Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Warsaw's varsity girls basketball game with Kokomo Saturday was just another example, proving that free throws win ballgames.
Kokomo topped the Tigers 65-46, thanks, in large part to a 15-of-17 performance at the charity stripe in the fourth quarter. Kokomo was 19 of 24 (79.2 percent) from the free throw line for the game.
Kokomo, which lost its season opener, has now won 16 of 18 games and stands at 16-3 on the season. The 19-point loss drops the Tigers to 11-8 overall.
The final score may indicate differently, but Warsaw was with the Kats most of the game.
"Except for a 12-0 run, we played even with them," said Warsaw coach Will Wienhorst. "We struggled a little in spurts. Obviously, this is not a 19-point game. It could've have been within six with a few minutes left."
The Tigers trailed 16-13 at halftime, and 20-15 early in the third quarter, until sophomore Hilary O'Connell hit a three-pointer cutting the Kats' lead to 20-18. With 5:47 remaining in the third quarter Senior Latisha Poulard made good on a field goal that sparked a 12-0 run, giving Kokomo a 32-18 lead with 3:56 left to play in the third quarter.
Poulard finished the game with 13 points. Kokomo junior Hillary Beck led all scorers with 24 points on 4-of-8 shooting from the field. She was also 10 of 12 from the free throw line and pulled down five rebounds, dished out three assists and made two steals. Deunna Hendrix also scored in double figures for the Kats with 10.
On Senior Night, the Tigers had one scorer in double figures, senior Nerecia Taylor who posted a double-double with her 15 points and 15 rebounds. Senior Jenna Rooney, who did not start, finished the game with nine points on 3-of-9 shooting from the field. O'Connell and junior Kara Kesler added eight and six points, respectively, in the loss before fouling out.
Until Kokomo's third-quarter run, the Tigers never trailed by more than five. With 3:26 remaining in the opening stanza Warsaw led by five, 6-1.
Not only did Kokomo's free throw shooting tame the Tigers, so did turnovers.
Warsaw finished the game with 24 turnovers. Kokomo turned the ball over 18 times.
"We didn't make very good reads," said Wienhorst. "We've got to learn to make better reads on our own."
Though the Kats turned the ball over a healthy number of times as well, the difference was Kokomo managed to score 27 points off Tiger miscues. Warsaw scored 10 points on Kokomo mishaps.
Kesler made good on two free throw attempts with 2:06 remaining in the game to bring the Tigers within eight, 52-44. But a series of free throws, mostly by Beck, sealed the game for the Kats.
Beck was 8 of 8 at the free throw line, accounting for all of her fourth-quarter points.
Despite the 19-point difference, Wienhorst said he was happy with his team's performance.
"We played as well as we have for awhile," said Wienhorst. "If we could take away that stretch (12-0 run), that was the ballgame."
Warsaw (11-8) will finish its regular season Wednesday at Marion, before preparing for next week's Concord Sectional.
KOKOMO 65, WARSAW 46
Kokomo (16-3) 7 9 18 31 - 65
Warsaw (11-8) 9 4 11 22 - 46
Kokomo FG FT R A S Pts.
* Simmons 3-5 1-1 2 1 2 7
Thatcher 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
* D. Hendrix 4-9 2-3 4 2 0 10
Sanders 2-3 0-0 0 1 1 4
* Poulard 4-8 4-4 2 4 4 13
* Beck 5-8 10-12 5 3 2 24
Martin 1-4 1-2 3 1 1 4
McBee 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
* Johnson 1-3 1-2 6 0 1 3
Granger 0-0 0-0 1 0 1 0
Totals 20-40 19-24 24 12 12 65
Warsaw FG FT R A S Pts.
* Kesler 0-3 6-8 0 5 0 6
* Colt 0-5 0-0 0 3 0 0
Wyatt 0-0 0-0 0 0 0 0
O'Connell 1-5 5-7 3 0 0 8
Parker 2-4 0-0 3 2 2 4
* Conley 1-1 0-0 1 0 0 2
Knisely 0-0 0-1 2 0 0 0
Rooney 3-9 2-2 5 0 0 9
* Overton 0-0 0-0 0 0 1 0
Stanley 0-0 2-2 0 0 0 2
* Taylor 5-10 5-7 15 0 2 15
Totals 12-37 20-27 30 10 5 46
Three-pointers - Kokomo 6 (Beck 4, Poulard 1, Martin 1), Warsaw 2 (O'Connell 1, Rooney 1). Turnovers - Kokomo 18, Warsaw 24. Fouls - Kokomo 25, Warsaw 21. Fouled out - Kesler, O'Connell.
JV: Kokomo 50, Warsaw 26
Warsaw scoring - Stackhouse 14, Conley 4, Sumpter 4, Franklin 2, Chabot 2
