The opportunity to play for a prestigious IHSAA Regional Championship was here.

The #4 ranked Munster Mustangs (24-2) who had won eleven straight games were about to square off against the #6 Warsaw Tigers (21-2). Coach Doug Ogle's Tigers had strung together an amazing fourteen consecutive victories of their own as they took the floor in Michigan City for this title fight.

Many of the so called "experts" who follow Indiana high school basketball had predicted that these two round ball powerhouses would decide who would play next in next Saturday's Huntington North Semi-State Championship game. And rightfully so.

I mean how could you not pick these two schools for a regional final? Over the past two seasons, which amounts to 97 games, Warsaw and Munster had combined to win an incredible 88 of those contests. That is a whopping 91 percent winning ratio! C'mon...how do you pick anybody else?

This is Indiana basketball at its best y'all.

The fans from both schools certainly realized this. In a gym that holds 7,304 people (9th largest in Indiana) the Mustang and Tiger fans had no trouble filling most of these available seats. Both schools "travel well" to games away from their home courts. And as many red Munster shirts that were in the gym Saturday night, they could not assemble enough people to outnumber Tiger Nation. Tiger fans were again out in full force to catch a glimpse of their special group of kids in hopes of advancing on to Semi-State.

What a game...

As the referees set to toss the ball into play, both cheer blocks were waiving towels in the air. (See Photo Gallery). The atmosphere was off-the-charts-electric!

Munster controlled the tip. They began to spread the court as their Princeton Tiger like offense began its motion. On paper Munster seems to have an impenetrable defense, it really is their slow-methodical offense that keeps their opponents from scoring. The Mustangs have the #1 ranked defense in all of class 4A basketball, but as you will see in this game summary it is their offense that keys that statistic.

Munster moved the ball from side to side repeatedly on their opening possession. They literally threw 25-30 passes before finally taking a shot. Coach Mike Hackett's strategy seemed to be about ball control in this game. The Mustangs would fake left, then fake right, only to pass it to another Mustang. Rinse, lather, repeat.

Junior Joe Crisman scored on a jump shot just above the free throw line for the game's first two points. Munster had taken a whopping 90 seconds off the clock as they led 2-0.

The Tigers on the other hand continued to run their regular offensive sets. Sets that featured Nic Moore doing most of the ball handling. Munster obviously had a game plan in place to make any other Warsaw player beat them on this night as they used two players to guard Moore the entire game.

For the first three Tiger possessions that game plan seemed to be working.

After three Warsaw missed field goals, Munster had taken a 6-0 advantage while running 4:37 seconds of clock. The Warsaw Tigers had seen enough. Coach Doug Ogle called a 30-second timeout to discuss strategy with his team.

The Tigers came out of the timeout with a new game plan of their own. The new game plan was called BIGGISH. Biggish is the nickname for Tiger senior forward Justin Clemens. Clemens had come up huge for Warsaw in their game one win over Merrillville scoring 14 points amongst some massive Pirate defenders.

Clemens' number was called again and he came through. Justin banked home the first two points of the game at the 2:54 mark of the quarter. Munster 6 - Warsaw 2.

Munster 6'6" forward Ricky Carbajal scored in the paint after a .46 second possession to extend that lead. Mustang junior guard Joe Crisman added salt to the Tiger wound when he nailed a jumper after running more clock on the next possession. Munster fans were going nuts as their #4 ranked squad pounded the #6 Tigers over the first seven minutes of action. Munster 10 - Warsaw 2 with 1:17 left in period one.

Full timeout Warsaw.

Tiger fans were beginning to allow unhealthy thoughts creep into their minds during the timeout. Tiger Nation was very quiet.

Again, Justin Clemens responded for Warsaw. Clemens scored on his patented face-up jumper from the left baseline to bring the Tigers within six (10-4).

Muster held the ball (surprise-surprise) for the last shot of the quarter. No luck.

End of Quarter #1: Munster 10 - Warsaw 4

Tiger Nation cheered their beloved Tigers back onto the court in the beginning of the second period, hoping to revitalize their boys' spirits.

It would pay off.

Warsaw senior Andy Conrad swished a baseline jump shot to close the gap right out of the huddle. Andy's basket was a huge momentum boost for the Tigers. Conrad was instrumental in the game one victory over Merrillville with his hustle and strength.

After a series of methodical passes, Mustang senior Justin Gill would bury a three to give his team a 7-point lead (13-6) with 6:46 left in the half. Gill's unorthodoxed shot was not pretty, yet very effective in silencing the fans wearing orange and black.

