As the lone undefeated team left in the Northern Lakes Conference with just two games to go, the Warsaw boys basketball team had a chance to clinch at least a share of the conference title at home against Mishawaka Thursday night. They were able to do just that, leading for the entirety of the game and going home with a 61-49 win, the team’s 10th straight.
“It’s a testament to how tough the group is and how they’ve stuck with things,” head coach Matt Moore said. “They’ve taken it one game and a time and have been laser focused the whole way and that’s given us the chance to be where we are.”
Using their patented tough defense as well as some craftiness around the rim, Warsaw was able to get out to an early 4-0 lead. It took three minutes for the Cavemen to get onto the board as the home side did a great job contesting shots as well as forcing turnovers early. A three pointer by Luke Bricker made it 7-2 midway through the first.
Bricker had the hot hand early on, scoring eight of the first 12 points of the game for the Tigers while also picking up a pair of steals and a block on the other end. With just under two minutes to go in the opening period, Warsaw had already extended its lead to double figures. Along with Bricker, Brandt Martin was creating his own offense quite well, matching his teammate with eight points of his own in the period.
He’d add three more on a fast break at the end of the quarter, beating the buzzer with a transition three in the corner to give him eleven points after eight minutes of play. After one, the Tigers were already firmly in control with a 21-6 lead.
It was Mishawaka that got off to the fast start in the second, scoring the first six points in the period. A few minutes into the quarter, a scary moment occurred as Bricker had to be helped off of the floor after hitting the deck. He was unable to put any weight on his right leg. He would not return to the game, but did end up making it back to the bench much later in the game with a wrap around his knee.
“Injuries are a part of the game. You do everything you can to prevent them but sometimes they just happen,” Moore said. “I thought we had a lot of guys step up today and they responded well to a really tough situation.”

    Warsaw senior Luke Bricker prepares to fade back for a shot during Thursday night's home game against Mishawaka...Nieter
The Cavemen kept on applying pressure to the shell shocked Tigers, creeping back into things and getting within eight near the midway point of the period. Robbie Finlinson came up big for the home side during this stretch, scoring five straight points to extend that lead back to a comfortable margin.
Sam Lara and Mydin Burgher got in on the action not long later, extending the run to 10-0 and growing the lead up to 18, the biggest of the night so far. After a big first quarter, Martin was quiet in the second, scoring just two points in the period. He was still able to make an impact with his defense and passing though, finding open teammates who made the most of their opportunities to extend the lead.
At halftime, the Tigers led 35-17. The majority of the break was spent honoring the Warsaw football team, as players and coaches were given their state runner-up rings for their fantastic season.
The home side went up by 20 early into the third quarter, but Brandt Martin was forced to exit the game for a stretch after picking up his fourth foul of the night. After a few unsuccessful tries in the first half, Parker Justice sank back-to-back threes in the middle part of the quarter as the Warsaw lead continued to grow to 24.
With the advantage being as high as it was, it gave the Tigers plenty of opportunities to test out different lineups and rotations. Players like Tristan Wilson, Drew Jones, Drew Sullivan and Reed Nelson were able to get some extended minutes throughout the game in spots they may not have otherwise.
“I thought both Drews were great tonight. Sullivan gave us some great athleticism and physicality,” Moore said. “Drew Jones is a guy I feel like we can lean on at times. Really liked what I saw from him today.”
The Cavemen were able to finish out the third quarter stronger than they had started it, but still had a lot of work to do as the fourth quarter got set to begin. With just eight minutes left in the contest, Warsaw held onto a 48-30 lead.
Mishawaka was able to shrink that lead down to 14 before Burgher finally put the home side on the board in the fourth. There were a few times throughout the quarter where it looked as if the Cavemen would have a chance to mount a serious comeback and make it a game, but each time, the Tigers were there to thwart them and answer with a bucket on the other end.
After missing a large chunk of the third quarter, Martin returned to the court with his four fouls and was a crucial part of closing the game out. The senior added a few big buckets down the stretch and added some gritty defense to prevent the visitors from inching closer.
Things got a little chippy towards the end of the game, with Mishawaka players committing some aggressive fouls as time winded down. It never escalated past that, but words and looks were exchanged after a few players hit the deck.
The final minute saw the Cavemen make one last push, but it wasn’t enough to change the outcome of the game.
Martin led all scorers with 17. Finlinson added 12. Bricker had eight before getting injured.
Warsaw (17-3, 6-0 NLC) is on the road at Marion Tuesday.