Warsaw guard Paul Marandet will be key for the Tigers when they host NorthWood Friday night in a clash on conference unbeatens (File photo by Nick Goralczyk)

WARSAW – The Warsaw boys basketball team has been good on the defensive end all season long.

The NorthWood boys basketball team has been good on the offensive end all season long.

What will give on Friday night when the pair clash in the Tiger Den for a huge Northern Lakes Conference contest?

There’s sure to be no give on either side as the pair attempt to gain a grip on the race for the NLC championship.

Warsaw enters the game at 12-3 overall and 3-0 in NLC play. The Panthers sit at 13-1 and atop the league standings at 4-0.

The Tigers are allowing just 42 points-per-game on the season. NorthWood, which has won a program best 12 straight games, averages 65 points-per-contest. Warsaw has allowed 60 or more points just twice this season, while the Panthers have scored at least 60 in 11 games with a high of 81.

“I feel like we do have a good defensive team,” said Warsaw coach Doug Ogle in a phone interview Wednesday. “This NorthWood group presents unusual problems with the variety of ways that they can score.

“Their top three scorers (Miranda, Fox and Linville) are potent offensively. They drive the ball well and all three are aggressive. I think the secret sauce for NorthWood is how often they get to the free throw line.  They are a team playing with a lot of confidence right now.”

NorthWood’s outstanding offense is led by the trio of sophomore Vinny Miranda (16.6) and juniors Dakiyron Fox (16.5) and Braxton Linville (15.9).

The Tigers have featured a balanced offense this season. Sophomore Kyle Mangas is the top scorer for Warsaw, but has had plenty of help, mainly from Rashaan Jackson, Jake Mangas, Nick Sands, Tim Swanson and Marandet.

Warsaw will get a boost Friday night with the return of Paul Marandet. The senior guard and top defensive player for the Tigers was out last Saturday due to the flu as Warsaw lost 56-49 at home to Fort Wayne Northrop.

“Paul is fine and we’re happy to have him back,” Ogle said. “He’s like our quarterback, our floor general out there on defense for us.”

Warsaw still has NLC games at home versus Elkhart Memorial and Northridge and at Plymouth. The Panthers still have league tilts left with Memorial and Concord.

The league standings have NorthWood on top at 4-0, followed by Warsaw at 3-0.  Memorial, Northridge and Plymouth are all 2-1, with Goshen 1-3 and Wawasee and Concord both 0-4 in league action.

“It’s a huge game in the conference there’s no doubt about that,” remarked Ogle. “Whoever wins it will be in good position in the NLC, but a lot can still happen after Friday night.”

Ogle is now 187-97 in his 13th season, while NorthWood coach Aaron Wolfe, a former Warsaw assistant coach, is 111-63 in his eighth season. Wolfe, who served as a Warsaw assistant coach under both Ogle and former coach Al Rhodes (now the Penn coach), is 0-3 versus Warsaw in the Tiger Den as coach of the Panthers.

The rest of the NLC slate on Friday night will have Memorial at Goshen, Plymouth at Northridge and Wawasee at Concord.

The NorthWood at Warsaw tilt starts with the junior varsity game at 6:15 p.m.