The Hardwood TeePee
Syracuse, Indiana
December 17, 2010

	#3 (4A) Warsaw Tigers (5-0)	84
	#8 (3A) Wawasee Warriors	76

Friday nights during basketball season in Indiana...Is there anything better?

After four wins in four tries, the Warsaw Tigers opened Northern Lakes Conference play against rival Wawasee. The Tigers swept the NLC last year going through the conference with a perfect 7-0 record. In fact, Warsaw came into this game having won its last 12 NLC games dating back to January 9, 2009 when they lost to Northridge. Anytime you can go 24 months without losing in the talent-laden Northern Lakes Conference you put yourself in rare company.

The Tigers opponent on this night was the #8 (class 3A) ranked Wawasee Warriors. The Warriors entered this NLC battle with a 4-1 record. Wawasee had lost its last contest to the Whitko Wildcats after holding a 14 point fourth quarter advantage. Coach Phil Mishler's team looked to get back to their winning ways while knocking off the #3 (class 4A) Warsaw Tigers for the first time since December 15, 2006. Four years is a long time to get beaten by a county rival.

Nearly 3,000 fans from both schools packed into the Hardwood TeePee to catch a glimpse of this contest. Everyone anticipated a highly competitive game between two ranked teams that have proven they can score the basketball in bunches. There certainly was not shortage of talent on this night.

This game did not disappoint.

The Tigers jumped out to an early 13-2 lead thanks to poor outside shooting from the Warriors. Tiger junior Rhett Kesler opened the scoring for Warsaw with a 3-point basket. From there the Tigers turned to their lethal one-two punch; a combo that has knocked out their last 16 regular season opponents.

Senior Nic Moore #11 and junior Lucas Grose #22.

Grose missed the last game against Rochester with concussion symptoms suffered in the Tigers defeat of Fort Wayne South at the Tiger Den. Warsaw fans wondered how Lucas would respond in his first action since December 3rd.

WOW!! Amazing & Awesome. That's how #22 responded.

Coach Ogle described Grose's performance as "hard to handle". I am sure the Wawasee Warriors would say it was even better than that. The 6'5" power forward dominated the basket area Friday night. Using his UFC super-cut body to power through defenders like a hot knife slicing butter, Grose was simply unstoppable.

The numbers don't lie right? Let's look at Lucas Grose's numbers from this game:

26 points - 7 rebounds - 2 assists - 2 steals
11 of 14 from the field (79%)
4 of 8 from the foul line (50%)

Lucas scored 9 first quarter points.

Now to the "right hook" of the knockout punch. #11 Nic Moore. The media attention surrounding Nic Moore has been relatively quiet through the first four games. From here on out I need to warn you all that the cameras on now focused squarely on Warsaw's 2011 Mr. Basketball candidate.

Fox 28 cameras were on location to feature Northern Indiana's best player. The Fort Wayne Journal Gazette's Ben Smith was in the house to bring #11 to Fort Wayne readers. And this is just the beginning. By the time the Tigers finish the Hall of Fame Classic in New Castle and head into 2011, TV crews and media trucks from all over the state will follow Coach Doug Ogle's Tiger team in expectation of another IHSAA tourney run led by #11.

Moore scored 5 first quarter points to compliment his junior forward Lucas Grose's fast start.

Wawasee started just the opposite. The Warriors kept firing three pointers like the constant ringing of those Salvation Army bells this time of year. And it wasn't working. Through four minutes the Warriors trailed 13-2 and Wawasee fans began to show their displeasure for Phil Mishler's strategy. Fans repeatedly were yelling for Riley Stichter to get the ball in the post.

Warsaw led 22-7 after one quarter.

Coach Ogle knew this game was far from over. "When you're playing Wawasee," Warsaw's basketball coach said, "whether you're behind a lot or ahead a lot, it's going to come back. The game is going to come back."

The Warriors started to get the ball to Stichter inside and then work the ball inside-out. Shots started to fall for Wawasee and the game drew closer as the half neared. Sir Sic Nic Moore scored 9 points in the second period while The Hammer Lucas Grose continued to impose his will for 6 more points.

The Tigers took a 42-34 lead into the locker room. Warsaw shot 58% for the first half while Wawasee was a dismal 34%.

The Warriors shooting touch magically returned for the second half. Coach Mishler's team connected on 8 of 16 second half three point shots to give the Tigers a few uneasy moments.

The first scare came with 6:25 left in the game. Warrior senior Logan Hatfield drained a long range bomb to cut the Warsaw lead to three (67-64). A Jalen Roscoe free throw pushed the lead to four before Riley Stichter scored in the paint for Wawasee. The Hardwood TeePee was rockin as the home crowd really believed they had a chance.

Enter #11.

Nic Moore quieted Warrior fans with a steal from Trevor McKibben. Sic Nic then drove the length of the court and finished a three point play using his superior basketball knowledge. The one thing the media and fans that do not see Nic Moore play in person is his ridiculous understanding of the game. Knowing the big moments, the score, and almost the thoughts running through the other teams mind -- #11 finds the weakness and exploits it front of thousands of fans night in and night out. 71-66 Warsaw regains control.

Wawasee continued to fight. Stichter connected for 3 from the top of the key to cut the Tiger lead to 75-72 with 2:54 left in the game. Want to take a guess what happens next? Ding Ding - you win!! Correct guess!

Nic Moore connects on a floater in the lane. The Warriors then miss a shot when Lucas Grose grabs the rebound and dribbles the length of the basketball floor to score an uncontested layup. Grose's amazing display of strength and ball handling put the game out of reach. Grose and Moore finished the game with a 9-4 run in which the Tiger stars scored all nine points for Warsaw.

The Tiger bench played solid minutes for Coach Doug Ogle. Travis Thomas and Clay Anderson both excelled in this game as they played their most minutes of the young season.

Final Score: Warsaw 84 - Wawasee 76

Complete Scoring for the Tigers:

Warsaw is now a perfect 5-0 on the season. The Tigers will play Tuesday night in Winona Lake on the campus of Grace College. The Orthopedic Capital Center is the venue that will host the 2010 Mid-Winter Classic featuring the Warsaw Tigers #3 (4A) versus the Triton Trojans #4 (1A). This ticket will be hard to get if you don't already have one. Grace College has one of the nicest facilities in all of Indiana but the seating is limited around 2,000 seats. This will be a sold-out affair as the Tigers and Trojans do battle.

For those of you reading who have not been to a game this season, you are flat missing it. I mean this with all sincerity as the Tigers have one of (if not The BEST) the most talented group of players to ever come through Warsaw High School. To watch Nic Moore play basketball with this group of players (especially Lucas Grose) is like driving a Ferrari or eating at the Chicago Chop House. It is first class luxury folks. And the best part - it's only $5.

Amazing!!

Posted In: Boy's Sports > Basketball

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