic and they’re long, at least longer than us.
“And offensively, they have such good shooters. I thought, at times, we did ok, but then Warsaw did a good job running some people in the post and sneaking some easy ones in. And when they missed, they got offensive rebounds on the backside. That certainly hurt us. They’re good athletes, and they’re experienced basketball players.”
Warsaw outrebounded Wabash 29-21, including a 14-6 advantage on the offensive glass.
The Lady Tigers scored 14 second-chance points and 18 points off Wabash’s 14 turnovers.
Warsaw only committed eight turnovers.
Senior Dayton Groninger led the Lady Tigers with 21 points and five rebounds, while classmate Madi Graham tallied 13 points and six boards.
Junior Bailey Yoakum led Wabash with 15 points, while senior Jaycee Parrett and sophomore Tabatha Wagner finished with six and five points, respectively.
With Wednesday’s game behind them, a game that could have been viewed as a “trap” game, the Lady Tigers now turn their attention to Saturday’s big Northern Lakes Conference game at Northridge.
The Lady Raiders are 18-1 and 3-0 in the NLC.
Warsaw has played just one conference game so far, a 17-point win over Plymouth.
Though very early in the conference season, many are looking at Saturday’s showdown in Middlebury as a de facto title game.
“Saturday is going to be a big game,” said Harter. “It’s one of those games where Northridge is always a big game. We’re both playing well this year. Last year we played well the first half against them, but came out in the second half and didn’t play very well.
“We want to come out and play solid, do the things that we need to do to be successful to continue to build and get better. Yes, we want to win the conference, and this is our next stepping stone, but also getting prepared for sectional time.”
WARSAW 52, WABASH 28
War 15 19 11 7 – 52
Wab 8 11 4 5 – 28
Warsaw – Kennedy Patton 0-2 0-0 0, Page Desenberg 3-6 1-2 7, Mariah Rivera 1-1 0-0 3, Abby Glass 0-0 0-0 0, Kenzie Welk 0-2 0-0 0, Maddie Ryman 0-0 0-0 0, Miah Holsclaw 0-1 0-0 0, Dayton Groninger 8-15 1-2 21, Madi Graham 5-14 1-2 13, Kacy Bragg 2-5 2-2 6, Emma Bohnenkamper 1-1 0-0 2, Kaylee Patton 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-48 5-8 52.
Wabash – Carmen Higdon 0-1 0-0 0, Kiley Stone 0-0 0-0 0, Sabrina Wagner 0-2 0-0 0, Jaycee Parrett 2-10 2-4 6, Kaylee Graf 0-0 0-0 0, Bailey Yoakum 5-12 5-5 15, Tristan Vigar 0-0 0-0 0, Reed 0-0 0-0 0, Tabatha Wagner 2-2 1-1 5, Chelsea Archer 0-0 0-0 0.?Totals 10-30 8-10 28.
Three-pointers – Warsaw 7 (Groninger 4, Graham 2, Rivera), Wabash 0; Rebounds – Warsaw 29 (Graham 6), Wabash 21 (Parrett 4); Turnovers – Warsaw 8, Wabash 14; Fouls – Warsaw 10, Wabash 8; Fouled out – none; Records: Warsaw 15-1, Wabash 7-9
JV – Warsaw 42, Wabash 24
Warsaw – Miah Holsclaw 13, Halle Shipp 8, Maddie Ryman 8, Kenzie Martz 5, Kennedy Patton 4, Carmen Albertson 4
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Playing for the first time in a week, Warsaw opened the 2017 portion of its schedule in fine fashion, holding the host Wabash Lady Apaches to just nine points in the second half and cruising to a 52-28 win at Coolman Gymnasium.
The Lady Tigers trailed 6-5 at one point in the first quarter, but dominated from there, as they improved to 15-1 on the season and spoiled Wabash coach Matt Stone’s birthday.
Wabash fell to 7-9 with its seventh loss in nine games.
“Defense is our calling card,” said Warsaw coach Michelle Harter. “That’s something that we can control every night. If we can come out and shut teams down if we’re struggling offensively, that’s a big plus for us because that can help maybe get us some easy offense.
“You have to be able to score, definitely, but defensively you have to be able to stop people. We talked about it last year and the girls didn’t buy into it as much, but you’re seeing this year that they’re really buying into it. They’re doing a tremendous job of playing good team defense.”
