23 Down...1 To Go! Tigers Win Huntington Semi-State To Advance To Indianapolis
After an intense week of media coverage from every possible outlet, Coach Doug Ogle's Warsaw Tigers finally got the chance to play basketball. The Tigers were escorted from WCHS to Huntington North High School Saturday to play the class 4A Semi-State game against FW Carroll.
The Carroll Chargers came into Saturday's contest with a record of 21 wins against just 3 losses. One of those losses was a 66-57 defeat at the hands of the Warsaw Tigers. That loss was at the FW Memorial Coliseum on February 26th.
Oddly enough, the so called "experts" had the Tigers as the underdog in this contest. What gives?
Tiger Nation showed up in an amazing way on this day. After a week in which a ticket for this game was very hard to come by, Tiger fans did not get discouraged and just give up. No, they made the trip to Huntington to get in the 3:00pm line to buy tickets to see their beloved Tigers play.
Just before this game was about to start, I looked into the sea of ORANGE and was absolutely amazed at the numbers Tiger Nation had collectively formed in the stands. Literally 2700-3000 Tiger fans were crammed into every nook and cranny of the North bleachers reserved for WCHS. The overflow of orange shirts took up the end sections under the baskets as well. This Tiger crowd was certainly the biggest of the 2009-2010 campaign and quite possibly one of the largest crowds away from the Tiger Den ever. WOW!
The 2010 Semi-State game was underway.
Tiger sophomore Lucas Grose scored the first point of the game on a free throw. Grose's point came just 45 seconds into the game.
Charger guard Stephen Jones buried a 3-pointer for Carroll on the next possession. The Chargers were just getting warmed up. Their first five baskets of this game were three point plays. Four of these baskets from beyond the 3-point arc while one came on an old-fashioned conversion from Shane Merryman.
The Chargers compiled seventeen first quarter points as their offense was clicking on all cylinders.
The Tigers scored sixteen first period points. Jordyn Coon started the offensive parade for Warsaw on an offensive rebound.
Lucas Grose continued the youth movement for the Tiger offense with a power lay-up to go with his early free throw.
Warsaw three 3-pointers of their own in the first eight minutes. Two by junior star Nic Moore and the third by senior Zack Linky.
The Tigers trailed 17-11 with 1:12 left. Coach Ogle called a timeout to setup a set play.
That play resulted in the Linky 3-pointer to cut the Charger lead to 17-14. Once again the Ogle timeout had resulted in points for Warsaw. Coach Ogle is an absolute genius when it comes to scripting play calls during timeouts.
The intensity of the game was crazy intense. Both sets of fans were pouring their heart and soul into their cheering. TV cameras were in every corner of the gymnasium to catch every move of this basketball showdown.
End of Quarter #1: FW Carroll 17 - Warsaw 16
The Tigers roared out of the break to take an early second quarter lead.
Nic Moore drove baseline to finish off a two point score. Jordyn Coon followed up Moore's points with another offensive rebound. Coon put back the Tiger miss to extend the lead to 20-17 with 7:11 on the clock.
Timeout Chargers. Tiger Nation goes bananas!
Charger junior Tyler Ault swished a long range triple out of the Carroll timeout to tie the score.
Tiger senior Zack Linky then answered Ault's jumper with a 3-pointer of his own. 23-20 Tigers.
The two teams would trade baskets over the next four minutes of action. The Tigers switched between man defenses and zone schemes in an attempt to slow down the Charge offense. Both Justin Clemens and Jalen Roscoe picked up two first half fouls for Warsaw. Carroll center Alex Hipskind was the only Charger to end the half with two fouls.
Warsaw trailed 26-25 with 4:32 on the clock.
Nic Moore and Jordyn Coon hit back-to-back three pointers to give the Tigers a 31-26 lead. Moore finished the Warsaw scoring with two free throws.
Warsaw outscored FW Carroll 17-13 in the period.
Nic Moore scored 15 first half points for Warsaw. Jordyn Coon totaled 9 of his own including 3 rebounds. Zack Linky's two three-point bombs gave the senior guard 6 first half points.
End of 1st Half: Warsaw 33 - FW Carroll 30
Warsaw's defense forced Carroll to move the ball from side to side to start the third quarter. Stephen Jones finally found an opening as he scored the first basket of the second half. Jones's jumper came after a full 1:15 second possession.
After being held scoreless in the first half, Justin Clemens scored his first two points of this Semi-State game. Clemens nailed two free throws after being fouled on a nice spin move to the basket.
The next play may have been the climax in this championship game. The Chargers forced a Tiger turnover. Junior Tyler Ault was in the open court on his way to scoring an easy lay-up when Nic Moore flew into the sky above Ault. Moore swatted Ault's attempt into the opposing Charger cheer block. Tiger Nation went absolutely nuts in response to their star player's efforts and hustle. Oh my ! What a play Mr. Moore. Sheer entertainment at its best.
Moore continued to prove why the state of Indiana's basketball writers will succumb to the idea of his winning the 2011 Mr. Basketball award. Nic converted the "push down" play call with a hoop and a Charger foul. Moore screamed jubilant sounds of celebration as his momentum carried him into the Tiger fans under the east basket. Warsaw fans screamed back at Nic to show their enthusiasm over his incredible finish.
Moore finished the three point play to give Warsaw a 38-34 lead with 5:04 to go in the 3rd.