Tiger sophomore sensation Lucas Grose decided to join the action on the next play. Grose clawed his way to the basket before rising up to finish a power lay-up from the left side. Not only did he make the basket, but was hammered on the play by Ricky Carbajal. Carbajal would have to take a seat next to his coach with two fouls. The blue collar 3-point play sparked the Tigers with much needed offense.

Grose would once again dominate the paint to score another 2 points. This time on a beautiful feed from Nic Moore. Lucas Grose had just put together a 5-0 Tiger run. Warsaw was only down by two (13-11) with 4:56 left in the second quarter.

Once again the poise demonstrated after being down eight points early was just another sign of how these kids have grown.

Justin Gill converted a baby hook over Clemens on the next Mustang trip to build the lead back to four.

Clemens would answer in a big way. Justin scored on the next possession after Lucas Grose assisted a nice pass to his fellow big man. Biggish then received an entry pass on the right block. He faked baseline before slashing back to the front of the rim. Justin's shot attempt rolled around the cylinder before a whistle sounded from the baseline official. A Mustang defender had fouled Clemens while in mid-air. The balled rolled in and Tiger Nation erupted!

After a Munster time-out, Clemens' free throw gave Warsaw its first lead at 16-15.

Munster reclaimed the lead on a leaner in the paint by Gill.

Andy Conrad would score the final two points of the half. Andy proved banks were open late on this Saturday night as his 15-foot jumper from the right elbow caromed off the glass for two points.

The Tigers went to the locker room with their heads and confidence high.

Warsaw outscored Munster 14-7 in the frame. Clemens led the way for the Tigers with 9 first half points.

Halftime Score: Warsaw 18 - Munster 17

Warsaw would start the second half right where they left off. Warsaw would go on a 6-2 run before Munster Coach Mike Hackett called a time-out.

Justin Clemens became the first player in the game to reach double digits. His score over Carbajal extended the Tiger lead to 20-17.

Lucas Grose scored in the painted area to maintain the three point advantage at 22-19.

Clemens capped the run with a play that showed why Coach Doug Ogle called his 6'3" senior "an absolute joy to coach". Justin missed a jumper from the left dead spot, but hustled after his shot like a German Shepherd after a frizbee. Biggish snagged his own rebound before finishing it off with a lay-in over the front the rim for two points.

During the timeout called by Munster, Ogle pointed out to his players why Justin's commitment to following his own shot was so important. Not to mention the Tigers had just worked on this very facet during their preparation for this tournament.

Warsaw led 24-19 with 2:59 remaining in the 3rd period.

The Mustangs showed poise of their own. Brian Stolarz connected on a corner 3-point shot and Joe Crisman tied the game with a pull-up jumper from the foul line. Munster had just scored five straight points to knot the game at 24 apiece with 1:51 on the scoreboard.

Proving why they carried a #4 ranking, the Mustangs did not stop there. Justin Gill's old fashioned three point play sent Mustang fans into a frenzy. Gill's heroics gave Munster a 27-24 advantage as the third quarter clock hit double zero. The sea of Red and Black was on its feet making all sorts of noise.

Munster outscored Warsaw 10-6 in the quarter.

End of Quarter #3: Munster 27 - Warsaw 24

What was easily lost on both sets of fans was the defensive effort by both teams through three quarters. Munster's plan to double team Nic Moore was working up to this point as Moore had yet to score a single point while only attempting five shots from the field.

On the flip side of this coin Tiger senior Zack Linky and junior Nic Moore were combining for an incredible defensive display of their own. Linky and Moore were absolutely stifling the Munster weave offense. Sure Munster is deliberate on offense, but to play solid defense for 1-2 minutes per possession is a very difficult task.

I thought Zack Linky perhaps played his best game of the season. Zero in the points column, but his exterior and interior defense was second to none on this night.

Sophomore guard Jordyn Coon would have his shining moment as well. Coon who had previously swatted a Munster lay-up attempt with his Lebron James style athleticism, nailed a triple from beyond the arc. A clutch shot from this sophomore stand-out as he tied the game up.

Warsaw 27 - Munster 27 with 5:56 to go. (See Photo Gallery)

This regional final was nothing short of expectation.

Following a Mustang turnover, the Tigers would regain the lead. How many times do you see the inbounds play calling from the Tiger bench decide the outcome of a game. Seriously, Doug Ogle could very well be the best at this craft in the entire state of Indiana.

