Unbeaten Tigers At No. 3 In Coaches’ Poll
The Warsaw boys basketball team inched up to No. 3 in this week’s statewide coaches’ poll.
The Tigers improved their state-best record to 20-0 this past weekend with a pair of convincing home wins. Warsaw topped Plymouth 46-30 on Friday night to claim its second straight Northern Lakes Conference title with a perfect 7-0 mark in league play. The Tigers then handled a shorthanded Hamilton Southeastern team 60-40 on Saturday night.
Warsaw even received one first-place vote in this week’s IBCA poll. New Albany received the other 21 top votes and continues to sit at No. 1 in the poll. Merrillville is ranked No. 2 in the poll.
The Tigers have a pair of tough regular-season games left before taking part in the Class 4-A Elkhart Sectional. Warsaw will host Carmel on Saturday night and then play at Carroll on Feb. 26. Carmel is 12-7 prior to a game at Warren Central this Friday night. Carroll, which is ranked No. 5 in this week’s poll, is 19-3. The Chargers play at Homestead Friday and at North Central Saturday before hosting the Tigers.
South Bend Riley is the only other area team in the top 20 in the IBCA poll. The Wildcats, who are 17-5, check in at No. 18.
The trio of NorthWood, Columbia City and Mishawaka Marian all are among the teams receiving votes in the coaches’ poll. NorthWood is 17-2, while City is 14-6 and Marian 16-3. Warsaw has wins over all three of these squads this season.
IBCA Poll
- New Albany; 2. Merrillville; 3. Warsaw; 4. North Central; 5. Carroll; 6. McCutcheon; 7. Lawrence Central; 8. Evansville Reitz; 9. Lawrence North; 10. Pike; 11. Indy Tech; 12. Bloomington South; 13. Southport; 14. Griffith; 15. Tipton; 16. Fort Wayne North; 17. Franklin Central; 18. South Bend Riley; 19. Brownstown Central; 20. Cathedral.
- Others receiving votes: Barr-Reeve, Ben Davis, Bloomington North, Carmel, Castle, Columbia City, Danville, East Chicago Central, Homestead, Lapel, Logansport, Lowell, Marion, Mishawaka Marian, Mt. Vernon, Northeastern, NorthWood, Park Tudor, Silver Creek, Terre Haute South, Twin Lakes, Valparaiso, Zionsville.