Lady Tigers fall 47-44 to South Side in semistate final
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Dale Hubler-dhubler@timesuniononline.com
The formula Warsaw’s girls basketball team has used during its magical season worked again Saturday in the Class 4A semistate. Only this time not for the No. 8 Lady Tigers, rather the Fort Wayne South Side Lady Archers, who did what Warsaw coach Michelle Harter has referred to all season as “the little things.” Those little things added up to a monumental win for South Side, as it beat Warsaw 47-44 on the Lady Tigers’ home court and advanced to the state finals in Terre Haute. Advancing to the state finals for the first time, South Side (24-3) will play No. 2 Bedford North Lawrence (27-0) Saturday at the Hulman Center on the campus of Indiana State University. Bedford North Lawrence, which beat South Side 64-39 on Jan. 26, rallied to beat No. 5 Roncalli in overtime in Saturday’s other 4A semistate. The Lady Tigers, who led 1ed 17-14 after the first quarter and 29-22 at halftime, finished the season with a 24-2 record, including an 11-1 mark in the Tiger Den. “In the second half, especially the third quarter, we did some uncharacteristic things,” said Harter. “The little things that we’ve done all season were huge against us tonight.” The Lady Tigers have been successful this season with their trademark defense, yet it was South Side that held Warsaw to 15 points in the second half Saturday. Warsaw has been good about keeping its number of turnovers low, while forcing the opponents into miscues. On Saturday, however, the Lady Tigers turned the ball over 17 times – 14 of them in the second half. South Side had six turnovers in each half. More times than not this season, Warsaw has outrebounded its opponent, but on Saturday, South Side grabbed 33 rebounds to the Lady Tigers’ 28. Even more eye-popping than the total number of South Side rebounds was that 21 of the 33 came on the offensive glass. “We lost our heads in the third quarter and played too fast,” said Harter. “After being patient and controlling the tempo in the first half, we sped up. We didn’t block out. That was a huge key to the game. We knew they got a lot of their points off offensive rebounds, and that really hurt us tonight.” During their exciting postseason run, the Lady Tigers have been a second-half team, as they won the Concord Sectional and Valparaiso Regional with impressive performances in the third and fourth quarters. They got a dose of their own medicine Saturday, as the Lady Archers outscored them 25-15 in the second half. “What we had to do was turn up the defensive pressure, and that’s what we did in the third quarter,” said South Side coach Juanita Goodwell. “We made adjustments, and more importantly we stayed in the game. The big thing in the second half was finishing plays.” The game featured five ties and 12 lead changes, and both teams had a chance to win down the stretch. With South Side clinging to a 45-44 lead with three seconds remaining, Lakyn Gulley accounted for the final score as she converted a pair of free throws for the Lady Archers. Gulley scored all four of her points from the charity stripe, as she was 4 of 4 in the final 15 seconds. “We know we want the ball in her hands,” Goodwell said of Gulley. “We put her back in the game for that scenario, and she sealed the deal for us. She’s cool under pressure in that situation.” DeJoyah Johnson led South Side with 11 points and eight rebounds, while Ariana Simmons added 10 points and nine boards. Brittni Clopton and Chelsea Rogers scored seven and six points, respectively, for the Lady Archers. South Side is now 81-18 in Goodwell’s four seasons as the head coach. “This solidifies everything we have done the last four years and how hard these girls have worked,” said Goodwell. “The blood, sweat and tears for four seasons, I couldn’t be more proud and happier for them.” For Warsaw, Nikki Grose led the way with 20 points and 13 rebounds. She scored all eight of the Lady Tigers’ points in the fourth quarter and 10 of their 15 in the second half. Jennifer Walker-Crawford, who scored Warsaw’s other five points in the second half, finished with 18 points and five rebounds. “I really love this team,” an emotional Walker-Crawford said while standing outside the locker room, as teary-eyed teammates shuffled past. “We have no regrets. We left it all on the court. We put up a saying that says, ‘You shouldn’t be disappointed it’s over, but grateful that it began.’ It’s just been a blessing to be a part of this team. I couldn’t ask for better teammates or coaches.” Lindsay Baker scored five points for Warsaw, while Brooklyn Harrison added a free throw. Harter has to replace five seniors – Baker, Walker-Crawford, Melanie Holladay, Sarah Ray and Gabby Monroy. “This group of seniors has made tremendous sacrifices in the offseason,” said Harter. “They put Lady Tiger Basketball back on the map, now it’s up to the underclassmen to follow in their footsteps and keep things going.”
F.W. SOUTH SIDE 47, WARSAW 44 SS 14 8 14 11 – 47 War 17 12 7 8 – 44 South – Lakyn Gulley 0-7 4-4 4, Lynnia Noel 2-4 2-3 7, Maria Moore 0-0 0-0 0, Ariana Simmons 5-10 0-0 10, Brittni Clopton 3-6 1-2 7, DeJoyah Johnson 3-14 4-4 11, Chelsea Rogers 2-5 0-1 6, Lakesha Lamaster-Stephens 1-5 0-0 2. Totals 16-51 11-14 47. Warsaw – Sarah Ray 0-2 0-0 0, Melanie Holladay 0-2 0-0 0, Eryn Leek 0-2 0-0 0, Jennifer Walker-Crawford 8-14 2-3 18, Lindsay Baker 2-5 0-0 5, Brooklyn Harrison 0-2 1-2 1, Nikki Grose 7-13 6-7 20. Totals 17-40 9-12 44. Three-pointers – South (Rogers 2, Noel, Johnson), Warsaw 1 (Baker); Rebounds – South 33 (Simmons 9), Warsaw 28 (Grose 13); Turnvoers – South 12, Warsaw 17; Fouls – South 14, Warsaw 16; Fouled out – none; Records: South 24-3, Warsaw 24-2
