HUNTINGTON – After scoring 20 points in the second quarter Saturday, Warsaw’s varsity boys basketball team scored just 20 points in the second half. In a 58-53 loss to the host Huntington North Vikings, the Tigers struggled shooting the ball in the third and fourth quarters, making just 6 of 24 attempts overall and just 1 of 8 attempts from the arc. Warsaw led 33-25 at halftime after shooting nearly 60 percent from the field in the first 16 minutes of action. The rest of the game was a different story. “Where we lost the game was the first four minutes of the third quarter,” said Warsaw coach Doug Ogle, who’s team fell to 1-3 on the season with its third-straight loss. “All the things we did to get the lead at halftime, we didn’t do those things in the second half. I thought we played selfish basketball in the second half, and we weren’t patient.” The teams traded baskets the majority of the first half before Warsaw used a 16-5 spurt in the second quarter to take a 29-18 lead and eventually a 33-25 advantage at intermission. In the first half, the Tigers were 14 of 24 from the field overall and 2 of 3 from the arc. The Vikings, in their first season with former Whitko coach Rob Irwin at the helm, improved to 3-1 with their third-straight win. Huntington North outscored Warsaw 14-5 in the third quarter and 33-20 in the second half. The Vikings trailed 46-45 with just under two minutes remaining in the game. A turnover on Warsaw led to a three-pointer by Huntington North senior Kalvin Miller, giving the Vikings a lead they didn’t surrender. Following Miller’s trey, the Tigers turned the ball over again, and Warsaw senior Jason Ferguson was whistled for his fifth foul. Senior Noah Reed converted both free throw attempts, giving the Vikings a 50-46 lead and sparking a free throw shooting clinic. Reed, who led all scorers with 22 points, made 10 of 11 charity tosses in the fourth quarter. As a team, Huntington North was 15 of 16 from the free throw line the entire game. Warsaw pulled within two points twice in the final minute, both occasions with free throws from senior Jared Bloom. While the the Tigers were 7 of 11 from the charity stripe in the second half, it was their shooting from the field that did them in. “I’m really happy with our play in the first half,” said Ogle. “But I’m really disappointed with how we played in the second half. We got in the basket area, I don’t know what more we can do. We have to make those shots. We had too many squandered opportunities. We missed a bunch of good shots, that’s basketball, but we didn’t take enough time, and that’s why I’m disappointed.” After tying a career high with 24 points Friday at Homestead, Bloom led the Tigers with 17 points against Huntington North. The disappointing thing was he was just 5 of 15 from the field overall and 1 of 7 from the arc. Junior Jordan Stookey, Warsaw’s second-leading scorer returning from last season, was 1 of 6 from the field and scored three points. Sophomore Rashaan Jackson scored nine points for Warsaw, while seniors John Swanson and Taylor Cone scored eight points each. To go with Reed’s 22 points, the Vikings also got 11 points from Miller. No other Huntington North player scored more than six points. The Tigers will be in action again Friday when they host Rochester. “I’m not giving up, but this was not a very good effort by us poise-wise in the second half,” said Ogle
HUNTINGTON NORTH 58, WARSAW 53 W 13 20 5 15 – 53 HN 13 12 14 19 – 58 Warsaw – Jared Bloom 5-15 6-7 17, John Swanson 4-8 0-0 8, Trae Furnivall 0-0 0-0 0, Nate Pearl 2-3 0-0 6, Jason Ferguson 0-2 2-4 2, Taylor Cone 4-7 0-0 8, Jordan Stookey 1-6 1-2 3, Rashaan Jackson 4-7 1-1 9. Totals 20-48 10-14 53. H. North – Noah Reed 5-9 11-12 22, Paul Ehler 0-0 0-0 0, Keaton Irwin 1-1 2-2 4, Matt Hogan 2-3 0-0 5, Caleb Landrum 2-5 0-0 6, Kalvin Miller 4-11 0-0 11, Kyle Platt 2-4 0-0 4, Trenton Kern 1-6 2-2 4, Dylan Harter 0-1 0-0 0, Austin Garde 1-1 0-0 2. Totals 18-41 15-16 58. Three-pointers – Warsaw 3 (Pearl 2, Bloom), H. North 7 (Miller 3, Landrum 2, Reed); Rebounds – Warsaw 29 (Jackson 6, Stookey 6), H. North 26 (Kern 8); Turnovers – Warsaw 10, H. North 8; Fouls – Warsaw 17, H. North 15; Fouled out – Ferguson; Records: Warsaw 1-3, H. North 3-1 JV – H. North 52, Warsaw 51 Warsaw (1-3) – Cameron Hoskins 12, Jake Mangas 10, Nick Sands 8, Peyton Long 7, Tim Swanson 5, John Lacheta 4, Cody Freeman 3, Jonny Hollar 2
