The Warsaw Lady Tigers received a first round bye and had to face the host Concord Lady Minutemen Friday night before advancing to the IHSAA Sectional #4 championship game. The Lady Tigers had already beaten Concord 75-36 in a regular season blowout at the Tiger Den.

This time around Concord came out to fight. From the opening tip, Concord was physical, scrappy, and at times a bit dirty in an attempt to get Warsaw out of its game. A few instances left the referees bringing girls together for warnings due to the physicality of their play (see photo gallery).

The Lady Tigers were simply too talented for the 10-11 Concord girls. Warsaw won this contest by fifteen points 48-33.

Up next...The Elkhart Memorial Lady Chargers.

The Elkhart Memorial Lady Chargers beat Northridge Tuesday night (45-22) and then Goshen Friday night (53-43) to advance to the championship game against Warsaw.

Leading into this game Elkhart Memorial had beaten the Lady Tigers the last 8 times the two NLC teams had faced each other. Two of those Memorial wins were the last two years in this very sectional to end Warsaw's season. The most recent matchup between these two teams was a few weeks ago (January 26, 2010) with the Lady Chargers victorious by five (57-52) at the Tiger Den.

The showdown was set. The rematch the Warsaw Lady Tigers wanted was here. It had all worked out just the way a Hollywood Director would write the script. Could the Warsaw Lady Tigers finally break through to beat the team that has owned them for so long?

The late arriving crowd filled the stands for this title fight. The pregame warm-ups featured both senior leaders for each team getting their teams pumped up for battle. Jada Buggs for Memorial and Kelci Freds for Warsaw. Buggs was leading rhythmic clapping and shouting "Let's go!" while Freds was shouting her now infamous high pitched whooping "whoooow" to her teammates during their lay-up routines.

Warsaw controlled the tip.

As Coach Michelle Harter's girls setup their first play, Elkhart Memorial fell back in a "box and one" combination defense. Basically the Memorial girls were playing a zone defense around the lane area with one girl following Tiger star Kelci Freds wherever she went.

The defense caused fits for Warsaw early. Their first three possessions resulted in turnovers as they just could not find a solution to this defensive strategy.

Memorial star Jada Buggs scored the first two points of the contest on a turn-around jumper in the lane with 5:41 on the clock.

A minute later, junior standout Akyah Taylor then stole an errant Tiger pass and drove the length of the floor for a 4-0 Lady Charger advantage.

Warsaw senior Sarah Shilling put the Lady Tigers on the scoreboard with a nice up and under move. Shilling scored the basket with her left hand off the glass.

Jada Buggs answered Shilling's basket with another drive to the middle of the lane with 2:30 left in the opening frame. 6-2 Memorial leads.

Kelci Freds found the scoring column with a drive down the right baseline. Fred's pulled up before reaching the interior defense to knock home an eight foot jump shot--nothing but net. Kelci's first two points of the game cut the Memorial lead to 6-4 with 2:14 left. A series of missed shots, turnovers, and jump balls would round out the quarter with neither team finding the basket again.

End of Quarter 1: Memorial 6 - Warsaw 4

It was no secret amongst Tiger fans, coaches, and players that Warsaw had to play a near flawless performance to knock off the 22-2 Lady Chargers.

The second period was a quarter of missed opportunities for the Lady Tigers. The opening possession of the quarter featured great ball movement by Warsaw. Their patience appeared to have paid off when the ball was finally worked inside to junior Kayla Stout. Stout, who led the Lady Tigers with 15 points against Concord, had her attempt to tie this game up roll all the way around the rim before falling off into the hands of a Memorial rebounder.

Jada Buggs finished a three point play at the other end in a pivotal turn of events. Instead of a tie 6-6 defensive battle, Buggs would extend the Memorial lead to five (9-4). Jada would do it again on the next possession as she drove left past Kelci Freds for another lay-up. Memorial 11 - Warsaw 4.

Freshman Lindsay Baker ended the frustration with a 3-point bomb from the left wing. Baker's triple narrowed the Memorial advantage to four with 5:50 to go in the half.

Baker attempted another long shot on the next trip. Her shot was no good, but Kelci Freds grabbed a huge offensive rebound amongst the trees for a put back score. Tiger fans stood to cheer on their leader's hustle.

Timeout Memorial.

Obviously, Coach Larry Fielstra instructed the Lady Chargers to get the ball to their University of Wisconsin bound star, Jada Buggs during the timeout. Not a bad plan coach.

