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CROWN POINT - For the second straight season, Warsaw upset a ranked Crown Point team.
This time around, the Tigers beat the No. 19 Bulldogs 40-35 at Crown Point's gym Friday.
Last year, Warsaw beat a then-No. 12 Crown Point team.
Warsaw rallied after falling behind 11-3 to start the game. After an early timeout, the Tigers started to solve the Bulldogs' press and beat the hosts on the boards. Warsaw ended up with a 39-26 advantage on the boards.
The Tigers outscored the Bulldogs 37-24 after the first four minutes of the game.
Warsaw had the late lead, but needed crucial free throws from Emily Niemer and Tiffany Ross to clinch the win.
Sheila Whitaker, who carried the Tigers early, led the way with 11 points. Niemer had 8, and Jackie Edwards added 7.
Neither team's leading scorer was much of a factor in the game as Crown Point's Jennifer Peake suffered an ankle injury in the first quarter and Warsaw's Tiffany Ross was saddled with foul trouble.
"Crown Point came out and played hard ball early," Warsaw coach Will Wienhorst told WRSW radio after the game. "It was a physical game and a well-played game.
"We found other ways to win tonight," he said. "Defense being a big part of that. They (the Warsaw players) don't care who scores the points, they just want to win."
Crown Point led 12-7 after the first quarter, but Warsaw outscored the Bulldogs 14-4 in the second quarter, including the final nine points, to take a 21-16 halftime lead.
Warsaw (3-0) opens its Northern Lakes Conference part of its schedule Tuesday at Northridge. Crown Point falls to 3-1.
WARSAW 40, CROWN POINT 35
Warsaw 7 14 4 15 - 40
Crown Point 12 4 4 15 - 35
Warsaw - Sherri Ross 1 1-7 3, Emily Niemer 2 4-6 8, Katie Elliott 2 0-0 4, Sheila Whitaker 5 0-0 11, Tiffany Ross 1 3-4 5, Jackie Edwards 2 3-5 7, Holli Murphy 1 0-0 2. Totals: 14 11-22 40.
Crown Point - Marsh 4 1-6 10, Gourley 2 2-4 6, Urbanski 2 3-5 7, Babjack 0 1-2 1, Sanders 0 3-3 3, Little 1 0-0 3, Weilbaker 2 1-4 5. Totals: 11 11-24 35.