Through 15 games, the Lady Tigers are giving up an average of just 38 points per game.
Only Fort Wayne Bishop Luers, who scored 50 in Warsaw’s season opener, has scored more than 46 points against the Lady Tigers.
Wabash scored eight in the first quarter Wednesday and had 19 at halftime, but the Lady Apaches found it more difficult in the second half, scoring just four points in the third quarter and five in the fourth.
Wabash made just 10 of 30 field goal attempts in the loss, including a 3-of-14 effort in the second half.
“They’re length hurt us,” Stone said of the Lady Tigers. “We tried to drive, and I thought our girls got a little out of control driving. That’s how we play, we try to take it to the hole, try to get to the free throw line. Warsaw’s length caused us some problems. They’re athletic and they’re long, at least longer than us.
“And offensively, they have such good shooters. I thought, at times, we did ok, but then Warsaw did a good job running some people in the post and sneaking some easy ones in. And when they missed, they got offensive rebounds on the backside. That certainly hurt us. They’re good athletes, and they’re experienced basketball players.”
Warsaw outrebounded Wabash 29-21, including a 14-6 advantage on the offensive glass.
The Lady Tigers scored 14 second-chance points and 18 points off Wabash’s 14 turnovers.
Warsaw only committed eight turnovers.
Senior Dayton Groninger led the Lady Tigers with 21 points and five rebounds, while classmate Madi Graham tallied 13 points and six boards.
Junior Bailey Yoakum led Wabash with 15 points, while senior Jaycee Parrett and sophomore Tabatha Wagner finished with six and five points, respectively.
With Wednesday’s game behind them, a game that could have been viewed as a “trap” game, the Lady Tigers now turn their attention to Saturday’s big Northern Lakes Conference game at Northridge.
The Lady Raiders are 18-1 and 3-0 in the NLC.
Warsaw has played just one conference game so far, a 17-point win over Plymouth.
Though very early in the conference season, many are looking at Saturday’s showdown in Middlebury as a de facto title game.
“Saturday is going to be a big game,” said Harter. “It’s one of those games where Northridge is always a big game. We’re both playing well this year. Last year we played well the first half against them, but came out in the second half and didn’t play very well.
“We want to come out and play solid, do the things that we need to do to be successful to continue to build and get better. Yes, we want to win the conference, and this is our next stepping stone, but also getting prepared for sectional time.”
WARSAW 52, WABASH 28
War 15 19 11 7 – 52
Wab 8 11 4 5 – 28
Warsaw – Kennedy Patton 0-2 0-0 0, Page Desenberg 3-6 1-2 7, Mariah Rivera 1-1 0-0 3, Abby Glass 0-0 0-0 0, Kenzie Welk 0-2 0-0 0, Maddie Ryman 0-0 0-0 0, Miah Holsclaw 0-1 0-0 0, Dayton Groninger 8-15 1-2 21, Madi Graham 5-14 1-2 13, Kacy Bragg 2-5 2-2 6, Emma Bohnenkamper 1-1 0-0 2, Kaylee Patton 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 20-48 5-8 52.
Wabash – Carmen Higdon 0-1 0-0 0, Kiley Stone 0-0 0-0 0, Sabrina Wagner 0-2 0-0 0, Jaycee Parrett 2-10 2-4 6, Kaylee Graf 0-0 0-0 0, Bailey Yoakum 5-12 5-5 15, Tristan Vigar 0-0 0-0 0, Reed 0-0 0-0 0, Tabatha Wagner 2-2 1-1 5, Chelsea Archer 0-0 0-0 0.?Totals 10-30 8-10 28.
Three-pointers – Warsaw 7 (Groninger 4, Graham 2, Rivera), Wabash 0; Rebounds – Warsaw 29 (Graham 6), Wabash 21 (Parrett 4); Turnovers – Warsaw 8, Wabash 14; Fouls – Warsaw 10, Wabash 8; Fouled out – none; Records: Warsaw 15-1, Wabash 7-9
JV – Warsaw 42, Wabash 24
Warsaw – Miah Holsclaw 13, Halle Shipp 8, Maddie Ryman 8, Kenzie Martz 5, Kennedy Patton 4, Carmen Albertson 4
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