The Warsaw Tigers boys basketball team traveled to NLC rival Concord Friday night. Warsaw would need a big time performance to knock off the 10-2 Minutemen on their own McCuen Gymnasium floor. The Tigers had not won a game at Concord since January 18th, 2002 -- exactly eight years ago.

Warsaw came into the game leading the NLC with a perfect 3-0 record while Concord was 1-2. The Minutemen had been beaten by both Plymouth and Elkhart Memorial. The Tigers have yet to play either of those NLC foes.

Just as you would expect, the atmosphere was electric inside McCuen Gym. Not only were the hated Warsaw Tigers in town, it was also Homecoming Night for Concord. Concord students past and present along with the Minutemen Band filled the entire North end of the stands -- a sea of Green & Black. The percussion section of the band was more than 25 students deep and each one had a huge drum producing booming sounds to cheer on their team.

The opening tip was controlled by Concord.

After a Concord miss, Moore pulled up from 21 feet and nailed a 3-point field goal to give Warsaw a 3-0 lead just 35 seconds into the game. He was just getting started folks.

Warsaw senior Justin Clemens set his feet to draw an offensive foul on the next Minuteman possession. The Tigers would get the ball back. Clemens wasted no time in finding fellow classmate Andy Conrad as the two connected on a nice pass and catch to give the Tigers a 5-0 lead after 1 minute of action.

Concord senior Doug Acker began to show off his outside shooting skills. Acker swished a high-arching bomb from the left wing to pull Concord within 2.

Tiger sophomore Jordyn Coon swished a pair of free throws with 4:53 on the clock to extend the Warsaw lead 7-3. Moore then took advantage of a 1-4 low set as he blew past his defender for another 2 points. Warsaw 9 - Concord 3.

Doug Acker found room beyond the arc for his second and third tri-fectas on the next two possessions for Concord. The basket must have looked like an ocean for Acker as he was money from just about anywhere on the court. He was perfect (3 for 3) from downtown to start the game and had all nine of Concord's points in the first quarter of play. Game tied at nine each.

Tiger senior Zack Linky let Acker know he was not the only sharpshooter in the gym on this night. On the following possession Linky found the bottom of the net from the right corner for 3 points. Linky's 3 gave the lead back to the Tigers 12-9 at the 1:46 mark.

Sophomore Lucas Grose scored his first basket of the night on a pretty feed from classmate Jordyn Coon as the first quarter came to an end. This duo will be thrilling Tiger fans for the next few years with their young talent.

The game was becoming more and more physical as the first quarter came to an end. Lucas Grose caught an elbow from Concord sophomore Jason Spriggs. Grose's face was dripping blood. Sprigg's uniform was covered in blood and had to be changed. Both players headed to the locker room as officials and janitorial staff from Concord High School cleaned up the court.

A good old-fashioned Indiana High School NLC clash between long tenured rivals. This game turned into a war.

End of First Quarter: Warsaw 14 - Concord 9

Concord stormed out of the gates to start the 2nd period. Junior Anthony Yoder hit a 3 and senior Larone Smith scored his first two points to tie the game. The 5-0 Minutemen run was enough for Warsaw Coach Doug Ogle to call timeout.

Justin Clemens scored out of the timeout on an assist from Nic Moore to give Warsaw a 16-14 advantage.

Concord freshman Franko House found the scoring column to tie the game at 16 apiece. House who stands 6'5" tall and is listed at 215 lbs in the Concord program (that's being nice) is a serious physical specimen. This kid could be a huge force for Coach Steve Austin over the next four years. Assuming a few more inches of growth and some dedication to the weight room, an average of 20-25 points per game and 12-15 rebounds per game is certainly in reach for this youngster. He already is the biggest and strongest player on the court as a freshman.

House scored again on the next Concord possession to give the Minutemen their first lead of the game 18-16 with 3:32 left in the half.

Nic Moore was having none of that. Moore, whose older brothers Kyle and Michael both played for Concord, was hearing chants from the home crowd on this night. Often they would yell out Nic's brother's names in an attempt to get under the 5'9" all-state candidate's skin.

Moore calmly nailed two free throws to knot the score at 18 all.

Anthony Yoder put Concord back on top with an offensive rebound of his own missed three-point attempt.

Again, Moore responded with a basket as he jumped above Yoder to connect from 15 feet. 20-20 tie.

Tiger forward Zack Linky then hit Justin Clemens on a nice feed to give the Tigers a thin lead. Concord's Yoder answered with runner in the lane to keep this game as it started -- all square -- heading into the locker room.

Concord outscored Warsaw 13-8 in the 2nd period.

