WARSAW – The Warsaw girls basketball team was poised to knock off the defending state champions Tuesday night.

Sydney Graber just would not let it happen though.

Graber hit a well-defended trey from deep to lift her Homestead team past the host Tigers 48-47 in overtime in a non-conference clash in the Tiger Den.

Warsaw’s Kaylee Patton drained a triple of her own with just 10 seconds to play to give her team its first lead of the night at 47-45.

No. 4 Homestead, which led by as many as 15 points in the second half, improves to 17-2 on the season. Warsaw, which has lost three of its last four games, drops to 12-8.

The Spartans, who went 28-2 a year ago to win the Class 4-A state title, used a torrid first-half effort Tuesday night. Homestead led 20-13 after the opening frame and 32-18 at halftime by hitting 11-24 shots in the first half, including 6-11 from distance.

Warsaw, which was coming off a conference loss at Goshen Saturday night, was just 6-18 from the field in the first half.

The Spartans built their lead to 37-32 in the third period before the Tigers rallied to pull within 38-31 at the end of the quarter. Warsaw then outscored Homestead 11-4 in the fourth stanza to force overtime at 42-42-.

Kaylee Patton and Maddie Ryman each scored 12 points to lead the Tigers. Emma Bohnenkamper had 11 points to go with seven rebounds and four assists for the Tigers.

Warsaw finished 15-38 shooting overall, including 7-15 from distance. The Tigers went 10-10 from the free throw line.

Sylare Starks led Homestead with 17 points and Graber finished with 12.

The Spartans finished 17-44 from the field, including 9-19 on 3-point tries.

Homestead, which was also Class 4-A state runner-up in 2015, went 103-10 the past four seasons led by Karissa McLaughlin. McLaughlin, whose mother played at WCHS, was Miss Basketball in 2017 and is now a freshman guard for Purdue.

Homestead won the junior varsity contest 33-32. Kensie Ryman led Warsaw with 17 points.

Homestead also took the freshman game by a 30-21 final. Lindsey Bradley led the frosh Tigers with 15 points.

Homestead, who has lost to Carmel and Luers this season, will host Fort Wayne North Friday night.

Warsaw hosts NLC foe Concord Saturday night and then finishes the regular season with a home conference game versus NorthWood on Jan. 25.