Like every coach in the state, Warsaw’s Michelle Harter wants her team playing its best basketball heading into the state tournament. It appears the Lady Tigers are. After losing its first nine games of the season, playing an incredibly-tough schedule that was dotted with state-ranked opponents, Warsaw takes a four-game win streak into the 41st annual IHSAA girls tournament. The Lady Tigers, who are 9-13 overall, have won five of their last six games and eight of their last 11. “We’re pleased with how we came together,” Harter said of her team’s turnaround. “We could have let the schedule effect us, but the girls continued to work hard, and we came together as a team. “We hope our tough schedule has prepared us for the tournament. We hope to see it pay off, and that starts with playing good basketball on Tuesday.” The Lady Tigers play in the seven-team Class 4A Sectional 4 at Goshen High School and are slated to play Elkhart Central Tuesday at 7 p.m. Central is 7-16 and has lost seven of its last eight games, including its last three. “We’re pleased with the draw, but we can’t just go into the game thinking we’re going to win,” said Harter. “Elkhart Central is a much-improved team. On Tuesday, we have to come out and play good basketball. “They’re quick, and they’re athletic. Their guards are good at driving and slashing. We have to play fundamental defense and not let them speed us up.” On Wednesday at Goshen, Elkhart Memorial plays No. 4 Penn, followed by Northridge and the host school. In Friday’s first semifinal game, Concord plays the Warsaw/Central winner, followed by Wednesday’s winners. The championship game is scheduled for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. If Warsaw is to beat Central Tuesday, the Lady Tigers would play a Concord team in the semifinals that they beat 82-38 on Jan. 23. Penn, Goshen and Northridge have just nine losses combined. The other four teams in the sectional have at least 12 losses each. With their draw, the Lady Tigers would only have to play one of the top-tier teams, and it would be in Saturday’s title tilt. “That’s huge for us,” Harter said of the way the draw came out. “Penn, Northridge and Goshen can beat each other up, and we would only have to face one of them, and anything can happen in a one-game championship if we can get there. “We can’t lookahead though. We have to take care of business against Elkhart Central, and then Concord. We can’t overlook anybody. We can’t afford to come out flat. You don’t get second-chances in the tournament.” Junior Dayton Groninger leads the Lady Tigers in just about every statistical category. Groninger averages 13 points, 8.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.5 steals per game. Classmate Madi Graham averages eight points per contest, while fellow juniors Mariah Rivera, Kenzie Welk and Page Desenberg all average just under six points per game. Freshman Kacy Bragg chips in with nearly four points and three rebounds per game. The Lady Tigers are the defending champions of the sectional and are looking for their third title in four years, as well as the program’s 18th overall. Penn, a 61-37 winner over Warsaw earlier this season, is new to Sectional 4 this season. Penn is looking for its sixth-straight sectional title and 17th overall. “Everybody is 0-0 again,” said Harter. “You have to come out ready to play each night. The first step is believing you can win, and then going out and doing the things you’ve worked on all season.”
