WARSAW – The Warsaw boys freshman basketball team definitely had to earn the championship of its Tiger Tournament Saturday.

A big day by Riley Rhoades carried the hosts to a pair of close wins over previously unbeatens Penn and LaPorte to net the title.

Tyler Packard scored 15 points and Rhoades netted 12 as the Tigers topped Penn 43-38 in a semifinal contest.

Ben Linky came up clutch from the free throw line late for Warsaw and scored nine points in the victory. Paul Marandet had four points and Evan Schmidt three for the Tigers.

Rhoades turned in a dominating effort with 16 points in the tile game as Warsaw edged LaPorte 29-28.

Marandet and Packard each had four points and Linky and Luke Wilson added two apiece in the championship contest.  Xavier Lynch had one point for the champions.

Warsaw, now 7-1 on the season, hosts Fort Wayne South Thursday at 6:15 p.m. in the Career Center Gym at WCHS.