Warsaw Basketball: Ladies Drop Tough One To Raiders
MIDDLEBURY – The line was fine for the Northridge girls basketball team Saturday night.
The same could not be said for the Warsaw ladies on this evening.
Free throws proved to be the difference as the host Raiders edged Warsaw 47-43 in a huge Northern Lakes Conference clash.
Northridge outscored the Tigers 10-3 from the line, including 7-0 in the final quarter, to win a highly-spirited clash of two of the area’s best teams.
The defending league champion Raiders, who are ranked No. 16 in the Coaches’ Poll, improve to 19-1 overall and move to 4-0 in NLC play. Warsaw, which sees its 10-game winning streak stopped, falls to 15-2 overall and goes to 1-1 in league action. The Tigers are No. 17 in the Coaches’ Poll.
The duo of senior standouts Dayton Groninger and Madi Graham were outstanding for the Tigers. Groninger scored a game-high 22 points and Graham, despite playing limited minutes due to foul trouble, had 15 points.
The trio of seniors Marci Miller and Kelsey Brickner and junior Brooke McKinley did the heavy lifting for the winners. Miller scored 15 points, while Brickner had 14 and McKinley 12.
It was a free throw by Miller with 13.4 seconds to play that sealed the win. The 6-0 forward hit 4-6 charity tosses in the final 1:43 as the Raiders prevailed. Northridge was 7-10 from the line in the final frame as the hosts outscored Warsaw 18-13 in the fourth quarter.
McKinley, the Raiders’ top scorer at almost 15 points-per-game, had seven points in the fourth quarter. Miller, who averages 10 ppg., added six key tallies in the final frame.
The Raiders, who have now won seven in a row since a 50-44 loss to Penn, took the lead for good on a three-point play by McKinley that made it 39-38 midway through the final period. A pair of free throws by Miller with 1:11 to play gave the hosts a 44-40 lead before Graham drained a trey with 57 seconds left to make it 44-43. McKinley then hit two more free throws with 31.9 ticks left for a 46-43 Raider lead. The Tigers then got a tough break when Graham was clobbered on a move to the hoop on the ensuing possession and nothing was called. Miller then hit the final free throw to seal the win.
The Raiders, who had not played in eight days, finished 10-13 from the line in the physical and pivotal game. Warsaw was just 3-4 from the stripe and did not shoot a free throw in the second half. Groninger was the lone player to even attempt a free throw in the game for the Tigers. Warsaw was called for 13 fouls and Northridge nine.
The combination of free throws and rebounding proved too much for the Tigers to overcome. Northridge out rebounded Warsaw 22-18, including 7-3 on the offensive glass. The Raiders outscored the Tigers 7-2 in key second-chance points.
“One thing that was one of my biggest fears tonight was giving up offensive rebounds,” noted Warsaw coach Michelle Harter. “There were a couple of times in the fourth quarter at crucial times that we did not box out and they rebounded and scored. Those plays hurt us. But it’s another learning experience that we have to finish plays.
“I was very pleased with the effort that our girls gave tonight. They did a good job battling the entire night. We lost a close one and just came up a little short. Give Northridge credit. They are a very good team and they play great defense.”
Warsaw led 14-11 after the opening period as Groninger and Graham scored all of their team’s points. Groninger, Warsaw’s top scorer at 16 ppg, had nine in the first period. With Graham on the bench with two fouls, the Raiders rallied to a 22-20 halftime lead. Brickner led the way with 12 points as the hosts led at intermission. The Tigers took a 30-29 lead at the end of the third stanza as Groninger and Graham each scored four points in the period.
Harter, when pressed on the matter of the officiating, admitted that it was a factor.
“I never blame the officials for a loss and I don’t tonight,” said Harter. “But it was very hard to adjust with how inconsistent they were tonight. It’s hard to tell the girls what to adjust to when you don’t know what is going to be called and it’s hard to get into a flow. It did hurt us when Madi got into foul trouble early. It was hard for me to leave her in not knowing what was going to be called out there. But you have to overcome those things.”
Groninger and Graham combined to go 14-23 from the field for Warsaw. The rest of the team was just 3-13 for a combined total of six points.
“We do need others to step up and score more for us, but I thought that we got good looks and good attacks tonight,” said Harter. “The shots just did not fall for our players.”
The game was nip and tuck throughout with the largest lead just five points. Northridge, which has won two of the last four NLC titles, beat the Tigers 46-25 last season en route to a 21-5 campaign and a 7-0 finish to win the league. Warsaw finished 6-1 in the conference a year ago.
Northridge sits atop the league at 4-0 with NLC games still left with NorthWood, Elkhart Memorial and Plymouth. NorthWood, which lost at Wawasee 52-46 Saturday night, is 3-1 in conference play. The Tigers are 1-1 with league games still remaining with Memorial, Goshen, Wawasee, Concord and NorthWood.
Harter, whose team had not lost since a 40-37 setback at Whitko way back on Nov.25, says her team needs to move forward.
“We just need to put this game in the back of our minds and do what we need to do to get better,” remarked Harter. “Every possession is important. We have to finish plays and block out. We still have to take care of our NLC games if we want a chance to share the championship if someone can beat Northridge.”
Both Warsaw and Northridge will be in the same Class 4-A sectional come next month.
Warsaw won the junior varsity game 43-40. Maddie Ryman scored 22 points and Halie Shipp eight to pace the Tigers. Jenna Bradberry netted 11 points and Lauren King 10 for the Raiders.
Warsaw plays at Elkhart Memorial Wednesday night and Northridge plays at NorthWood next Saturday evening in NLC action.