Across the state of Indiana, only 32 girls basketball teams spent this week practicing. Eight in each of the four classes. By the time Sunday morning rolls around, that number will drop to just eight teams total. One of those few lucky teams are the Warsaw Lady Tigers, and they’re not taking that extra time together for granted. They’re not surprised they have it, either.
“I think it’s great, and I feel like we deserve it. We’ve bought into the process and finally have gone on a run,” senior Abbey Peterson said. “We hadn’t even made it out of the sectional before this year so we really wanted to make this happen and it shows.”
If Warsaw wants to be one of the final eight teams left in the state come Sunday morning, they’ll have to go through a couple of very talented teams to do so. They’ll start their day in Frankfort by taking on 24-3 McCutcheon for the first time in program history at noon. A win in that contest will catapult the team into the championship game at 7:30 p.m. against either Valparaiso (19-7) or No. 1 Hamilton Southeastern (26-0), one of only two undefeated teams left in the state.
The matchup with HSE is an enticing one, and a game that has the potential to be one of, if not the most exciting games across Indiana for the entire winter. But to get to that point, the Lady Tigers know they have to deal with the Lady Mavericks first.
“We’re locked in on making it all the way to state, so we’re not taking anything for granted,” junior sharpshooter Brooke Zartman said. “We’re going to put all of our focus on McCutcheon and if we get past them we’ll kind of reset and turn our attention to the next game.”
Head coach Lenny Krebs said that his team’s ability to focus on different concepts as opposed to specific teams will help them be prepared for anything.
“Our goal is to find concepts that we need to worry about and how common they are between teams. Do they set a lot of ball screens? Are they teams where we need to close gaps and limit drives? These are all things we look at and need to be ready for, regardless of who we are playing,” he said.
Against McCutcheon, a major factor will undoubtedly be figuring out ways to slow down sophomore sensation Lillie Graves. The guard enters the game leading the team with 19.1 points a night while shooting 46% from the field. She’s also a menace on the defensive end, averaging four steals a game.
However, the Lady Tigers have been successful this year against star players despite them having success on the offensive end. Valparaiso standout Lillian Barnes had 38 points against the team back in November. Columbia City’s Butler commit had 32 in a December Contest. Warsaw won both of those games largely in part to their ability to shut down these stars’ supporting casts.
“It’s been a formula for success for us. I can bring help from all parts of the court and [Graves] is still going to get her points. She’s that good,” Krebsc said. “If she’s going to get those points regardless, why take ourselves out of good positions to put help on her? If we can eliminate everybody else, we feel like we can put up enough points to win.”
Junior guard Alexis Neely will most likely be on Graves for a good chunk of the game, and she is ready for the challenge.
“I’m excited. It’s a great opportunity. Our coaches believe in me and my teammates believe in me to try and shut her down. I just have to figure out some of her tendencies and how to match them as best I can,” she said.
On the other side of the ball, the Lady Mavericks like to employ a 2-3 zone as well as man-to-man, which will have to be navigated by both Neely and Joslyn Bricker, the team’s primary ball handlers.
“I’ll definitely be feeling the pressure bringing the ball up the court again, but I know I have my teammates who are all capable of making something happen to support me,” Bricker said.
When talking to the team, that is a talking point that will come up a lot. The connectivity of these girls is strong, as is their belief in themselves and one another. They credit their comradery both on and off the court for the success they’ve been able to enjoy this season.
“We’ve gotten to the point where we know each other inside and out. We’re there for each other on and off the court and that helps so much,” senior captain Brooke Winchester said. “We know what kind of shots each other wants and where we want to get our passes. Our connectivity is off the charts.”
Outside of the team’s genuine love for each other, they have another major motivator that inspires them to finish their goal of becoming the third Lady Tiger team to capture a state championship: leaving a legacy. Coach Krebs knows it too, reminding them of what it would mean to raise the trophy at the end of the season in immortality. But in his eyes, they’re already champions.
“In 22 years of coaching, this group is going to have a special place in my heart. Not just because of this run, but because of who they are. They’ve already left a legacy,” he said. “It’s going to have a ripple effect too. The younger kids see it, the kids that will be back next season will expect it to happen again. Because of that, you’re able to keep that going year by year.”
Even with everything they’ve already accomplished, his players aren’t satisfied yet.
“We’ve been in this program for as long as we can remember. There have been so many great players and great teams in Warsaw history and we want to be remembered as one of them,” Bricker said.”
“I couldn’t agree more,” Zartman added. “We’ve been dreaming about hanging a banner since we were in fourth grade and now we’re living our dream with a chance to do it.”