COLUMBIA CITY - The Warsaw Tigers girls’ basketball team started Tuesday night’s contest tied at 2-2 with the Class 4A eighth-ranked Columbia City Eagles before the hosts used an 18-2 first half burst to move on to a 45-35 win, remaining undefeated at 11-0.

The difference between the two teams’ results was shooting accuracy. The Eagles steadily shot above 50% throughout each quarter, finishing the contest hitting 17 of 29 (59%) compared to the Tigers’ 10 of 32 (31%) effort. Columbia City consistently contested Warsaw’s shots and limited their guests to only eight 3-point attempts. The lone trey Warsaw hit was Bailie Stephens’s basket just before the third-period’s closing buzzer.

“We just had a conversation in the locker room,” Tiger head coach Lenny Krebs said. “When it comes to a game plan it’s pretty simple, score more than they do. We got the shots we wanted; they just didn’t fall.”

The Eagles’ 59% accuracy looked impressive on the surface, but the Tigers weren’t giving them easy transition buckets off turnovers and rebounds Columbia City fans are accustomed to witnessing. Columbia City’s shooting success came mid-range jump shots. The hosts, in fact, entered last night’s fray averaging almost a 27-point margin in their previous ten games, averaging just under 60 points per game.

“Our defense was very good considering we played a team who shot the ball well, defended well,” Krebs remarked. “(Our) team is on the right trajectory toward where they need to go. They’re mad tonight because they know they can compete with (Columbia City)”

Krebs and his Tigers are focusing on the process, and the Krebs, a master of analogies, cited “Free Solo,” a documentary about a climber who learns the climbing process with ropes, but eventually develops the skill to climb free of the restraints.

“He has the process memorized and he knows what to do,” Krebs noted. “In sectionals we have to climb free of ropes.”

The Tigers trailed 10-2 after the opening period on 1 of 8 shooting form the field, then fell behind 20-4 in the second period before Stephens was fouled on a layup converting a 3-point play to start Warsaw’s steady comeback effort. Warsaw’s 9-3 run moved them reasonable closer trailing 23-13 at halftime.

The Tigers gained ground in the third quarter when Columbia City fouled early and often, landing in the bonus at 3:25 in the third stanza, and the orange and black successfully sunk each of its seven free throw attempts. Abby Sanner (4 of 4), and Zoe Bergan (2 of 2) led the steady climb closing to within 5 points, 32-27 headed into the final quarter.

Columbia City outscored Warsaw 13-8 in the fourth period to finish the win 45-35.

The Eagles capitalized on 13 points from their bench from the tandem of sophomore Tessa Tonkel (8 points), and senior Dani Dunham (5 points), while freshmen Abbey Peterson and Brooke Winchester were scoreless coming off the Tiger bench.

Columbia City’s scoring leaders were Bekah Marshall (12 points), Kyndra Sheets and Tonkel (8 points each), and Molly Baker (7 points). Freshman Addy Baxter, and Dunham chipped in 5 points apiece.

The Tigers’ scoring effort was led by their three seniors, Stephens (11 points), Sanner (10 points) and Kacilyn Krebs (7 points). Sophomore Ava Egolf (4 points), and junior Zoe Bergan (3 points) rounded out the offensive output. Egolf and Bergan also collected 2 steals apiece.

Warsaw’s junior varsity squad moved to 9-3 overall with a 32-27 win where they shut out the JV Eagles in the second quarter. Viviana Zambrano led the victors with 11 points, followed by Mia Jones (6 points), and Joey Rastrelli (4 points, 6 rebounds).

The Tigers (8-4, 2-0 in conference play) will finish their recent stretch of five consecutive road games when they return to conference action at Wawasee, Saturday Dec 18.

“We don’t want to go into the Northridge game after break (Jan 8) with a (conference) loss,” Krebs said. “(Wawasee) is where our focus is now. Our kids are growing up. They’re continuing to get better.”