ELKHART - A game that looked to be a sparring session for the Warsaw Tigers turned into a heavyweight bout at North Side Gym Wednesday.
Facing an Elkhart Central Blue Blazers squad that came in with a 6-15 record, the Class 4A, eighth-ranked Tigers (18-1) escaped with a 58-51 overtime win in boys basketball action."I can't fault the effort tonight," first-year Central coach Matt Windy said of his team. "(Warsaw's) a pretty good team, and we gave them everything they could handle out there."
Central held a 46-45 lead with 26 seconds remaining in regulation following a bucket by senior Jamar Johnson, who finished the game with a team-high 14 points, three assists and three steals.
Following the go-ahead basket, Warsaw senior Chase Byerly hit one of two free throws, giving the ball back to Central with 16 seconds remaining, but without a timeout, the Blazers failed to get a good look at the basket.
"We knew they were going to come at us with a trap," Windy said. "To be honest, (sophomore) Chris (Holt) was going to drive around them. He just, for the first time experiencing (that situation), saw those two kids coming and froze up a little bit. Instead of staying spaced, our kids starting running to the ball, making it easier to defend."
In the end, Johnson had to heave up a contested 25-footer, which fell short.
Knotted at 46-all after four quarters, Warsaw outscored Central 12-5, hitting 8 of 9 free throws, to score the win in overtime.
Warsaw senior Ryne Robinson was 6 of 6 at the free throw line in overtime and scored eight of Warsaw's 12 points in the final four minutes.
In contrast, Central went 1 of 7 from the free throw line in the extra period.
"The free throws were key," Windy said.
From a look of the stat sheet, free throws were the key stat throughout the entire game.
While Warsaw was going 19 of 24 from the charity stripe, Central went 2 of 9, shooting just two free throws in regulation.
"That's been a strength for us, and it was again tonight," Warsaw coach Doug Ogle said of getting to the charity stripe.
Hitting all 10 of his free throws, Robinson led Warsaw with 19 points and seven rebounds, while sophomore Nic Moore chipped in 14 points and also grabbed four rebounds, dished out four assists and posted three steals.
Despite leading the way in scoring, Warsaw's dynamic duo shot just 8 of 27 in the game, including a 3-of-15 effort in the opening half.
"We were a bit listless in the first half," Ogle said. "Our enthusiasm wasn't what it needed to be, but Elkhart Central did a nice job."
"We got lots of pretty nice shots in the basket area, but they weren't falling," he added. "There's games when you don't shoot well, but find different ways to win."
Ogle pointed to the production of Byerly, who shot 4 of 6 on his way to 11 points, as a positive.
"I think Chase Byerly played his best game of the year tonight," Ogle said of the 6-foot-4 post player, who also had six rebounds and three steals. "He hit two (three-pointers) in the first half, then hit the free throw to send it to overtime. He did a good job."
A negative for Ogle was his team's post defense, which allowed Central's 6-6 junior Josh Riikonen to score 13 points, and also find open players out of double teams.
"Central had good interior passing, and we were exposed," Ogle said. "We've got to do a much better job, defensively, if we have any hope of advancing in the sectional. I was disappointed in our interior defense tonight."
Another negative for Ogle was the absence of senior guard Taylor Long, who sat out the second half with an injured foot, which he hurt in practice earlier this week.
"Playing without Taylor Long really hurts us," Ogle said. "That really makes a difference for our team, in a lot of different ways."
Along with Warsaw and Central fans, other interested onlookers at the game were coaches of fellow Class 4A Sectional 4 squads, which will begin play Tuesday when Warsaw returns to North Side Gym to face Concord at 6:30 p.m. in the opening game.
"It sends a message that this sectional is wide open," Ogle said of his team's overtime win against the Sectional 4 team with the worst record. "If you're watching that game, if you're Goshen, Northridge, Concord or Elkhart Memorial, you had to think, 'Hey, it's on.' And, Elkhart Central is always up for us in the sectional."
Prior to sectional action, Warsaw closes out its regular season with Senior Night at the Tiger Den Friday against Carroll. The junior varsity game tips off at 6:15 p.m.
