The only area team to begin sectional play on Tuesday night, the Wawasee boys basketball team began its playoff journey against host school Lakeland in the opening round of IHSAA 3A Sectional 20. Warrior fans have become accustomed to seeing their team compete in close games and this one was no different. In the end, the Lakers were able to hold on for a 55-53 win to send Wawasee home.
Despite it being the first game of postseason play, neither side came out with any early jitters. In fact, it was quite the opposite early on as both sides wasted no time at all getting into a rhythm on the offensive end. For the Warriors, Myles Everingham had the hot hand early, scoring eight points in the first quarter on a variety of tough shots.
Wawasee was great to start the night on offense, but the Lakers were even better. Lakeland did not miss many shots in the first quarter, partly because of the skills of the players taking them, but mostly because the shots the home side was getting were high-percentage looks. Whether it was a wide open three or a shot at the rim, the Lakers got off to a white-hot start.
For a while, the Warriors were able to stick close. Along with Myles, Nolan Holzwart got off to a very good start, showing no hesitation when driving to the rim and getting some tough shots to go through contact. As the game’s initial eight minutes wore on, Wawasee began to slow down, allowing Lakeland to go up four going into the second.
The host school continued to extend that lead early in the second, keeping that hot shooting going and getting their advantage up to nine points. The Warriors would not flinch, putting together an impressive 8-0 run of their own to make it a one-possession game once more. Holzwart continued to be a catalyst during this run, getting some much-needed support from senior Collin Ziebarth as well as sophomore Weston DeLong.

    Wawasee senior Collin Ziebarth rises above the Lakeland defense to get his shot off during the first quarter. Photo by Gary Nieter

Once Wawasee was able to get back into things, the game remained tight for the rest of the first half. The Warriors would get it to within one or two, just for the Lakers to respond and grow the gap once more.
With less than a minute to go until halftime, Wawasee had a chance to get back on top for the first time since the first quarter. Trailing by three, the Warriors were awarded two free throws and the ball after a technical foul was called on Lakeland head coach Chris Keil for arguing a call. Maddux Everingham would sink both free throws, but the visitors would turn it over on the possession that followed. The Lakers would sink a layup in the final seconds of the half to take a three-point lead into the break.
After offenses began the game rolling, the defenses took center stage to begin the second half. DeLong opened up the scoring on Wawasee’s first possession, but no points would be scored for the next few minutes as both sides started to lock down ball handlers and passing lanes. After three and a half minutes went by, the Warriors would finally break through, taking the lead on a layup by Holzwart.
As tremendous as the Lakers were offensively to start the game, they looked out of sorts in the third quarter. Turnovers, bad passes and missed free throws made up an abundance of errors for the home team. The Lakers wouldn’t score their first points of the third quarter until five and a half minutes had gone by.
That first make would be exactly what the doctor ordered for the home team though, as afterwards, the rhythm began to return for the Lakers. Lakeland would use a series of makes to retake the lead and go back ahead by six before the Warriors stopped the bleeding with a timeout. Neither team would do any scoring in the final minute of the third, with Wawasee’s deficit remaining at six heading into the final quarter of play.
The two sides traded buckets over the first few minutes of the fourth, which did not allow the Warriors to get any closer. Aware of the score and situation, the Lakers began approaching things at a much slower pace on the offensive end, which allowed the home team to burn some clock while staying in front. Midway through the final eight minutes of the game, Wawasee had only crept closer by two points, now trailing by four.
For a brief moment, a three by Maddux made it a one-possession game once more, but like they had all night, the Lakers answered quickly on the other end. With just under two minutes to go, it looked as if the home side was able to put the Warriors away for good with a pair of layups, the second of which an and-one that made it a nine-point game with the seconds quickly evaporating.
But once again, Wawasee took the punch and kept fighting back. A couple of buckets for Maddux made it a five-point game with just under a minute to go. With 20 seconds left, the team had gotten it to four. The Lakers were able to put the game on ice at the line, but not before Myles would sink one last three to give the game its final score.
Myles led Wawasee with 14 points. Ziebarth and Maddux each added eleven, while Holzwart scored 10 and added five rebounds.
The Warriors will return next season.