Munster setup in a zone defense to protect the basket area. Nic Moore simply ran a perfect route to score his first basket of the game. The execution of this play was no less of a feat then a Joe Montana feathered bomb into the hands of Jerry Rice who had just followed the play call to perfection.

What a time for Moore to break the proverbial ice. What a call, what a pass, what a shot!

Nic's basket gave Warsaw a 29-27 lead with 5:51 on the clock. The Tigers would never trail again.

Moore, a serious contender for the 2011 Indiana Mr. Basketball award, followed his first basket with another. This time, The Entertainer hit a floater over two Munster big men who tried to block Moore's shot. The Mustang bigs looked like Granny from the Beverly Hillbillies using a flyswatter to rid her kitchen of flies. The look on their faces when Nic's shot went through the basket was one of amazement--almost as if to say "no wonder he is in the Mr. Basketball conversations".

Munster's Ricky Carbajal maneuvered baseline to keep the Mustangs close. Warsaw led 31-29 with 4:01 on the game clock.

Coach Ogle would call a time-out with to discuss end game strategy and to give his exhausted players some much needed rest.

Ogle seemed to take a page out of Coach Hackett's Munster playbook as the Tigers now controlled the ball. Warsaw was now content to play this style of basketball as they had the lead, the bonus, and the ball. Pass after pass after pass until Justin Clemens was fouled. The inevitable team foul number 7 in which the Tigers would now shoot free throws the rest of the game every time Munster committed a foul.

Fans on both sides of the gym knew just how big these free throws by Clemens would be. Justin calmly sank both shots giving Warsaw a 33-29 lead.

Justin Clemens came up huge in this game. Here is a leader who plays most of the season in the shadow of #11. Clemens just continues to work hard and to keep his teammates' heads in the flow of the game. He leads by example on the court and in the classroom.

Munster had to devise a strategy during their time-out at the 1:06 mark.

The Mustangs could not convert on offense. Now they had no choice but to foul.

Nic Moore would be fouled out of desperation. Moore made one of his two attempts. Tiger Nation could not yet breathe a sigh of relief as the lead was only five (34-29).

Munster's Ricky Carbajal would go to the free throw line for two after being fouled by Justin Clemens under the basket. Carbajal would miss both. This would prove to be the nail in the coffin for the Mustangs.

Jordyn Coon and Nic Moore converted a perfect 4 for 4 free throws before Moore would cap off the game with a steal and a lay-up. Moore flexed his arms and ROARED into the sea of Orange and Black (See Photo Gallery).

The clock would breathe its last breath and Tiger Nation erupted! Tiger fans held their arms up in victory before storming the court. The mass of Warsaw students, parents, and faithful fans engulfed the basketball court.

2010 Michigan City REGIONAL CHAMPIONS!

2010 IHSAA FINAL FOUR!

Complete Scoring for Warsaw:
Justin Clemens 15 Nic Moore 9 Lucas Grose 7 Jordyn Coon 5 Andy Conrad 4	1 2 3 4 F Warsaw Tigers     4   14   6   16   40  Munster Mustangs     10   7   10   4   31

Jordyn Coon led the rebounding parade with 5 boards. Zack Linky added 4 for the Tigers.

FINAL SCORE: Warsaw 40 - Munster 31

The Tigers claimed their first Regional Championship since 2000. The boys loaded up on the bus after the game. They received a police escort all the way back to Warsaw before assimilating in the Tiger Den for a quick thank you chat from Head Coach Doug Ogle. Ogle sincerely thanked Tiger Nation for their support and for making the trip to Michigan City. He encouraged everyone to make the trip Saturday to Huntington.

The Warsaw Tigers (22-2) will now travel to Huntington for their Semi-State matchup with #13 FW Carroll this Saturday. This Final Four game will be a rematch of the February 26 game played in the FW Memorial Coliseum.

Click here to find out what happened when Carroll (FW) met Warsaw in the War Memorial Coliseum in Fort Wayne, IN.

Tiger fans, make sure you get to the WCHS Athletic Office this week to get your Semi-State tickets early. We want to fill the Huntington Gym with a sea of ORANGE in support of Coach Ogle and his players.

Ticket Information as well as the Regional Championship T-Shirts will be posted here Monday at www.TigerSportsNation.com

Great job boys! Tiger Nation is SOOOOO proud of you!!

Posted In: Boy's Sports > Basketball

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