The Houston Lady Tigers have already earned a share of the conference title.
But that’s not enough, even if this team wasn’t supposed to be here.
“We want to win it outright, we don’t want to back into it,” Houston coach Brent Kell said.
The Lady Tigers will get that chance tonight (Thursday) when they travel to face defending SCA champion Salem. It was supposed to be a showdown of the conference’s only undefeated teams, but Ava spoiled the plans with a four-point victory Monday night against Salem.
Salem still has a chance to claim a piece of the SCA title by knocking off Houston.
“It’s hard to win at Salem, but we can do it,” Kell said. “The pressure is on them now because they were the big dogs on the block and the conference favorites.”
The Lady Tigers — with a starting lineup of two seniors, two sophomores and a freshman — were supposed to be an average team this season. It certainly looked that way when Houston started the season 2-5.
But things have turned around in a hurry.
The Lady Tigers continued their late-season surge Monday night when sophomore Kendra Welch hit a pair of free throws with one second left to give the Lady Tigers a hard-fought 44-42 victory at Willow Springs.
The win put Houston (13-8, 6-0) in position to win its first conference title since 2004.
“We weren’t supposed to be in this situation, but we are,” Kell said.
The Lady Tigers have Welch to thank.
Scoreless at the half after missing most of the second quarter with foul trouble, Welch poured in all 19 of her points after the intermission. She scored Houston’s final six points as the Lady Tigers erased a late five-point deficit.
“I can’t say enough about Kendra,” Kell said. “She’s been off a little bit lately. She’s not been feeling well and her knee has been bothering her, but she really stepped up.”
Sophomore Holly Thomas was the only other player in double figures with 13 points and freshman Shelbi Moore scored six. Seniors Lexie and Trezha Malam were held to just six combined points.
Houston, which defeated Willow Springs 51-39 on Jan. 15, led 8-0 after the first quarter. But with Welch and both Malams in foul trouble, the Lady Tigers managed just two second-quarter points. It was tied 10-all at the half and 29-29 entering the fourth quarter.
The Lady Bears (9-13, 2-3) led by five late, but a technical foul on coach Anthony Brantley — he was arguing a blocking foul — swung momentum in Houston’s favor.
Welch drilled a baseline jumper to cut the deficit to two and on the ensuing possession, Lexie Malam stole the ball at halfcourt. She hit Welch for an uncontested layin to make it 42-42.
Houston regained possession when it forced a turnover with 3.4 seconds left. Welch took the inbound pass and was fouled as she dribbled down the sideline. She drained both free throws to complete the Lady Tigers’ comeback.
“It was just a good job of the kids coming together on the road in a hostile environment,” Kell said.
Houston 8 2 19 15 — 44
Willow Springs 0 10 19 13 — 42
HOUSTON — TMalam 1 0-0 2. LMalam 1 1-2 4. Honig 0 0-2 0. Welch 6 4-5 19. Thomas 5 3-6 13. Moore 3 0-0 6. Totals 16 8-15 44.
WILLOW SPRINGS — Hinten 2 2-3 7. Boles 0 1-2 1. LJames 4 2-2 13. MJames 5 1-1 11. Hall 3 4-4 10. Totals 14 10-12 42.
3-pointers: Houston 4 (Welch 3, LMalam); Willow Springs 4 (LJames 3, Hinten).