Paul Marandet calls out a play while running the show for Warsaw Friday night. The senior was sensational with 23 points as the undefeated Tigers topped NorthWood 51-35.

NAPPANEE – Paul Marandet knows there are doubters who as he says “sleep” on his offensive skills on the basketball court.

The Warsaw senior certainly put NorthWood to “sleep” Friday night with his game on the offensive end of the floor.

Marandet, the man who can do it all for the Tigers, led a second-half surge that earned his team a convincing 51-35 victory in a Northern Lakes Conference clash of titans in front of a capacity crowd some 3,300 strong in the Panther Pit.

Marandet poured in a game and career-high 23 points as the Class 4-A No. 5 Tigers used a big final half to down the Class 3-A No. 2 Panthers. Warsaw outscored NorthWood 31-17 in the second half.

Warsaw improves to 16-0 overall and moves atop the NLC standings alone at 5-0. The Panthers, who saw their 21-game homecourt winning streak come to an end, drop to 13-2 overall and 4-1 in league play. Warsaw has now won 12 straight NLC games dating back to last year’s 7-0 league championship run.

The Panthers simply had no answer for Marandet. The strong 6-0 senior guard went 8-11 from the field (including 1-1 on 3-pointers) and 6-6 from the line. He scored seven clutch points to spark a 15-0 Warsaw run in the third and fourth quarters that turned a 24-24 deadlock into a commanding 39-24 Tiger lead.

Marandet, who is known as the “glue” guy for his team, also helped lead an incredible defensive effort. The Panthers, who entered play Friday night averaging 68 points-per-game, were held to a season low point total by the outstanding Warsaw team defense. The previous low this season by NorthWood was 48 points in their only other loss, a 49-48 setback to Class 4-A Fishers back on Dec. 5.

“This is a real good feeling to beat NorthWood two straight years,” said a sweat-drenched Marandet on the hardcourt amidst the postgame celebration. “It feels nice.

Paul Marandet was a crowd favorite among the Warsaw student section Friday night.

“My coaches told me to be aggressive and that’s what I did. A lot of people sleep on my offensive game and my skills and I wanted to prove them wrong. I’m a pretty decent offensive player.”

Marandet, who had his previous career best offensive night with 22 points in a 61-53 overtime win at Fort Wayne Northrop last Saturday night, was averaging 11.9 ppg. prior to Friday night. He was strong early with seven first-quarter points versus NorthWood as top scorer Kyle Mangas struggled early for the Tigers. Mangas, who entered the game averaging 20 ppg., finished with 10 points on a very rare off night for the junior star.

“I sensed that it was my time,” said Marandet. “Kyle is a great player for us and he did a lot of good things for us tonight. All the guys played great. They all stepped it up to get us this win.”

Marandet scored 13 of his points in the final half. He also added a team-high four assists.

“Paul was locked in at practice yesterday (Thursday) and I expected him to play well tonight, but I did not expect him to do that,” said Warsaw coach Doug Ogle of his 23-point outburst. “He was as close to a one-man wrecking crew tonight as you can be. He was the difference in the game.”

NorthWood coach Aaron Wolfe, a former assistant coach at Warsaw to both Ogle and Al Rhodes, also praised the work of Marandet.

“Great credit goes to Paul tonight,” said Wolfe. “He played great tonight. He was able to finish plays and hit key baskets in that stretch of the game in the second half where they got control of the game.”

Paul Marandet goes strong to the hoop Friday night.