Buggs scored two quick baskets for Memorial to push the lead back to six (15-9) with 3:06 remaining.

Tiger junior Kayla Stout swished a beautiful eight footer in response for Warsaw. This title fight was shaping up to be a classic.

As Warsaw sat back in a 2-3 zone, Memorial was content to hold the ball. The Lady Chargers held the ball for the final 1:52 in the half as they looked for the last shot. The Tiger defense responded by not allowing Memorial to score as the teams headed to the locker room.

Memorial outscored Warsaw 9-7 in the quarter. Jada Buggs had 11 first half points for Memorial.

Halftime Score: Memorial 15 - Warsaw 11

The 3rd quarter did not start good for the Lady Tigers.

Memorial scored on their first two possessions to extend their lead to eight (19-11). Again it was Jada Buggs on the offensive glass for the Lady Chargers who sparked what would turn out to be a 10-2 run for Memorial.

Warsaw tried to keep its composure now trailing 25-13 with 4:04 left in the 3rd period. Kelci Freds was able to draw a foul on a drive attempt to stem the tide. Freds made both free throws to pull her team within ten points.

Freds then assisted Lindsay Baker in the open court as Tiger fans urged on their girls to keep fighting.

Memorial sharpshooting sophomore, Brionna Barnett answered with her first 3-pointer of the contest for a 28-17 lead.

Lindsay Baker whipped a crisp pass to an open Sarah Shilling for a score and a foul on the next Tiger possession. Shilling converted the free throw for the Tigers who trailed 28-20 at the 2:08 mark in the quarter.

Again, Jada Buggs sliced through the Warsaw defense to bank home a shot off the backboard. The Lady Tigers just did not have an answer for this ultra-talented phenom. Buggs finished the quarter with six points which brought her game-high total to 17 points through three periods.

Kelci Freds drained a big 3-point shot as the quarter came to an end to give the Tigers hope heading into the final frame.

Memorial outscored Warsaw 15-12 in the third.

End of Quarter 3: Memorial 30 - Warsaw 23

In what looked like a designed play out of the quarter break, Brionna Barnett scored a three point field goal from the left wing. Barnett's clutch shot extended the Memorial lead back to ten.

Warsaw senior Cendall Ogle responded with a jump shot just inside the arc. Ogle's swish cut the lead to 33-25 with 7:05 to play.

Akyah Taylor scored on consecutive trips for the Chargers. Taylor, who sat most of the 3rd quarter with foul trouble, is so good around the basket with either hand. Memorial 37 - Warsaw 26.

Kelci Freds does it again. Freds drove through 3 Charger defenders to score of the glass with 3:21 left in the game. She was able to draw a foul on the play and made the charity strip toss. Memorial 37 - Warsaw 29.

Senior Kaelee Sands came up with a steal and basket out of full court pressure by the Lady Tigers to cut the lead to just six points. Memorial 37 - Warsaw 31 with 1:33 on the clock.

Memorial junior guard Haley King was sent to the line by a Warsaw foul. King knocked down to huge free throws for Memorial. So many times you hear coaches at every level talk about the importance of free throws to win a game. King just proved why coaches continually harp on this to their players.

The Lady Tigers would not score another point as their desperation attempts to steal the ball would fall short on this night. Again, it was the Memorial Lady Chargers who would end another Warsaw season in the sectional final.

The emotion for the Tiger girls could be seen on their faces as the final buzzer sounded. In a display of class and sportsmanship, Jada Buggs hugged Kelci Freds as the teams shook hands. The two rivals and friends had put on a show once more for their fans. Unfortunately for Freds and the other Tiger seniors, it would be their last at WCHS.

As the public address announcer presented the runner-up game ball to the Lady Tigers, the tears were flowing from the eyes of the Warsaw girls. The girls played their hearts out--not only in this game--but all season long as they brought Warsaw Lady Tiger Basketball back to prominence.

Great Season Ladies!! We are so proud of you and all of your hard work this year!!

Final Score: Memorial 42 - Warsaw 31

Any comments you fans or parents would like posted to TigerSportsNation.com on the successful season of Lady Tiger Basketball can be done by using the Facebook option at the end of this article.

OR

Feel free to send an email to info@tigersportsnation.com and we will dedicate an article with all of the comments for Coach Michelle Harter's girls this season.

Posted In: Girl's Sports > Basketball

Want to see more pictures? Click Here