Warsaw Set As Sectional Favorite
WARSAW – The Warsaw boys basketball team has definitely earned the right to be called sectional favorites.
Coach Doug Ogle has no problem with that either.
The Tigers are a perfect 5-0 versus the rest of the field in the Class 4-A Elkhart Sectional set for historic North Side Gym.
“I like being the favorite because that usually means you have the best team,” said Ogle. “I’m sure the other teams in the field will think that we are vulnerable. We beat Concord by two points and the Goshen game was close.”
“With that being said, there is more pressure with being the favorite in the sectional. A lot more pressure. It’s a tricky thing.”
Warsaw capped off an undefeated Northern Lakes Conference season by topping Northridge 60-47 Feb. 17. The Tigers also won regular season wins over possible sectional foes Elkhart Memorial (68-57), Elkhart Central (46-39), Goshen (36-28) and Concord (39-37).
Warsaw will meet defending sectional champion Concord (5-16) in the opening game of the Class 4-A Elkhart Central Sectional at North Side Gym on March 3. The Tigers beat the Minutemen 39-37 at home back in January, but Concord was without No. 2 scorer Brett Austin, who missed the game due to an illness.
Warsaw, which boasts a 17-4 mark after a 45-40 loss at No. 4 Carmel on Feb. 21, has done it this season with depth, balance and defense.
“Our balance has been our calling card all year,” said Ogle. “I hoped that we would have a deep team and that’s also been the case. I also think that our players will go into the sectional with confidence with the final two games we have on our schedule.”
Sophomore Kyle Mangas leads the Tiger offense at 12 points-per-game. Senior Rashaan Jackson, who has come on late in the year, is at nine ppg. Seniors Nick Sands and Jake Mangas are each right at eight ppg., while senior Tim Swanson is at six and do-it-all junior Paul Marandet at five.
The Tigers are led in rebounding by guard Marandet, who is also the team’s defensive leader. The trio of Kyle Mangas, Sands and Swanson give Warsaw a trio of sweet-shooting threats from deep range. Warsaw has also been a very efficient shooting team at 50 percent from the field and 75 percent from the free throw line as a team. The Tigers are also only allowing opponents an average of 43 ppg.
Ogle has guided the Tigers to four sectional titles in his 13th year as head coach. Warsaw pulled off three amazing wins two years ago to stun the field and claim the sectional championship as heavy underdogs. The Tigers that year topped Elkhart Central 45-44 in double overtime and then outlasted sectional favorite Concord 41-39 in triple overtime and then beat Northridge 64-57 in the sectional title game.
Warsaw will host No. 10 Carroll (Allen) on Feb. 27 to close out regular-season play. The Tigers have lost to Carmel, Homestead, Fort Wayne Snider and Fort Wayne Northrop.
“To be a solid basketball team is what we are striving for,” remarked Ogle. “We don’t talk about the wins and the losses. We just try to focus on all the little things we need to do. Our focus is on getting better and playing well.
“I tell our guys that they don’t have to be great. We just have to go out there and be ourselves. The results will then take care of themselves.”
Class 4-A
At Elkhart Central (At North Side Gym)
March 3: 6 p.m.: Warsaw (17-4) vs. Concord (5-16)
March 3: 7:30 p.m.: Goshen (13-8) vs. Elkhart Central (4-15)
March 6: 6 p.m.: Elkhart Memorial (13-8) vs. Warsaw-Concord winner
March 6: 7:30 p.m.: Northridge (11-9) vs. Goshen-Central winner
March 7: 7:30 p.m.: Championship Game