COLUMBIA CITY – Michelle Harter said it wasn't about Xs and Os. No, with Tuesday night's game at Columbia City knotted at 27-27 at halftime, the Warsaw girls basketball coach challenged her team's defensive intensity. She challenged her team's desire. The Lady Tigers responded in a big way, playing in-your-face defense and burying the host Eagles in the second half of a 57-38 victory at Donald S. Weeks Gymnasium. "That was the big key for us," Harter said of her team's defensive effort in the second half. I challenged them at halftime. Told them we needed more ball pressure and defensive intensity. It wasn't about Xs and Os. They really took my challenge to heart." They certainly did. The Lady Tigers, who improved to 6-1 on the season with their fifth-straight win, allowed just three points in the third quarter and gave up just five points in the fourth quarter until senior Sidney Bunyan hit a late three-pointer for Columbia City. "The girls came out and played well in the second half," said Harter. "I told them at halftime if they didn't want to do the job I'd put someone else in." Warsaw closed the third quarter on a 10-0 run and at one point in the fourth quarter were on a 24-3 run that extended its lead to 55-33. Columbia City, which fell to 3-6 on the season with its third loss in four games, was guilty of 26 turnovers in the loss, including 16 in the second half. The Lady Tigers turned the ball over 14 times in the game, but only four times in the second half. Nikki Grose led Warsaw with game-highs of 14 points and nine rebounds. Coming off the bench, the 6-foot-1 sophomore was 7 of 12 from the field, including a 4-of-5 effort in the fourth quarter. The 14 points were a career high for Grose. "Nikki came out and played well," said Harter. "I challenged the post players to go up strong, and she came out and did that." Junior Lindsay Baker added nine points, while senior Sarah Heagy scored eight points, senior Madison Davis and sophomore Brooklyn Harrison scored six points each and junior Jennifer Walker-Crawford contributed five points. Sophomore Kalisha Goree led Columbia City with 14 points, scoring eight of her team's 11 second-half points. Bunyan scored seven points for the Lady Eagles, while senior Samara Qureshi scored six points and sophomore Emily Whiteleather and freshman Macie Hinen chipped in with four points each. Whiteleather led Columbia City with five rebounds, as the Lady Eagles were outrebounded 29-20. The Lady Tigers now turn their attention to Saturday's Northern Lakes Conference opener at Wawasee. The junior varsity game is scheduled to tipoff at 6:15 p.m.
WARSAW 57, COLUMBIA CITY 38 W 12 15 14 16 – 57 CC 16 11 3 8 – 38 Warsaw – Ashley Ousley 0-1 0-0 0, Sarah Ray 1-2 0-0 2, Madison Davis 2-3 2-2 6, Lauren Burish 0-1 4-4 4, Melanie Holladay 0-0 0-2 0, Eryn Leek 1-2 0-0 3, Jennifer Walker-Crawford 0-8 5-8 5, Lindsay Baker 3-8 3-3 9, Brooklyn Harrison 3-4 0-0 6, Sarah Heagy 3-7 2-5 8, Nikki Grose 7-12 0-0 14. Totals 20-48 16-24 57. Columbia City – Sidney Bunyan 2-7 1-2 7, Lacey Jahn 0-0 0-0 0, Kalisha Goree 4-5 6-10 14, Sarah Opliger 1-5 0-0 3, Megan Deutsch 0-0 0-0 0, Aubrey Wright 0-1 0-0 0, Miriah Hicks 0-2 0-0 0, Macie Hinen 1-3 2-2 4, Samara Quereshi 3-7 0-0 6, Emily Whiteleather 0-2 4-4 4. Totals 11-32 13-18 38. Three-pointers – Warsaw 1 (Leek), Columbia City 3 (Bunyan 2, Opliger); Rebounds - Warsaw 29 (Grose 9), Columbia City 20 (Whitleather 5); Turnovers - Warsaw 14, Columbia City 26; Fouls - Warsaw 16, Columbia City 20; Fouled out – none; Records: Warsaw 6-1, Columbia City 3-6 JV – Columbia City 31, Warsaw 16
