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SYRACUSE – With the top three scorers in Wawasee basketball history in the house Saturday night, one would think scoring would not have been at a premium.

With Shanna Zolman just a couple rows up from the Wawasee bench, Taylor Goshert a few seats further and KiLee Knafel also in the house, all three watched as their alma mater eeked out a 39-35 win over Warsaw in Northern Lakes Conference girls hoops at the Hardwood Teepee.

Both the Lady Warriors and Lady Tigers combined to make just 20 of 68 shots (29 percent) on the night, but a little more execution from Wawasee at the free throw line in the final quarter made the difference. All 10 of Wawasee’s points in the final chapter were from the line, four from leading scorer Kylee Rostochak who had 13 total points, and three from Allissa Flores, who finished with 10 points and 10 rebounds. The hosts hit 10-16 attempts from the charity stripe in the fourth quarter.

Aubrey Schmeltz also aided in the victory, adding a career-high 12 points.

Warsaw had tied the game at 29 at the 5:04 mark of the fourth quarter when senior guard Eryn Leek buried a three, but Wawasee scored the game’s next six points from the line. Warsaw would not cut the lead to a single possession the rest of the way, committing key turnovers in the final minutes and struggling to find decent shots.

Warsaw, which has been less than efficient shooting the ball of late, did not help its cause any Saturday night. Having made just 29 of its last 120 shot attempts in its three-game losing streak heading into the night, Warsaw was just 10-40 at Wawasee, a paltry 25 percent. Only three of those 10 makes came from inside the 3-point arc, which Lady Tiger head coach Michelle Harter was very concerned about following the game.

“It’s not something I’m comfortable with,” began Harter when asked about her team settling for three-point shots. “We need to establish an inside game in order for us to hit some more threes. Once you establish that inside game, then it can open up for our shooters. But if our post players aren’t going to catch the ball and go up with it, our guards aren’t going to want to throw the ball in there.”

Harter, now in her sixth season as the Warsaw head coach, is a Wawasee High School graduate. She played on the 1985 Warrior team that went 23-2 under coach Dale Brannock and was state runner-up.

Leek, Kilee Slone and Vicki Harris all finished with six points to lead the Lady Tigers, Harris adding five rebounds and three steals to her totals.

For Wawasee, the win comes at a good time after a lopsided loss to Goshen to open the Northern Lakes Conference season last Friday. The victory over Warsaw is the fifth in the past 10 games in the series and breaks a modest two-game skid to the Lady Tigers, but Warsaw still holds the all-time edge 38-18.

“There is progression each game,” stated Wawasee head coach Kem Zolman. “Tonight, it seemed like we would get an advantage, get up four, get up five. These are the situations we put them in at practice. We just want to see what we do in practice is helpful. I don’t know if this year will be a standout progression year, but we are seeing things come out ever-so slightly.

“Tonight was one of those nights we saw little things progress in a positive direction.”

The free throw line proved to make the difference in the close contest. Wawasee finished 18-29 from the 15-foot stripe, while Warsaw was 8-19. Rostochak led the way for the winners with a 6-6 effort from the line.

Warsaw played its second straight game without senior Nikki Grose. The 6-0 center, who is averaging a team-high 12 points-per-game this season, did not play due to a violation of team rules. Grose, who has made a verbal commitment to Indiana Tech, averaged 11.8 ppg. and a team-high 9.6 rebounds as a junior when the Tigers went 24-2 overall and won the NLC title at 6-1.

The  junior varsity game was all Warsaw, from the beginning to the end of a 57-12 final. Warsaw jumped out to a 21-0 lead and never were threatened. The terrific trio of sophomore Tahya Bruce and freshmen Dayton Groninger and Madi Graham led the way for Warsaw (8-1), scoring 48 of the points. Bruce led all scorers with 18 of those points, Groninger 17 points, six boards and three steals and Graham 13 points and five rebounds. Wawasee (2-5) had four points each from Kayla White and Seaquinn Bright.

Warsaw (2-7, 0-2 NLC) will get back at it Dec. 30 when it hosts the TCU Holiday Classic at Warsaw. The Lady Tigers will face Lowell in the tournament’s first game at 10 a.m., with Crown Point and Perry Meridian squaring off in game two. The morning’s losing teams will play in the night’s consolation game at 6 p.m., with the morning winners playing in the tournament championship to close the day.

Wawasee (2-6, 1-1 NLC) will next see action Jan. 4 at the Plymouth Shootout. Norwell and Plymouth will play in game one at 10 a.m., with Wawasee and Indianapolis Brebeuf in game two. The night games will have Wawasee and Norwell face off at 6 p.m. and Plymouth versus Brebeuf to close the Shootout.