Because of a sprained right wrist, Warsaw boys basketball coach Doug Ogle said he was planning on giving junior Nic Moore some extra time to rest this week as the Tigers prepare for Friday's game at Rochester.
After a mishap in warm-ups for Saturday night's game with visiting Huntington North, the standout point guard is nursing an injured left ankle too."I was already planning on resting Nic Monday and Tuesday," said Ogle, whose team struggled mightily without Moore in the lineup but still managed to beat the Vikings 35-18. "Now we have to worry about Nic's ankle. We just need to get healthy. Nic has a sprained wrist and now an ankle injury. Andy Conrad has been playing through nagging shoulder injuries. We just need to get healthy."
A night after he scored 29 points against Fort Wayne South Side, Moore landed on a ball in warm-ups and rolled his ankle. He started Saturday's game against Huntington North but only played the first three minutes.
He spent the rest of the game on the sideline, his ankle wrapped and his leg elevated and resting on a chair.
Moore joined the team in the locker room at halftime and then used crutches to return to the bench.
"We're a lot different team without Nic," said Ogle. "You take a player like that out of your lineup and it's going to affect your team. Nic is a big part of our team, and we hope he's healthy soon."
Huntington North was playing without one of its best players Saturday night too, as 6-foot-4 junior Kevin Fisher played just two minutes because of a back injury.
With both teams missing players, they struggled on the court, as the Tigers shot just 10 of 30 (33 percent) from the field in the 17-point win, while the Vikings were 7 of 35 (20 percent).
The two teams combined to make just 2 of 23 three-point attempts.
"This game had the flow of a dammed up stream," said Ogle. "We didn't shoot the ball well, but I'm glad the kids fought through it and found a way to win."
The 17-point victory improved the Tigers to 3-1 on the season and gave Ogle his 100th win as Warsaw's varsity coach, upping his mark to 100-58 in the early stages of his eighth season.
Huntington fell to 0-3.
"I feel fortunate to be here and have the coaches and players that we have and have had," Ogle said when asked about his 100th win. "I have a lot to be thankful for."
The Tigers scored the first five points of the game and led 7-5 after the first quarter.
The second quarter amounted to a 7-0 run for Warsaw, as it took a 14-5 lead into the halftime break.
"We didn't shoot the ball well in the first half," said Ogle, whose team was 4 of 17 from the field in the first two quarters. "I thought our defense was pretty good tonight. We made them take some difficult shots. Huntington North is struggling right now."
After scoring just five points in the first half, the Vikings, who were 1 of 16 from three-point range in the game, scored six points in the third quarter and seven points in the fourth quarter.
Junior Kyle Bradburn led Huntington North with five points in the loss, while sophomore Levi Lawson chipped in with four points.
For Warsaw, which shot 14 of 24 at the free throw line compared to Huntinton North's 3 of 5, sophomore Lucas Grose led the way with nine points and 10 rebounds.
The Tigers got a spark off the bench from junior Joey Sparkman, who scored seven points.
"I was happy to see Joey Sparkman come off the bench and score for us," said Ogle.
Seniors Justin Clemens and Conrad and sophomore Jordyn Coon scored four points each.
WARSAW 35, HUNTINGTON NORTH 18
HN 5 0 6 7 - 18
W 7 7 11 10 - 35
H. North - Matt Kramer 1-6 0-0 2, Nick Miller 0-0 1-3 1, Taylor Petre 1-4 0-0 2, Kyle Bradburn 2-9 0-0 5, Austin Drummond 1-3 0-0 2, Kevin Fisher 0-2 2-2 2, Austin Shoemaker 0-2 0-0 0, Jordan Beaver 0-2 0-0 0, Levi Lawson 2-7 0-0 4. Totals 7-35 3-5 18.
Warsaw - Andy Conrad 1-4 2-4 4, Joey Sparkman 2-4 2-2 7, Justin Clemens 1-3 2-4 4, Brock Davis 0-1 0-0 0, Nic Moore 0-1 0-0 0, Christopher O'Hara 1-1 0-0 2, Jordyn Coon 1-3 2-3 4, Zack Linky 1-5 0-0 2, Lucas Grose 3-7 3-4 9, Cody Bragg 0-0 2-4 2, Jalen Roscoe 0-1 1-3 1, Travis Thomas 0-0 0-0 0. Totals 10-30 14-24 35.
Three-point goals - Hunt. North 1 (Bradburn), Warsaw 1 (Sparkman). Rebounds - Hunt. North 22 (Bradburn 3, Beaver 3), Warsaw 34 (Grose 10). Turnovers - Hunt. North 16, Warsaw 10. Fouls - Hunt. North 23, Warsaw 13. Fouled out - Beaver. Records: Hunt. North 0-3, Warsaw 3-1.
JV - Warsaw 30, Hunt. North 29
Warsaw (3-1) - Rhett Kesler 8, Jay Holladay 8, Clay Anderson 7, Zach Rooney 2, Travis Thomas 2, Jordan Wray 2
