As Elkhart Memorial boys basketball coach Mark Barnhizer put it, Markese McGuire, the Crimson Chargers’ 6-foot-2 senior standout, had the worst game of his career Friday night. The University of Illinois-Chicago recruit entered the Northern Lakes Conference game at Warsaw averaging 23 points per game, but was just 1 of 14 from the field and scored five points. That being said, senior James Hershberger and sophomore Dimitri Giger picked a great night to shine. Hershberger and Giger combined to make 7 of 10 treys, score 31 points and help the Crimson Chargers rally from a 14-point deficit to beat the Tigers 48-47. Warsaw, which led 31-17 in the third quarter, had a chance to win, but senior John Swanson missed a pair of free throws with 3.2 seconds remaining. “James was good tonight, he was really good tonight,” said Barnhizer, whose team improved to 7-9 overall and 3-3 in the NLC. “He was able to get his feet set and make some shots. We made a lot of 3s. If they had been 2s, we wouldn’t have been in the game.” Hershberger was 7 of 12 from the field overall, 5 of 8 from the arc, and 2 of 4 at the charity stripe en route to a team-high 21 points. Giger, who finished the game with 10 points, was 4 of 5 overall and 2 of 2 from the arc. “They shot well in the second half,” said Warsaw coach Doug Ogle, whose team fell to 9-7 overall and 3-3 in conference play. “I’ve seen them play five or six times – two times in person – and I’ve never seen them shoot like that. Hershberger was really good for them.” The Tigers led 13-9 after one quarter of play and 26-17 at halftime. While Hershberger and Giger were the stars in the second half, prior to that, Warsaw seniors Jared Bloom and Taylor Cone had stolen the show. The duo scored 27 of the Tigers’ first 29 points and finished the game with a combined 37 of Warsaw’s 47 points. Bloom led Warsaw with 24 points, while Cone chipped in with 13 points and eight rebounds. But unlike last week, when the Tigers imposed their will on a good NorthWood team in the second half, Warsaw didn’t have that flash or effectiveness in the third and fourth quarters against Memorial. “We were not as good offensively in the second half,” said Ogle. “We had quite a few empty possessions in the second half. Rebounding too. Especially in the first half. Our lack of offensive rebounding, and their offensive rebounding, really hurt us.” Memorial out-rebounded Warsaw 31-23, including a 12-9 advantage on the offensive glass. “This is a tough place to win,” Barnhizer said of the Tiger Den. “To get down 14 and battle back says something about our kids’ character.” The Crimson Chargers cut the Tigers’ lead to six, 38-32, by the end of the third quarter and to 40-39 early in the final frame. A free throw by Swanson gave Warsaw a 47-45 lead with 1:19 remaining, but 13 seconds later Giger made what turned out to be the game-winning trey. With 14 seconds remaining, Hershberger missed a charity toss, and Cone came up with the rebound. After Warsaw called a timeout with nine seconds to play, junior Jordan Stookey drove the lane but came up empty. Swanson corralled the loose ball and was fouled. And with the game on the line, the Tigers struggled at the line. Swanson made just 1 of 4 free throw attempts, while Warsaw was 7 of 12 as a team. “It wasn’t the type of outcome we wanted,” said Ogle. “I told the guys I won’t give up on them, and they can’t give up on each other or the coaches.” The Tigers are in action again Thursday at Plymouth.
ELKHART MEMORIAL 48, WARSAW 47 EM 9 8 15 16 – 48 War 13 13 12 9 – 47 Memorial – Freddie Rhodes 0-0 1-2 1, Dimitri Giger 4-5 0-0 10, Cameron Maxwell 0-2 0-0 0, James Hershberger 7-12 2-4 21, Spenser Gilbert 1-1 0-0 3, Michael O’Toole 0-0 0-0 0, Markese McGuire 1-14 2-2 5, Darien Williams 0-0 1-2 1, Evan Anderson 3-5 1-2 7. Totals 16-39 7-12 48. Warsaw – Jared Bloom 8-14 5-5 24, Darren Walcott 0-1 0-0 0, John Swanson 1-3 1-4 3, Trae Furnivall 1-1 0-0 3, Nate Pearl 1-3 0-0 2, Jason Ferguson 0-0 0-0 0, Taylor Cone 6-9 1-2 13, Jordan Stookey 1-9 0-0 2, Rashaan Jackson 0-2 0-0 0. Totals 18-42 7-12 47. Three-pointers – Memorial 9 (Hershberger 5, Giger 2, Gilbert, McGuire), Warsaw 4 (Bloom 3, Furnivall); Rebounds – Memorial 31 (McGuire 10), Warsaw 23 (Cone 8); Turnovers – Memorial 14, Warsaw 8; Fouls – Memorial 18, Warsaw 16; Fouled out – none; Records: Memorial 7-9 (3-3 NLC), Warsaw 9-7 (3-3 NLC) JV – Memorial 34, Warsaw 30 Warsaw – Nick Sands 12, Cody Freeman 9, Jake Mangas 4, Jonny Hollar 3, Peyton Long 2
