Warsaw’s Dayton Groninger scored a career-high 28 points as her Tigers defeated Wabash 50-26 Wednesday night. (Photos by Mike Deak)

WARSAW – Wabash girls basketball head coach Matt Stone made it very clear what he wanted from his club heading into Wednesday night’s matchup against Warsaw. Billowing into the hallways outside the Tiger Den, Stone echoed for solid defense, attacking the ball and ‘make sure you find 25 and don’t let her get open up top.’ Wabash forgot to find 23.

Madi Graham

While Wabash did a decent job guarding Madi Graham in the 25 jersey, Dayton Groninger performed like some of the famous 23’s in basketball tradition. Groninger outscored Wabash on her own, netting a career-high 28 points in a 50-26 win.

Groninger was on fire from the start, scoring 17 points in the first half, from both outside the arc and inside the paint. The junior was 11-16 overall from the floor, hitting a pair of threes and had 18 of her points in the paint. Groninger also corralled four offensive and seven total rebounds – accounting for 10 of Warsaw’s 14 second-chance points. For good measure she added four steals and two assists and had her hands on several jump-balls.

Once Groninger started to get going in the first quarter, Warsaw was able to quickly separate. Groninger had 13 of Warsaw’s first 17 points as the Tigers stretched out a 17-6 lead and took a 25-13 lead into the lockerroom.

“I thought Dayton played within herself tonight,” said Warsaw head coach Michelle Harter. “You finally saw her relax a little bit out there tonight and take what the defense was giving her.

“It’s nice to see her finally just relax out there on the floor and have the type of game we knew that she is capable of having. Now hopefully that gets her on a little bit of a roll and she keeps going from there.”

Kennedy Patton

Graham didn’t get going offensively until the second half, finishing with nine points. Wabash’s attention to Graham was obvious, which likely opened up several extra opportunities for Groninger. All three of Graham’s makes were from behind the three-point arc.

Warsaw shot a snappy 20-39 from the floor (51 percent) yet only 5-16 from three, but were at 65 percent from inside the arc. Warsaw also limited one of its primary bugaboos this season – turnovers – to just 13 in the game. The Tigers forced Wabash into 17 turnovers and held the Apaches to just 8-27 shooting (30 percent).

Bailey Yoakum would lead the Apaches (9-6) with nine points. Madison Barden and Katie McCauley chipped in with six points apiece. Wabash, which had its modest three-game win streak snapped Wednesday, will work again Saturday at Three Rivers Conference foe Southwood.

The JV contest was all Warsaw in a 47-21 final over Wabash.  Maddie Ryman led the victors with 10 points and the combo of Jessie Kersey, Kenzie Martz, Abby Glass and Morgan Bruner all finished with six points. Abby Vinapal led Wabash with seven points.

Warsaw (5-12) will host Northridge (15-3) Saturday in a key Northern Lakes Conference showdown. Northridge will enter the contest 3-0 in conference, Warsaw 2-0. The Tigers close out its regular season schedule in conference in its final five games. Saturday’s will go a long way for coach Harter’s club.

“Northridge is playing very well,” Harter said. “They don’t try to do things they aren’t capable of doing. We will have to come out and be ready Saturday to have a great defensive performance.”

Members of Hailstorm perform during halftime of Wednesday night’s game between Warsaw and Wabash.