HUNTINGTON - It was impressive enough that Warsaw senior Kelci Freds scored 25 points in Saturday's season opener at Huntington North.
It was even more impressive that she did so after not scoring a point in the first three quarters.The 5-foot-6 guard, Warsaw's leading scorer last season at 13 points per game, scored 20 points in the fourth quarter and added five more in overtime, as the Lady Tigers overcame a 20-point deficit to win 78-75.
The Lady Tigers shot just 19 percent from the field in the first half, trailed 42-22 late in the third quarter and found themselves down by 13 with just 2:29 remaining in regulation.
Warsaw, a team that returned four starters and has eight seniors on the roster, however, found a way to tie the game and then win it in overtime.
"We talked at halftime, and that was not the way we wanted to go out," second-year Warsaw coach Michelle Harter said of her team trailing 29-12 and making just 4 of 21 shots in the first half. "That's not the type of team we are. I told them it wasn't about Xs and Os, it's about going out there and playing with heart and desire, and wanting to win for that name on the front of their jerseys. I'm so proud of these kids for not giving up."
After scoring 25 points in the first three quarters, the Lady Tigers scored 36 points in the fourth, a school record for points in a quarter.
Freds' 20-point outburst in the fourth quarter was also a school record, breaking Julie Seiss' record of 18 points in one quarter.
Freds finished the game 4 of 14 from the field, but was 14 of 14 at the free throw, as the two teams combined for 65 fouls and 89 free throw attempts.
With just under four seconds remaining in regulation, Freds hit a pair of free throws tie the game at 61-all.
The senior guard's final two points of the contest, another pair of charity tosses, gave the Lady Tigers a 68-63 lead with 2:52 left in the extra session.
Freds fouled out with 1:31 to play in the four-minute overtime period.
"I've been told as a shooter to forget about what's happened and keep shooting," said Freds. "You just have to remain confident and keep shooting. We really pulled together as a team. We've got great seniors on this team, and a lot of great underclassmen. Kaelee Sands got us going and we just stepped up as a team and played with heart and desire like coach talked about at halftime."
Sands, who scored a total of 81 points last season as a junior, scored 17 points Saturday.
Senior Sarah Shilling added 11 points and seven rebounds, while junior Kayla Stout chipped in with 10 points and seven rebounds.
Freshman Lindsay Baker started her varsity career with five points, while sophomore Ryesha Jackson scored three points and seniors Kaitlin Reichard and Beth Plummer and sophomore Creigh Ogle scored two points each. Senior Cendall Ogle rounded out the Lady Tigers' scoring with a free throw.
Creigh Ogle's two points, a pair of free throws, gave Warsaw a 72-66 lead with 1:02 remaining in overtime. Sands and Shilling added two free throw each to push the lead to 76-68 with 25 seconds remaining.
Sands converted two more charity tosses with 14 seconds remaining, giving the Lady Tigers a 78-70 advantage.
The host Lady Vikings cut the lead with a three-pointer and then a pair of free throws with just under two seconds left to account for the final score.
In what turned into a free throw shooting contest, Warsaw was 34 of 44 at the charity stripe, while Huntington North was 26 of 45 at the line.
It certainly wasn't the way Harter wanted her team to start the game, but her smile after the contest spoke volumes about the way her team fought back to win.
"We could have folded," said Harter. "But we stuck together as a team. I challenged the girls at halftime and they responded."
A night before her 18th birthday, senior Taylor Foley led Huntington North with 24 points and 15 rebounds. Juniors Liesl Davenport and Taylor Bard scored 16 and 11 points, respectively, for Huntington North.
Three players for each team fouled out of the contest.
Warsaw is in action again Friday at county rival Tippecanoe Valley.
