The Warsaw Tigers traveled east Thursday night to wrap up their 2011 Basketball campaign against the FW South Side Archers. Coach Doug Ogle's Tigers have already had a good start to the season with 5 wins in 6 tries, despite losing all-state guard Nic Moore to graduation.

In this FW South game a year ago, Moore put up an amazing 50 points in the Tiger Den. That performance catapulted Moore into the 2010-11 Mr. Basketball discussions. He would eventually finish as the runner up to Indiana Hoosier Cody Zoeller.

Warsaw started off this game very slow. Through the first five minutes of action, the Tigers had just 2 points on the scoreboard. South Side's pressure defense was certainly causing Warsaw to speed up its offense. The pressure seemed to have the entire squad out of rhythm - almost panicked.

Senior forward Lucas Grose banked home a fade-a-way as the first quarter came to an end. Neither team had any resemblance of good basketball through the first 8 minutes.

END OF 1ST QUARTER: Warsaw 6 - FW South 6

The 2nd quarter didn't get any better for the Tigers. Perhaps one of the worst periods of basketball action I can remember from a Warsaw time in a very long time. The Tigers could not generate a made field goal in the entire 8 minutes of play. Rarely did they even get off a shot.

Mixed in with several unforced errors on offense, Coach Ogle attempted to settle his team down with timeouts. The only made baskets in the second frame were four Lucas Grose free throws. The senior was trying his best to keep his team within striking distance.

Nothing was working for the Tigers in the first half. They shot a woeful 13% (3-22) from the field. South Side held Warsaw to just 10 total points. When the halftime score was updated on the TigerSportsNation Facebook and Twitter feeds during the game, followers responded to the posted score with the following:

"OMG, did they shoot the ball" & "I was there, or I'd be asking if this was a football score!"

HALFTIME SCORE: FW South 15 - Warsaw 10 How would the Tigers respond to the adversity?

It was certainly clear that Doug Ogle had a different plan of attack opening the 3rd quarter of play. The Warsaw General inserted junior forward Taylor Cone & super sophomore Jordan Stookey into the starting lineup to begin the period.

The strategic changes worked to perfection.

Jordan Stookey immediately found Taylor Cone for an easy layup to begin the quarter. Doesn't seem like a big deal you say? The Tigers had just finished a span of 8+ minutes of NOT scoring a basket. To start off the first few seconds of this period with a score was the equivalent to slaying the two-ton elephant sitting on the Warsaw bench laughing at their offensive struggles. This was a HUGE deal.

Stookey wasn't finished. On consecutive trips the 6'2" passing wizard found seniors Rhett Kesler and Jordan Coon for easy baskets. All of the sudden Warsaw had trimmed the Archer lead to just one and Tiger fans were responding with loud cheers.

Enter JSmooth.

I love the nickname. It's so appropriate. What happened next was a pure joy for anyone wearing orange and black to witness. Warsaw senior guard, Jordyn "JSmooth" Coon simply took over this game. Almost as if to say, "O.K. guys, no worries - I got this - Let's end this thing."

Coon eyes lit up like the Christmas tree in Rockefeller Center. The basket might as well have been 10 feet wide when he touched the ball. JSmooth scored 8 of the next 10 Tiger points to finish the quarter. He nailed a long-range bomb, slashed to the basket for easy lay-ins, and made free throws when the Archers fouled him. When Coon was finished he had single handedly carried his team to seven point lead.

JSmooth, Stookey, and Taylor Cone led the Tiger eruption in the third period. Warsaw outscored FW South 19-7 to take control of this basketball game.

END OF 3rd QUARTER: Warsaw 29 - FW South 22

Senior Leadership is SO IMPORTANT.

The Tigers continued to extend the lead they had built in the 3rd period. As I sat watched what had just transpired, one thought kept repeating itself over and over in my mind. Senior Leaders.

Yes, it was Jordan Stookey and Taylor Cone who provided the spark to get the Tigers out of their putrid offensive funk in the first half. However, when adversity and pressure come knocking (and trust me, they will) on a team's door, a coach has to have a few guys who have "been there - done that" so to speak.

Let's take an inside look at how Warsaw was able to stand strong when faced with uneasy moments on this night. There was a total of 44 points scored for Doug Ogle's Tiger team. The senior class accounted for 80% of those points, led by Jordyn Coon & Lucas Grose. Add in Coon's 2 assists and that total percentage jumps all the way up to 89%. The senior class also accounted for 50% of the rebounding total and 100% of Warsaw's 7 steals.

This is why Senior Leadership matters. I have heard several Doug Ogle critics question his strategy to keep 6 seniors for two consecutive seasons, but there is no argument when you watch a game like this one. Congrats seniors! All of you! A great display of leadership and faith in your team to pull together and get the job done. IMPRESSIVE!

FINAL SCORE: Warsaw 44 - FW South 33 Complete Scoring for Warsaw:

With the victory, Warsaw improves to 7-1 on the season. Many pundits and fans alike did not expect the Tigers to keep pace or even be ahead of the last two year's team at this point. It is only natural to assume losing a player of Nic Moore's talent level would have a major impact on a team. However, Doug Olge's 2011-12 team has responded very well. Ogle kept saying all summer and into the fall that this team was going to be good even with Nic's departure.

The Tigers play together. They trust each other on the floor and quite frankly, have 3 or 4 offensive weapons that can beat a team on any given night. Everybody knows that Lucas Grose is the number one offensive option. Jordyn Coon is a close second and can take over a basketball game like he did on this night. What teams don't factor into the defensive equation is the duo of Jared Bloom & Jordyn Stookey. The J&J tandem average nearly 20 points per game and account for another 5 assists per contest. That's a formidable fabulous 4.

The Tigers will have a 14-day break before traveling to Middlebury January 6th, 2012 to battle Northridge.

TigerSportsNation.com would like to wish all of our Tiger Nation friends and families a very Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Thank you for supporting the Warsaw Tigers in all athletic events. It is YOU that make Tiger Nation the greatest group of fans in all of high school sports!

Merry Christmas!

FUN FACTS: The Tigers have started the last 4 seasons with a record of 7-1 or better. Doug Ogle's Warsaw teams have won 67 of their last 80 games good for an 84% winning percentage.

Posted In: Boy's Sports > Basketball