Others, like eighth-year Warsaw boys basketball coach Doug Ogle, don't mind being considered the favorite.
Ogle's Tigers will enter the 100th annual IHSAA state tournament this week as the favorite to win Class 4A Sectional 4 at Elkhart's North Side Gym.Some coaches relish the underdog role.
Others, like eighth-year Warsaw boys basketball coach Doug Ogle, don't mind being considered the favorite.
Ogle's Tigers will enter the 100th annual IHSAA state tournament this week as the favorite to win Class 4A Sectional 4 at Elkhart's North Side Gym.
That's just fine with Ogle, whose team is trying to win its second sectional championship in three years.
"It's legitimate to say that we're the sectional favorite," said Ogle. "I don't mind being the favorite, it means you have the best team. I want to have the best team. Some people might relish the underdog role, but I don't mind being the favorite."
Concord and Goshen open sectional play Tuesday at 6 p.m., followed by Elkhart Central and Elkhart Memorial.
Warsaw drew the bye and plays in Friday's first semifinal game at 6 p.m against either Concord or Goshen.
Friday's second semifinal game will pit Northridge against either Elkhart Central or Elkhart Memorial.
Friday's winners will play in the sectional championship game Saturday at 7:30 p.m., with the winner playing in the Michigan City Regional on March 13 against the winner of the Michigan City Sectional.
"I like our draw a lot, simply from the standpoint that we're staying away from the Tuesday game," said Ogle. "That's huge, particularly for us. The other five times are close in proximity. Not having to take an hour-long bus ride three times in five days is a good thing for us."
Ogle, a math teacher, was also quick to point out a history lesson.
"In six of the seven sectionals I've coached in, a team that drew a bye and avoided the Tuesday game won the sectional championship," said Ogle. "I don't think that's coincidence."
The Tigers, who won the Northern Lakes Conference championship with a 7-0 record, take an 18-2 record into tournament play and have won 11-straight games.
Concord enters tournament action with a 16-4 record, while Elkhart Memorial is 13-8, Elkhart Central is 11-11, Goshen is 9-11 and Northridge is 5-15.
Warsaw is 5-0 against the sectional field, having beaten each of the teams once.
Only Concord, which hosted and fell 54-48 to the Tigers on Jan. 22, were within 10 points of Warsaw.
The Tigers beat Elkhart Memorial by 11 and Elkhart Central by 12, and also posted wins by 22 and 26 over Goshen and Northidge, respectively.
"One of the reason we've had such a good season is the players have been very coachable," said Ogle, whose team has won its last 11 games. "Even in our wins, we've been able to pinpoint things we need to improve on. And the kids have worked very hard and listened to what the coaches have told them. This team has a great chemistry."
While junior point guard Nic Moore gets a lot of the headlines, players like seniors Justin Clemens, Andy Conrad and Zack Linky, and sophomores Lucas Grose and Jordyn Coon, amongst others, have excelled in their role.
"When you have a player like Nic Moore, and we've got other good players around him, you've got a chance," said Ogle. "The first step in a deep tournament run is to win the sectional, and I think getting a draw like we did, avoiding the Tuesday game, increases our chances quite a bit."
Moore, who is quickly climbing Warsaw's all-time scoring list and is currently sixth with 1,182 points, leads the Tigers with 20 points per game. He also averages five assists per game
Clemens and Grose average 12 and 10 points per game, respectively, while Linky and Conrad average five points each.
