Madi Graham heads to the hoop for Warsaw Saturday night. The junior scored 16 points in an 82-38 NLC win over Concord.

WARSAW – The Warsaw girls basketball team was prolific in pink Saturday night.

The Tigers put up points a plenty to not only crush Concord, but also help out a very worthwhile cause.

Warsaw filled the basket all game long in defeating the Minutemen 82-38 in a Northern Lakes Conference contest.

The game was the annual Pink Out Night for the girls basketball program with proceeds, including $5 per point scored donated by Midwest Structural, Inc., going to the Kosciusko County Riley Kids Fund.

Junior Page Desenberg led the scoring parade for the hosts with a game-high 22 points. Junior Dayton Groninger scored 19 points, while junior Madi Graham netted 16 and junior Mariah Rivera 10 for the Tigers.

Warsaw, which entered play averaging 41 points-per-game, scored its season high point total by a whooping 30 points. The previous best this season was 52 points in a 52-33 NLC win over Elkhart Memorial at home on Jan. 13.

Warsaw, which is now 46-2 all-time versus Concord, improves to 8-13 overall and goes to 5-1 in league play. Northridge leads the NLC standings at 6-0 with Warsaw now alone in second place at 5-1. NorthWood, which lost 55-51 to Goshen in overtime Saturday night, is now 4-2, as is Goshen. The Tigers host NorthWood Thursday night in their NLC finale. Northridge hosts Plymouth, also on Thursday, in their final league game.

Concord, which has now lost 14 in a row in the NLC, drops to 4-16 overall and 0-6 in league action.

This one was all about the cause and the offense.

Mariah Rivera netted 10 points for the Tigers.

The Tigers wasted no time in taking complete control versus Concord, which lost for the 11th time in its last 13 games. Warsaw bolted to a 10-2 lead to open the game as the Minutemen had turnovers on its first three possessions.

Warsaw led 24-8 by the end of the first quarter as Desenberg scored eight points in the opening frame. The hard-working junior eclipsed her scoring average of 5.4 points-per-game in that first period. Groninger scored seven points in the opening quarter. Concord had 11 turnovers in the first stanza.

The Tigers, who beat Concord 52-18 last season, built their lead to 38-16 at halftime as Desenberg tallied 14 points. Warsaw then opened the second half with a 13-0 run, sparked by Groninger, to leave no doubt that the rout was on.

“We came out tonight and did the little things that we needed to do to make us better,” said Warsaw coach Michelle Harter. “We executed on offense and looked to run the fast break when it was there and made good passes in our break. We also did a nice job playing strong fundamental defense.

“One thing we talked to the girls about tonight as to come out with intensity at the beginning of the game and they did that. The responded well. They came out and played our game and got better tonight.That was our focus.”

Warsaw has now won four of its last five games (losing just to Northridge 46-25) and is 8-4 after starting the season 0-9 against a brutal schedule.

Dayton Groninger netted 19 points.

“From the second half of the Northridge game on (a 46-25 home loss on Jan. 9), we have refocused and played the entire game,” Harter said. “We have focused on playing four quarters. The nice thing is that the girls are coming together and having fun and playing with excitement out there. We are getting more consistent. We get defensive stops and that has created offense for us.

“The NLC is important to us. We still are in the chase for a share of the conference title if Northridge would get beat or we could be in second place. It’s important for us to play well in games like tonight where it’s not only a conference game but also a possible sectional opponent.”

Freshman Kenzie Martz scored five points and sophomore Kennedy Patton four for the Tigers. The trio of junior Kenzie Welk, sophomore Morgan Bruner and freshman Kacy Bragg each finished with two points.

Senior Anna Nisen led Concord with 11 points. Freshman Riley Mathewson and junior senior Shydae Campbell each scored five points.

Warsaw won the junior varsity game 64-19. Maddie Ryman led the winners with 10 points. Jessie Kersey and Kenzie Martz each scored nine points and Morgan Bruner eight for the Tigers. All 12 players scored for Warsaw.

Warsaw hosts NorthWood Thursday night in the NLC and regular-season finale. Concord plays at Prairie Heights Tuesday night.

Page Desenberg reacts as she tries to get in rebounding position with Concord’s Nicki Wilhelm Saturday night. Desenberg exploded for 22 points to lead Warsaw to a dominating win.