Austin Bathon drilled a 10-foot jumper as time expired to lift Houston past Salem 31-29 Thursday night in the semifinals of the Cabool Seventh Grade Tournament.
Bathon’s heroics kept the Tigers’ undefeated season alive and propelled them to Saturday’s 2 p.m. championship game against West Plains.
Weston Walker scored 12 points and Bathon added 11 for Houston (11-0).
On Monday, Walker scored 16 points in the Tigers’ 40-9 rout of Mountain Grove. Jesse Martin had 10 for the Tigers, who led 12-2 after the first quarter and by 17 at the half.
Houston 9 3 12 7 – 31
Salem 5 9 6 9 – 29
HOUSTON (11-0) – Walker 3 6-8 12. Bathon 3 5-7 11. Bell 3 1-4 7. Martin 0 1-4 1. Wallace 0 0-2 0.
Houston 12 12 14 2 – 40
Mtn. Grove 2 5 2 0 – 9
HOUSTON (10-0) – Walker 6 4-7 16. Bathon 4 0-2 8. Martin 2 6-9 10. Scheets 1 0-0 2.