Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
FORT WAYNE - Filled with fast-paced action, a high school basketball game that at times looked more like a track meet, Warsaw sealed the deal when everyone was standing around.
Cashing in on 11 of 14 free throws in the fourth quarter, the Tigers upended host Fort Wayne South 60-46 Friday night, pushing their record to 2-1 on the season. South Side fell to 1-2.
"Our ability to get in the 1-and-1 was key," second-year Warsaw coach Doug Ogle said. "We outscored them quite a bit at the free throw line. The biggest positive would be our free throw shooting, which is something we didn't do a lot of the first two games."
With the host Archers being whistled for 22 fouls, the Tigers attempted 28 free throws in Friday's 14-point road win, converting 20 of them.
Warsaw committed 15 fouls in the game, and South Side was 10 of 17 at the charity stripe.
The Archers got as close as six in the fourth quarter, 45-39, but Tiger senior Todd Braddock hit a pair of free throws with 4:45 remaining in the game, and then classmate Dan Gensinger buried a three-pointer 30 seconds later for an 11-point advantage.
Gensinger and classmates Adam Griggs and Ryan Schultz hit key free throws in the final three minutes. Schultz converted a pair of charity tosses with 1:13 remaining for a 58-46 lead.
"I'm proud of the team for gutting out the win," Ogle said. "We didn't play well in the first half. South Side is difficult to play because of their quickness. Very few of the baskets we got were easy."
After burning the nets with a 7-of-10 performance from the field in the opening quarter, the Tigers were 3 of 13 in the second quarter, 3 of 10 in the third and 4 of 6 in the fourth.
The host Archers finished the game 16 of 52 from the field.
Warsaw led 18-16 at the end of the first quarter, and then 28-25 at the half.
The Tigers led by just two, 35-33, until junior Michael Wienhorst picked up a big rebound and went up strong for two. Warsaw finished the third with a 5-1 run and led 40-34 going into the fourth.
"I thought we rebounded better in the second half," Ogle said. "We had some guys make some plays. I thought Todd Braddock played well, as did Adam Griggs. It was a frenetic pace, a frenetic style. It's difficult to play against South Side because we don't play that way ourselves."
Griggs led the Tigers with 14 points, while Braddock added 13 and Schultz 11. Wienhorst chipped in with eight, while junior Michael Moore scored seven.
Senior Courtney Pearson scored a game-high 15 for the Archers, while Mario White had 13 and Dennis Craig 10.
Warsaw is in action again tonight at South Bend Clay.
WARSAW 60,
FW SOUTH SIDE 46
Warsaw 18 10 12 20 - 60
F.W. South 16 9 9 12 - 46
Warsaw FG FT R S Pts.
* Schultz 2-4 6-6 3 0 11
* Gensinger 1-3 2-2 6 0 5
* Griggs 5-11 4-8 5 2 14
* Wienhorst 4-7 0-0 6 1 8
* Braddock 4-8 4-6 5 1 13
Holladay 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Conley 0-0 0-0 0 0 0
Moore 1-5 4-6 3 1 7
Sherman 1-2 0-0 2 0 2
Allison 0-0 0-0 1 0 0
Totals 18-40 20-28 31 5 60
F.W. South FG FT R S Pts.
* Bevelle 1-4 0-0 0 1 3
* Woods 0-6 0-0 6 0 0
* White 5-11 2-4 5 2 13
* Pearson 4-10 6-8 12 4 15
* Craig 4-14 1-3 2 0 10
Brooks 2-6 0-0 2 0 4
Wade 0-1 1-2 2 0 1
Simmons 0-0 0-0 1 0 0
Totals 16-52 10-17 30 7 46
Three-point goals - Warsaw 3-9 (Moore 1-3, Schultz 1-2, Gensinger 1-2, Wienhorst 0-2), F.W. South 4-19 (Craig 1-7, Bevelle 1-4, Pearson 1-3, White 1-2, Brooks 0-2, Woods 0-1). Fouls - Warsaw 15, F.W. South 22. Fouled out - Woods.
JV - Warsaw 53,
FW South Side 38
Warsaw scoring leaders - Mitch Reinholt 18, Shaun Cabrera 11, Kyle Moore 10
