FORT WAYNE – For Warsaw's varsity boys basketball team to score 44 points in a game is hardly an offensive explosion. Given the way the Tigers started Thursday's game at Fort Wayne South Side, however, it sure seemed like one. A team that averaged 62 points per game entering Thursday's contest with the Archers, the Tigers were just 3 of 22 (14 percent) from the field in the first half, turned the ball over nine times and trailed 15-10 at halftime. Warsaw turned things around in the second half, though, shooting 53 percent over the final two quarters, turning the ball over just four times after the break and went on to beat South Side 44-33. "I told the players at halftime, the fact that we were 3 of 22 with nine turnovers, and we were only down five, that should give us hope," said Warsaw coach Doug Ogle. "We came out in the second half and did a better job against their press. We made some pretty major adjustments. We put (Jordyn) Coon in the middle and spaced things out. It sure wasn't pretty, but we got out of here with a win." The Tigers, who made 10 of 19 shots in the second half, improved to 7-1 with their fifth-straight win, while the Archers fell to 1-5. South Side was 6 of 19 (32 percent) from the field in the first half and 12 of 36 (33 percent) for the game. Thursday's game was a far cry from last year's meeting in the Tiger Den, a game in which Nic Moore poured in a school-record 50 points to lead Warsaw to a 90-72 win. Purdue recruit Raphael Davis led the Archers with 24 points in that game. Neither were on the court this time, though Moore was sitting in the crowd with friends. Moore is now a fan favorite at Illinois State University, while Davis is playing his senior season at LaPorte LaLumiere. The standouts for Warsaw Thursday were senior starters Jordyn Coon and Lucas Grose and junior reserve Taylor Cone. After scoring two points in the first half, Coon sparked Warsaw's offensive in the third quarter, scoring 10 of the team's 19 points in the frame. The 6-foot-3 guard finished with a game-high 17 points and six rebounds. "Jordyn Coon really got us going in the third quarter," said Ogle. "The game wasn't pretty, but sometimes you're gonna have games where you don't shoot well. Tonight we had to find a way to win." Grose, whose shot at the buzzer gave the Tigers a 6-4 lead at the end of the first quarter, finished with 14 points and six rebounds, while Cone provided a spark off the bench with six points and six rebounds. "Cone's play was really good," said Ogle. "He was steady and strong. He made all four of his free throws, and his bucket in the third quarter was big for us. He gave us a big lift." Sophomore Donovan Clark and junior Deion Williams scored 10 points each for the Archers, while juniors Devin Jones and Domonique Gleason chipped in with seven and five points, respectively. Williams completed his double-double with 10 rebounds. While the game was certainly ugly at times, Ogle was happy his players found a way to win on the road when they didn't shoot well, and against a team as athletic as South Side. In Northern Lakes Conference play, the Tigers have to play at Concord on Jan. 20 and at Elkhart Memorial on Feb. 3. Both teams are loaded with athleticism, and play well at home. "We can't simulate South Side's athleticism or quickness," said Ogle. "We gained good experience tonight. We haven't played a team like that this year." Warsaw is off until Jan. 6 when it travels to conference foe Northridge.
WARSAW 44, SOUTH SIDE 33 W 6 4 19 15 – 44 SS 4 11 7 11 – 33 Warsaw – Brock Anson 0-1 0-0 0, Jared Bloom 0-2 0-0 0, Jordyn Coon 7-16 2-4 17, Rhett Kesler 1-2 0-0 0, Lucas Grose 3-8 8-8 14, Kevin West 1-3 0-0 2, Jay Holladay 0-2 0-0 0, Taylor Cone 1-2 4-4 6, Jordan Stookey 0-5 3-4 3. Totals 13-41 17-20 44. South Side – Derrick Morrow 0-2 0-0 0, Donovan Clark 2-9 5-6 10, Demarcus Norfleet 0-3 0-0 0, Devin Jones 3-6 1-2 7, Deion Williams 5-7 0-4 10, Eric Hairston 0-1 1-2 1, Domonique Gleason 2-7 1-2 5, Thomas Nolan 0-0 0-0 0, Nathan Thomas 0-0 0-0 0, Will Coursen-Carr 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 12-36 8-16 33. Three-pointers – Warsaw 1 (Coon), South Side 1 (Clark); Rebounds – Warsaw 31 (Coon 6, Grose 6, Cone 6), South Side 28 (Williams 10); Turnovers – Warsaw 13, South Side 18; Fouls – Warsaw 17, South Side 18; Fouled out – Clark; Records: Warsaw 7-1, South Side 1-5 JV – South Side 42, Warsaw 40 OT Warsaw – John Swanson 10, Jason Ferguson 9, Rashaan Jackson 9, Jake Mangas 4, Darren Walcott 4, Michael Miller 4
