From the tip, the Wildcats game in Climax Springs on Monday night had a different feel as the crowd was packed and booming cheers echoed in the small, Class 1 gym.
There were scrambles for loose balls, fouls, charges, game stoppages to calm things down and even a home crowd ejection, but the Wildcats did their best at handling their composure and eventually emerged as the victors in a dramatic 35-34 win on the road.
In the see-saw battle, Warsaw led 12-10 at the end of the first as it was obvious that both teams wanted to push the limits of the opposing defense. A kryptonitic second quarter saw the Wildcats post just 2 points as they trailed at the half, 22-14.
In the third period, Warsaw used a big 3-point shot by Garrett Ferguson and clutch free throws by Logan Gemes to close the gap at 29-24 before heading into the wild fourth frame.
Teams exchanged jabs (sometimes quite literally), but the Warsaw defense allowed just 1 field goal in the final quarter and got a 2-point putback by Noah Siebert with just 3.1 seconds remaining for the final lead change and the 35-34 win.
Gemes paced the erratic Warsaw offense with 15 points.
WARSAW (35): S. Poyers, 6; G. Ferguson, 5; L. Henderson, 2; B. Slavens, 0; B. Henderson, 0; L. Bilderback, 0; C. Davis, 0; L. Gemes, 0; L. Gemes, 15; R. Reser, 0; N. Siebert, 7; A. Burdick, 0; J. Newell, 0; J.C. Minks, 0.
CLIMAX SPRINGS (34): T. Butterfield, 6; S. Skinner, 0; R. Ables, 0; C. Blanche, 7; J. Griffith, 6; K. Phillips, 8; T. Williams, 6; T. Flowers, 1; K. Leonard, 0; M. Simmons, 0; A. Ables, 0.
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In a game played at home on Friday night, the Warsaw offense was clicking but the potent offense of Stoutland dealt the Wildcats another loss, 80-61.
Warsaw trailed 39-23 at the half. A 22-19 margin in the third gave the Wildcats life, but the visiting Stoutland squad pulled away in the fourth for the 80-61 win.
Logan Gemes led Warsaw with 17 points while Noah Siebert and Shane Poyser also hit double digits with 11 and 10, respectively.
WARSAW (61): S. Poyser, 10; G. Ferguson, 9; L. Henderson, 9; B. Slavens, 0; B. Henderson, 0; C. Davis, 2; L. Gemes, 0; L. Gemes, 17; R. Reser, 3; N. Siebert, 11; A. Burdick, 0; J. Newell, 0; J.C. Minks, 0.
STOUTLAND (80): W. Morrow, 31; M. Kincaid, 9; D. Bainwell, 3; R. Bench, 0; J. Crabtree, 9; L. Martin, 12; A. Pribble, 0; I. Hill, 1; M. Vasquez, 0; A. Franklin, 14; B. Sterling, 0; J. Dickinson, 1; B. Millsap, 0; B. Coldwell, 0.
