Continuously serving Kosciusko County since 1854
Adam Dowling in Tuesday's Warsaw Holiday Tournament game.
It took eight games, but for the first time, Warsaw's boys basketball team started the lineup coach Al Rhodes penciled in during the preseason.
The Tigers (6-2) romped Lake Central (2-4) from the tipoff until the last tick on the clock in winning the first-round game of its Holiday Tournament 76-49. The Tigers will play 5-1 Withrow (Cincinnati) in tonight's championship game. Withrow advanced by beating Penn (4-2) 59-50.
Warsaw never has been beaten in its tournament, which began in 1994. This is the last year for it as it will be replaced by the Northern Lakes Conference Tournament.
Injuries had prevented Warsaw guards Chris Wiggins, Ross Kesler and Brad Seiss and frontcourt players Steve Siebenmorgen and Zach Nelson from starting together during the first seven games.
Wiggins scored 17, while Siebenmorgen added 15 and Nelson 12. Kesler added nine, and Seiss turned in eight points, six assists, three steals and three rebounds.
The Tigers shot 66 percent from the field (29 of 44) Tuesday as they had their way with Lake Central's defense for four quarters.
"Our offense attacked their full-court pressure," Rhodes said, "and we were able to get a lot of transition baskets. Our passing in all facets of the game was good. We fed the post well, and our post men kicked it out when they were double-teamed."
Warsaw jumped ahead 14-2 and settled for a 20-4 first-quarter lead. Lake Central hit 1 of 13 field goals in the opening quarter.
The Indians' leading scorer is senior Nate Richie, who averages 24 points per game. Richie had missed the last two games with a stress fracture and did not start against Warsaw. He finished with 12 points, including eight in the second quarter that helped the Indians pull within nine at 26-17. Warsaw scored the next five points to push the lead to 31-17. Lake Central never got within single digits again.
An overmatched Lake Central resorted to rugged play to try to even the playing field, to no avail. The Tigers' talent overwhelmed the Indians.
"It was a strong performance," Rhodes said, "especially by our starting group at the start of the game. We were able to get control early, and our half-court defense was very good in that stretch.
"We lost track of Richie in the second quarter, but in the second half, Ross Kesler and Josh Buck did a good job on him. He had no free looks. With the exception of three possessions in the third quarter, I was very happy with our performance tonight."
Now Warsaw faces Withrow, which Rhodes says will be the quickest team Warsaw will face during the regular season.
"Withrow's guards are extremely quick no matter if they are defending or dribble penetrating," Rhodes said. "They are a strong rebounding team. We will need to control the tempo, and we will have to stop their dribble penetration."
WARSAW 76, LAKE CENTRAL 49
Lake Central (2-4) 4 20 14 11 - 49
Warsaw (6-2) 20 15 23 18 - 76
Warsaw FG FT A S R Pts.
Wiggins (G) 5-9 4-4 1 0 5 17
Siebenmorgen (F) 5-10 5-5 2 1 3 15
Nelson (C) 6-7 0-0 0 0 3 12
Kesler (G) 4-7 1-3 2 1 2 9
B. Seiss (G) 2-3 4-6 6 3 3 8
G. Seiss 2-2 1-2 1 0 2 5
Buck 2-3 0-1 1 1 0 4
Finnegan 1-1 0-0 1 1 0 2
Rhodes 1-1 0-0 0 0 1 2
Henthorn 1-1 0-0 2 0 0 2
Martin 0-0 0-1 0 1 1 0
Walmer 0-0 0-1 3 0 1 0
Totals 29-44 15-23 19 8 21 76
Lake Central FG FT A S R Pts.
Dowling (F) 5-10 4-4 2 0 5 14
Duncan (G) 3-6 2-2 1 0 1 8
Urban (G) 1-4 2-2 1 1 3 4
Huebner (C) 0-6 0-0 0 0 7 0
Tornincasa (F) 0-3 0-0 0 0 2 0
Richie 4-10 2-2 0 0 3 12
Woods 2-7 4-4 1 1 1 9
Peterson 1-1 0-1 1 1 2 2
Totals 16-47 14-15 6 3 24 49
Three-point goals -ÊWarsaw 3-6 (Wiggins 3-6), Lake Central 3-15 (Richie 2-7, Woods 1-4, Duncan 0-2, Tornincasa 0-1, Urban 0-1). Turnovers -ÊWarsaw 6, Lake Central 17. Total fouls - Warsaw 15, Lake Central 21. Fouled out -ÊNone.
Other Warsaw Tournament first-round game: WITHROW 59, PENN 50
Withrow (5-1) 15 14 14 16 - 59
Penn (4-2) 10 11 13 16 - 50
Withrow - Jeffries 6-9 4-5 15, Garth 1-3 0-2 2, Darden 5-6 0-0 10, Love 1-7 0-0 2, Washington 4-8 8-9 18, Johnson 4-6 0-0 8, Pilgrim 1-1 0-0 2, Crawford 0-0 0-0 0, Orr 1-3 0-0 2. Totals -Ê23-43 12-16 59.
Penn - Laird 4-9 3-3 11, Husband 5-10 1-2 13, Modlin 2-6 2-2 8, White 2-11 9-13 14, Hanig 2-3 0-0 4, Hill 0-6 0-0 0, Smith 0-0 0-0 0, Flanagan 0-1 0-0 0. Totals - 15-46 15-20 50.
Three-point goals - Withrow 1-6 (Washington 1-3, Love 0-3), Penn 5-14 (Modlin 2-5, Husband 2-4, White 1-3, Hill 0-2. Fouled out -ÊLaird. Total fouls - Withrow 15, Penn 18. Rebounds - Withrow 25 (Darden 7, Love 5, Jeffries 5), Penn 26 (Modlin 7, Hanig 5). Assists - Withrow 12 (Washington 8), Penn 10 (Modlin 3, Hill 3). Steals -ÊWithrow 12 (Washington 4, Jeffries 3), Penn 11 (White 4, Modlin 3). Turnovers - Withrow 21, Penn 21.