End of first half: Warsaw 22 - Concord 22

How would Coach Ogle diagram the Tiger attack for the final 16 minutes of action? Ogle's plan was made clear to his team.

"I told the team as we were breaking the huddle to start the third quarter, 'We're going to ride Nic in this game,'" Warsaw coach Doug Ogle said. "He was shooting well and you could tell he was in rhythm. They were playing him physical, but he just really responded. Tonight's game illustrates why he's big time."

Nic would not disappoint his coach nor the faithful Tiger crowd that made the trip to Dunlap, IN on this Friday night. Moore who now needs 6 points to become just the 11th Warsaw Tiger to score 1,000 career points simply took over the 3rd quarter.

Nic connected three times from the land of the deep. The final 3-pointer being the most dramatic and timely. He scored twice from inside the arc and hit both free throws he attempted for a breakout 3rd quarter. Moore tallied a total of 15 points in the frame to carry his team to a ten point advantage after 3 quarters of action. How did we get there you ask?

Jordyn Coon started the scoring for the Tigers as he scored on a lay-up to give Warsaw a 24-22 lead. After Concord's Yoder knotted the score at 24's, Nic began his show.

Over the next 5:32 Nic put together a 15-5 run for Warsaw. He scored all 15. The first two on a pair of free throws that put his team up two (26-24).

Franko House hit 1 of 2 free throws for Concord and Lorone Smith somehow managed to make an off-balance runner to give Concord a 27-26 lead with 5:19 left in the 3rd.

Moore then buried back-to-back 3-pointers for a 32-27 Tiger lead at the 3:41 mark.

House answered with a powerful drive to the goal for Concord.

Nic then scored on consecutive Tiger trips. Once on a power lay-up in the lane and again along the left baseline. Warsaw 36 - Concord 29.

Here is where the game gets intense and the officials lose some control and sense of order. With Concord fans screaming at the referees (you tend to do this when your team is losing control of a game on your home court) for missed calls or calls that went against their team, the intensity level was on the rise.

In fact, McCuen Gym still has a "noise-o-meter" that measures the decibel level inside the arena. Yes, the same meter that still hangs from the days of Rick Fox and Shawn Kemp for you faithful Tiger fans that remember those wars.

Concord's Anthony Yoder takes it personal that Nic Moore is ripping his team in the quarter. So Yoder begins to shadow Moore using physical techniques and talking to try and slow him down. As Moore brought the ball up the court, Yoder reaches in and commits a foul. The foul looks like a Brian Urlacher attempt to bring down an Adrian Peterson rush.

Both sets of fans jump to their feet like they were at a Tyson-Holyfield title fight.

Moore takes exception to the hard foul and has to be corralled by seniors Andy Conrad and Justin Clemens.

On the ensuing inbound pass, Moore runs thru a double screen set by sophomore Jalen Roscoe and senior Zack Linky to catch the pass from Clemens. Yoder was trailing Moore in his attempt to keep up the intensity level after the short confrontation with the Tiger star.

He wishes now he would NOT have followed Nic thru that double screen. Both Roscoe and Linky closed off any gap for Yoder to get through the screen and Yoder ran square into the shoulders of Linky and Roscoe. Yoder fell on his backside after hitting the Tiger wall as though he was hit by an 18 wheeler. OUCH!!

The officials called Roscoe for the foul on what appeared to be a legal screen -- though the outcome looked like an MMA fight for Yoder. Both Minutemen and Tiger fans are screaming at the referees. Both coaches are livid with the action on the floor not going their way. Ladies and Gentleman....Let's get ready to R-U-M-B-L-E!!!

Concord turns the ball over on their possession. Warsaw inbounds with just .14 seconds on the clock.

Remember earlier when I said the last of Moore's 3-pointers "being the most dramatic and timely?"

Moore catches the inbound pass -- dribbles past Yoder over half court -- moves left on a shake that makes Larone Smith fall to the floor (SEE PHOTO GALLERY OF CAMERA LENS). Moore rises up from 20 feet and lets go of a 3-point attempt as the clock hits .00 -- SWISH!!

The Warsaw bench empties to greet Moore. Moore lets out a war hoop in an emotional display of "I want this game and you better bring more than that if you want to stop me Anthony Yoder!" Tiger fans and cheer block respond with jubilant cheers as Concord fans are stunned sitting quietly.

Wow! This is why Indiana High School Basketball is world renown ya'll.

Warsaw outscored Concord 17-7 in the 3rd period.

End of 3rd Quarter: Warsaw 39 - Goshen 29

Justin Clemens scored the first basket of the 4th quarter to give Warsaw its largest lead of the game 41-29.

