WARSAW – What to do for an encore?

That’s the question that greets the Warsaw boys basketball season after one of the best seasons in the program’s rich history.

What will be the answer?

Only time will tell, but one thing is a certainty for the Tigers, who went 25-2 last year and won conference, sectional and regional championships along the way.

Warsaw will feature one of the area’s best, and maybe most under appreciated, players in Kyle Mangas.

“I’m curious to see how this season plays out, but we will have a chance I believe in every game because of Kyle,” said Warsaw coach Doug Ogle as he prepares to enter his 15th year as head coach. “He’s a special player. He gets it and is a proven commodity.”

The smart and selfless Mangas, who has committed to Indiana Wesleyan University, should be a big time candidate for a spot on the Indiana All-Star team. The 6-3 guard averaged 19.4 points-per-game last year in earning the IFN Player of the Year Award. He led the Tigers with 48 treys, while shooting 55 percent from the field and 79 precent from the free throw line. The ultra-efficient Mangas, who was at his best at the end of close games, took an average of just 11.8 shots per game last season.

“Our practices have been very competitive and that’s all tied to Kyle,” noted Ogle, whose team checked in at No. 5 in the Class 4-A preseason poll. “His effort level is so high in practice. He’s become more vocal for us. We need to find ways to get him more shots this season. We also need him to be a more involved rebounder for us.”

The Tigers, who started 20-0 last season, will be a senior-laden group with eight seniors on the roster. Warsaw did lose three quality starters in Paul Marandet, Riley Rhoades and Evan Schmidt. Marandet, the quarterback of the team at point guard, averaged 13 points and is now playing at Spring Arbor University. Rhoades averaged four points and Schmidt was second on the team in 3-pointers.

The loss of Marandet, the vocal leader and top individual defender, is a big one.

“We’re going to miss Paul’s passing ability the most by far,” remarked Ogle. “He was smart and he was poised. It’s going to be who can come the closest to that for us. I’m not sure who will play the point for us. Kyle is an option there and we will see about that.”

The Tigers, who went 7-0 for the second straight year to win the Northern Lakes Conference title, welcome back seniors Jeremy David, Jaceb Burish, Braxton Minix, Sam Miller and Aaron Sandoval. The 6-4 David, an athletic specimen, averaged four points and four rebounds as a starter a year ago. Burish, a 6-2 forward, made eight starts and 6-7 Minix three starts. Miller, a 6-0 guard, played in 14 varsity tilts and the 5-11 Sandoval in 13.

“I think that we have more depth this year and that from 1-10 we are a better team than last year,” commented Ogle. “I think that our defense has a chance to be very good again. We have a much more athletic team and much more length than we have had in a while, too.”

“I think that last year’s success has had a positive impact, especially on the younger players throughout our program. There’s an energy from it.”

The roster also features juniors Ross Johnson, Jack Rhoades, Zach Riley, Asher Blum and Jack Grose. Johnson, a 6-3 guard, averaged 2.5 ppg., while Rhoades played in 12 games and Riley in two. Blum, a 6-7 lefty, could be a big wildcard for the Tigers. The smooth southpaw, who is the son of Grace College women’s basketball coach Scott Blum, can fill it up on the offensive end. The Tigers also have seniors Kyle Skeans and Shane Powers.

“The thing for us is how well will our other players play off of Kyle,” said Ogle. “Can we have other guys who finish?

“It’s a good group to coach. The effort has been good and our chemistry is good.”

Warsaw, which lost 40-37 to McCutcheon in the semi-state last season, shot 52 percent from the field and 75 percent from the line a year ago. The Tigers only averaged eight turnovers per game, had a plus-seven rebounding margin per contest and made 381 free throws, while their opponents only shot 298. Warsaw also ranked among the top teams in the state on defense by allowing just 39.6 points-per-game.

The Tigers host Tippecannoe Valley Wednesday night in the opener. Warsaw opens NLC play at Wawasee on Dec. 16.

The Tigers face defending state champion New Albany in the Hall of Fame Classic on Dec. 30 in New Castle. The Bulldogs feature one of the nation’s best players in guard Romeo Langford. The 6-5 junior, who averaged 30 ppg. and scored a school-record 46 points in the semi-state last season, has already received offers from Duke, Indiana, Kentucky and Louisville. Langford had 28 points as New Albany beat McCutcheon 62-59 in the Class 4-A state title game.