McCutcheon Speeds Up Warsaw, Moves Onto State Finals
Entering this game, you knew it was going to be a battle of wills. Warsaw, a team that likes to slow it down and grind you out of a game, was going against McCutcheon, a team that likes to go…
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Continue ReadingEntering this game, you knew it was going to be a battle of wills. Warsaw, a team that likes to slow it down and grind you out of a game, was going against McCutcheon, a team that likes to go quick and get a ton of possessions. It was going to be impossible for both teams to play their style and on this day, McCutcheon actually played a much slower pace but found spurts where they were able to take over and push Warsaw on their heels.
The game started out, much like you think it would, with Warsaw trying to grind it out and that worked for a while until McCutcheon turned up the aggressiveness and started creating turnovers. They got 5 turnovers in the first quarter, 5 in the second and at halftime McCutcheon was up 21-18. Kyle Mangas kept Warsaw close as he hit three triples, all coming at pivotal times. Robert Phinisee was the key though as he lead his defense and didn’t let Warsaw run their long, drawn out sets. Warsaw had to be efficient and it was in terms of shooting but not as much in terms of shot attempts per possession. The biggest the lead ever got was 9 for McCutcheon but even at the end, Warsaw managed to claw back in with a pair of threes from Evan Schmidt but time just ran out and the McCutcheon Mavericks will be heading to Bankers Life for a chance at a State Championship.
Player of the Game:
Robert Phinisee – 5’11 PG – 2018
I’ve always been impressed with Phinisee and now, more than ever, I’m loving his composure. He’s not a guy that gets flustered and doesn’t have many ups or downs, he doesn’t get extremely showy with his emotions. He gets the job done and immediately looks to the next task. He looked like a leader in this game even as just a sophomore.
Top Stat Lines:
Robert Phinisee (McCutcheon) – 16 points, 2 rebounds
Eddy Collins (McCutcheon) – 5 points, 2 rebounds
Darnell Butler (McCutcheon) – 9 points, 2 rebounds
Kyle Mangas (Warsaw) – 19 points
Paul Marandet (Warsaw) – 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists
Evan Schmidt (Warsaw) – 6 points, 2 rebounds
Up Next:
Warsaw finishes the season with a record of 25-2.
McCutcheon (28-3) will face New Albany in the 4A State Finals at Bankers Life Fieldhouse next Saturday at 8:15 PM.