Lindsay Baker drives the baseline past Paige Newvine Tuesday night at Elkhart Memorial. Baker hit five clutch free throws in the final minute as the Tigers stayed unbeaten with a huge 39-32 NLC win.

ELKHART – It was only fitting Tuesday night that at a championship moment for the Warsaw girls basketball team that Lindsay Baker had the ball in her hands at game’s end.

Baker sealed the deal late in the contest Tuesday night in true senior leader fashion as the Tigers stayed unbeaten with a hard-earned 39-32 win over Elkhart Memorial in a Northern Lakes Conference tussle.

Baker hit five free throws in the final minute as the Class 4-A No. 8 Tigers improved to 18-0 overall and earned at least a share of the conference championship at 6-0.

Baker, after grabbing the final rebound of the game and seeing the clock hit zero, clutched the game ball and let out a huge celebratory scream following the nip-and-tuck win.

Senior Jennifer Walker-Crawford scored a game-high 14 points, Baker had 11 to go with nine huge rebounds, including several in the final minute, and junior Nikki Grose continued to be a double-double machine with 10 points and 11 rebounds.

Senior guard Monica Jones scored 13 points and junior standout Khadijah Moore had eight points to go with eight rebounds to lead Memorial, which drops to 12-6 overall and 3-3 in NLC action. Moore, an athletic southpaw who is drawing her share of Division I college suitors, was averaging 14.8 ppg. prior to Tuesday night.

Warsaw, which had lost 13 in a row to Memorial dating back to the 2003-04 season, sits atop the NLC. Plymouth is second at 4-1, followed by NorthWood and Northridge each at 3-2. The Tigers will attempt to finish undefeated in league play Saturday night at Class 3-A No. 4 NorthWood, who is 16-3 overall and has won 11 in a row after winning 64-22 at South Bend Riley Tuesday night. Warsaw last won the NLC title in 2010.

The Tigers won this won with poise down the stretch. Warsaw outscored the Crimson Chargers 10-3 over the final 10:29 of the contest. Memorial, which never led, drew even at 29-29 with 2:29 to play in the third quarter. Warsaw outscored the hosts 8-3 in the final period with Grose hitting a big bucket to make it 34-29 with 4:37 to play and then Baker calmly hitting 5-of-6 free throws in the final 57.9 seconds. Baker’s clutch final four free throws in the final 24.1 ticks came after she grabbed defensive rebounds.

Warsaw star senior Jennifer Walker-Crawford protects the ball from the defense of Victora Kyle of Memorial. Walker-Crawford scored a game-high 14 points as Warsaw won 39-32.

“Lindsay has been our leader all year,” said Warsaw coach Michelle Harter of the University of Toledo bound guard. “She steps up in critical times and did again tonight with her free throws and the rebounds. She does that and the rest of our team feeds off it.

“It was crucial to close this one out like we did and it’s a big win. It’s a great win to get us ready for the sectional in two weeks. They exposed some weaknesses and we can go back and look at the film and work on some of those things that we need to.

“I thought we kept our composure late in the game and that showed how mature this team has become. We got some defensive stops and the key rebounds and free throws down the stretch. The boards were a big key for us tonight. That’s been an Achilles Heel for us at times and the girls did a tremendous job battling on the boards.

“At half, I saw some looks from the girls that I had not seen. I told them to just go out and play and enjoy the game. In the big scheme of things, this was just another game for us. I thought in the second half we showed poise.”

Warsaw, which lost twice to Memorial a year ago including 52-41 in the sectional, never trailed Tuesday night.  The Tigers led 3-0 right away on a Baker trey and built a quick 9-2 advantage. Warsaw led 13-6 after the opening period and 22-18 at halftime. Walker-Crawford, Warsaw’s top scorer at 14.5 points-per-game, had 10 in the opening half. Victora Kyle, one of five Charger seniors honored prior to the game on Senior Night, had seven points to keep the hosts close.

The third quarter saw the Tigers inch ahead 25-18 in the opening minute on a Walker-Crawford layup. A quick Memorial timeout by second-year coach Steve Scott got the Chargers ignited. Jones scored nine of her team’s 11 points in the third period as Memorial pulled within 31-29 at the end of the stanza.

Grose, who was one of three girls players statewide to earn IBCA/Subway Player of the Week honors Monday for her play last week, says it’s back to work Wednesday.

“None of us are surprised to be 18-0 with the talent and coaches we have, but we have to keep pushing,” said Grose after the win. “We have to come back and work harder tomorrow and be ready to play Saturday night at NorthWood.

“To be 18-0 is a big thing and all of us would love to go 20-0. It’s an opportunity that not everyone gets the chance to experience. But, we also know that the sectional is when it really matters.

“We knew last year how many in a row Warsaw had lost to Memorial. We knew it was 13 before tonight. We just had to play Lady Tiger basketball in that fourth quarter. We had to get it done. Lindsay hit some big free throws. We had no butterflies tonight. We’ve grown as a team and we are confident and trust each other.”

Guard Eryn Leek heads up court at Elkhart Memorial Tuesday night. Leek helped her Warsaw team improve to 18-0 with a 39-32 conference win.

Warsaw and Memorial could meet again in the Class 4-A Concord Sectional in two weeks. The Chargers have won nine straight sectional championships. Warsaw, who is bidding for its first undefeated season since the 1989-90 team went 20-0, last won a sectional title in 2004. The Tigers play at NorthWood Saturday night and then host South Bend Riley Jan. 31 in the home final and Senior Night.

Warsaw shot 14-of-39, including 2-of-12 from 3-point range, and was 9-of-16 from the free throw line. Memorial, which did not have school Tuesday due to the fridig conditions outside, shot an icy 13-of-47 overall indoors, including just 2-of-17 from distance, and were 4-of-8 from the line. Warsaw did post a key 40-25 rebounding edge.

“We did everything we wanted tonight, but make shots,” said Memorial coach Steve Scott, formerly the longtime successful coach at South Bend Clay. “It’s been the story of our year. We struggle scoring sometimes.

“It’s just a matter of making a few more shots tonight. Warsaw is very good, but this game was there for the taking. You hold them to 39 points, you should win the game. The last two games we’ve allowed 36 and 39 points and lost. You hold teams under 40 points you should win.

“We’ve shown we can play with anyone. Our six losses are not to Minnie and Mo. We’d like to see them again in the sectional. Our kids are not intimidated a bit by anyone and the pressure in the sectional will not be on us.”

Memorial, for the record, has lost to Class 4-A No. 3 Merrillville, Mishawaka twice, Class 3-A No. 9 Plymouth, Northridge and now Class 4-A No. 8 Warsaw.

The Warsaw junior varsity team posted a 38-31 win. Courtney Farling scored 14 points, Vicki Harris seven and Jodie Carlson six to lead coach Mindy Stookey’s talented team. Adreana Jones had 12 points and Alexsis Miller nine for Memorial.

Warsaw plays at NorthWood Saturday night with the JV game at 6:15 p.m. Memorial plays at NLC foe Goshen Friday night in a girls/boys varsity doubleheader.

Warsaw senior Lindsay Baker celebrates at the end of a 39-32 win at Elkhart Memorial Tuesday night. The undefeated Tigers clinched at least a share of the NLC championship.