Showing the heart of their head coach and fans, Concord was determined to get back in this game.

Franko House led the charge with a jumper in the lane. Fellow freshman DuWhan Alford then scored to give the Minutemen life at 41-33 with 6:54 remaining. Plenty of time for Concord to mount a comeback.

Jordyn Coon then broke the Concord press going coast-to-coast on a high flying lay-up to extend the lead back to ten. Jordyn often reminds Tiger fans of another Jordan with his leaping ability. Check out the photo gallery of this game as TigerSportsNation.com cameras were able to capture Jordyn in mid-air. The kid can get up!

Alford immediately comes down the court and connects on a long 3-ball for Concord. Warsaw 43 - Concord 36. The talented Minutemen freshman continued to lead their team back as Franko House again powered his way to the hoop. Concord within five (43-38) at the 5:38 mark. This Concord team has a bright future folks. Look out.

Timeout Warsaw.

Warsaw throws the ball away on the inbounds pass. Tiger fans are now getting squeamish.

Senior Zack Linky makes a momentum-changing steal as Concord attempts to get the ball up the court. Linky is fouled on his drive to the basket. Zack connects on both charity stripe attempts to push the Tiger lead back to 7 (45-38). Had Linky not made this steal and Concord scored, this game would have been 43-40 and who knows what happens. Huge play Zack Linky.

Lucas Grose scores over both Concord freshman (great picture of this in the gallery) to put the Tiger at nine with 4:32 to play.

Doug Acker and Larone Smith connect on drives for Concord as they refuse to go away. Concord students and fans are now believing in their chances as they rise to their feet making huge amounts of noise. Warsaw 47 - Concord 42 with 3:49 to go.

As Concord began to foul the Tigers in an attempt to prolong this game, the Warsaw free throw shooting turned South in a hurry. The Tigers made just 3 of 8 attempts down the stretch as well as missing the front end of 1 and 1 attempts three different times. In all leaving 11 points at the line over the last 3 minutes of this game.

Luckily for the Tigers, Concord went cold from the floor (especially the 3-point line) in their attempt to get back in this game. In all Concord shot just 20% from 3-point range on 5 of 25 shooting.

Justin Clemens scored a lay-up with 2:04 on the clock to give Warsaw a 50-42 advantage. After a missed three point attempt by Concord, Nic Moore dazzled the crowd with a hesitation move along the left baseline. Moore left his defender scratching his head on the move to score his 25th and 26 points of the night. Warsaw led 52-42 with 1:32 on the clock.

Doug Acker, Larone Smith, and Franko House made six consecutive free throws to round out the comeback effort for the Minutemen. But on this night, it was too much Nic Moore for Concord to have a chance.

Franko House and Doug Acker led Concord with 13 points each.

Final Score: Warsaw 54 - Concord 48

Complete Scoring for Warsaw:	NLC Standings (as of 01/23/2010)
Nic Moore 26 Justin Clemens 9 Jordyn Coon 6 Lucas Grose 5 Zack Linky 5 Andy Conrad 3	Warsaw 4-0 Plymouth 3-1 Elkhart Memorial 2-1 Wawasee 2-2 Goshen 2-2 Concord 1-3 NorthWood 1-3 Northridge 0-3

The victory improved the Tiger record to 10-2 (4-0 NLC) on the season. Warsaw is alone atop the NLC conference standings and will try to improve on that when they travel to Northwood next Friday night (1/29). Northwood is currently 5-7 (1-3 NLC) on the season.

TigerSportsNation.com caught up with Tiger senior Zack Linky just moments after this emotional victory to get Zack's take on this battle:

TSN.com: Zack, can you give us an idea as to the intensity of this game versus the previous 11 games so far this season?

Zack Linky #21: "For sure, this atmosphere is crazy. The noise levels brings out the intensity and Concord always has a great team so it makes you pumped up to play here."

TSN.com: Take us through the rivalry thoughts when playing Concord.

Zack Linky #21: "It's huge. Let's face it, this game often decides the winner of the Northern Lakes Conference. Concord has been great for years and so have we. We want this NLC title and as a senior class we have never won on this floor so this game was huge for us."

TSN.com: It was nice to see you get off to a quick start tonight. Talk to us about the importance of your 3-point shooting to this team?

Zack Linky #21: "Yea, I found a hole in their defense and Nic made a great pass. It's always nice for my confidence to see the first shot go down. I feel like I am shooting the ball well right now and I know that I have to make shots for this team as we head down the stretch."

Continue to follow this Warsaw team as complete coverage of the Tigers will updated here at www.TigerSportsNation.com

Posted In: Boy's Sports > Basketball

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