During the next few minutes the scoreboard operator had a few weak moments when the scoreboard flickered the incorrect score. Why do I mention this? Former Tiger coach and hall-of-famer Al Rhoades was adamantly reminding the referees of this error. Rhoades was definitely a Tiger fan during this contest as he rooted his long time assistant coach (Doug Ogle) and former team to a victory.
After a short stint on the bench, Nic Moore came back into the game just in time for an in-bounds play. Moore executed the play to perfection which led to an easy jump shot. Warsaw led 40-34 with 2:27 on the clock.
Tyler Ault brought the Chargers back with a four point play. Ault first was fouled on his way to the basket. The junior made the first free throw before missing the second. The Tigers had a malfunction on the block out of the second free throw allowing Ault to get his own rebound. He then scored a basket while drawing yet another foul. He made this free throw to cap the 4 point possession.
Tiger senior Andy Conrad came up big. Conrad scored on a reverse lay-up to end the third quarter.
Warsaw outscored Carroll 9-8 in a slow quarter of action.
End of Quarter #3: Warsaw 42 - FW Carroll 38
This is it...8 minutes to Indianapolis!
Stephen Jones starts of the final frame with a bang for the Chargers. Jones finishes a basket and a foul to bring Carroll within a single point 42-41.
Justin Clemens scored the next 3 Tiger points on free throws. Clemens had yet to score a basket in the game but had made 5 of 6 free throws for Warsaw.
Nic Moore picked up an offensive rebound and took the rock coast-to-coast for a lay-in. Moore's basket gave the Tigers a 47-43 lead with just over 6 minutes to go.
Tyler Ault and Alex Hipskind scored the next two baskets to tie the game for Carroll.
Warsaw 47 - FW Carroll 47 with 4:00 on the clock.
Nic Moore broke the tie. Moore left two Charger defenders in the dust before leaping over Shane Merryman to give the Tigers a two-point lead. Merryman fell to the ground looking for a charging call on Moore.
Justin Clemens came up huge or should we say "biggish" on the next Warsaw possession. Clemens followed up his own missed shot to grab an offensive rebound. As Justin went back to the basket he was hacked on the arm. Clemens made the shot as the referee blew the whistle to signal the foul. He then made the free throw to give Warsaw a 52-47 advantage with just 2:59 to play.
The kid just lives for the big moment! What a play -- What time to do it.
Shane Merryman scored the next three points to keep Carroll in the thick of this championship contest. The Chargers trailed 52-50 with 1:59 to go.
Nic Moore scored his final basket of this game with 1:31 on the clock. Warsaw 54 - Carroll 50.
The Chargers took more than 30 seconds off the clock in their search for a good shot. They found their answer when Stephen Jones drained a 3-pointer from the right wing. Jones's clutch basket narrowed the deficit to one. Warsaw led 54-53 with just 59 seconds on the clock.
Timeout Carroll.
What play would Doug Ogle draw up for Warsaw? Would he even draw up a play or just try to run the time off of the clock? Would Carroll try to foul or just go for a steal?
The Tigers did in fact play "keep away" as they moved the ball from side to side as precious seconds ticked off the clock. More than 25 seconds had ran off the clock when Jordyn Coon caught a pass on the right wing.
Jordyn was wide open.
The clock read 32 seconds.
Coon rose up for a jump shot?
Tiger Nation collectively held its breath as they now realized Jordyn was going to shoot the ball even though Warsaw held a one point lead. Coon's jumper found the bottom of the net as Warsaw fans let out their pent up anxiety in the form of absolute praise.
Warsaw led 56-53.
Timeout Carroll.
The Tigers were now trying to setup their defensive strategy. Somehow they had to defend without giving up a three pointer or fouling on a two point shot.
Stephen Jones chose to drive to the basket for a two point field goal. His shot rolled off the rim into the hands of Tiger senior Justin Clemens. Clemens was fouled with 5.7 seconds to go.
Justin calmly stepped up to the line and made both free throws. "I just don't get nervous" Clemens said after the game.
Carroll had run out of time. The Tigers had just won the 2010 Semi-State!
The sea of ORANGE rushed the floor (see photo gallery) in celebration of their team's accomplishments.
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Lucas Grose led the Tigers with 7 rebounds while Justin Clemens added 6.
Final Score: Warsaw 58 - FW Carroll 53
The victory gave Warsaw its first trip to the championship game since its famed victory back in 1984. The Tigers will face Indianapolis North Central (24-3) at 8:15pm in the class 4A final at Conseco Field House next Saturday.
Warsaw is considered a 7-point underdog in this contest.
STATE CHAMPIONSHIP PICKS | ODDS(%) |
CLASS 1A | |
| Bowman Academy | 78.9% |
| Barr-Reeve | 21.1% |
CLASS 2A | |
| Wheeler | 76.0% |
| Park Tudor | 24.0% |
CLASS 3A | |
| Gary Wallace | 65.0% |
| Washington | 35.1% |
CLASS 4A | |
| Warsaw | 25.6% |
| North Central (Indianapolis) | 74.4% |
Tickets will be on sale to the general public beginning Thursday in the WCHS Athletic Office. Season ticket holders and students will be able to turn in their requests Monday and Tuesday.
WCHS Athletic Director, Joe Santa, believes there are plenty of tickets (appx 5,000) to accommodate all Tiger Nation fans who desire to make the trip to Indy.
Way to go Tigers!!
Posted In: Boy's Sports > Basketball
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