West Plains rallied just in time to spoil Brent Hall’s varsity basketball coaching debut.
The Zizzers took their first lead with 2 minutes, 9 seconds left in regulation and scored seven of the first eight points of overtime as they edged the Houston Tigers 75-70 Tuesday night at Hiett Gymnasium.
Although it was a gut-wrenching loss for the Tigers, who raced out to a 13-point first-quarter lead and controlled most of the game, Hall was hardly disappointed.
“I think we earned some respect,” said Hall, who took over for departed coach Wayne Jessen late in the summer. “West Plains thought they were going to come in here and beat us by 30. I believe that. I knew we could play with them, and I knew in my heart that we could beat them.”
The Tigers (0-1) almost did.
They built an early advantage on the strength of Kyle Poynter’s hot start and still led by four with 2:51 to go. But West Plains erased the deficit and took a late lead that only evaporated as Poynter hit a clutch 3-pointer and a pair of free throws with 11.5 seconds left that led to overtime.
The Zizzers took immediate control in the extra period, scoring just five seconds into overtime and never trailing as they dealt Houston a difficult loss in its season opener.
“We had them on the ropes and let it slip away,” Hall said. “That’s the transition this team has to make.”
Poynter, a transfer from Lebanon, made a big splash in his hardwood debut. He scored 12 of his team-high 26 points in the first quarter to lead four players in double figures.
Senior Ryan O’Neil scored 16 points, Ty Scheets had 12 and Jesse Setters added 10. Poynter, O’Neil and Setters hit three triples apiece.
Justin Kraft and Skyler Townsend did the majority of the scoring for West Plains. Kraft scored all but four of his game-high 31 points in the second half and overtime, and Townsend added 22 points.
Kraft did most of his damage from the baseline against Houston’s 1-3-1 zone.
“Our defender on the wing was coming up too high and that left the baseline and short corner vulnerable,” Hall said. “That’s an easy adjustment that we can make.”
Poynter scored eight points during a 12-0 Houston run that put the Tigers ahead 19-6. The Tigers led by eight at the half and five entering the fourth quarter after Setters banked in a 3-pointer to beat the buzzer.
There were five lead changes in the final two minutes of regulation before West Plains built a quick advantage in overtime. Houston got within three points on O’Neil’s triple from the right wing with 1:11 left, but West Plains made three straight free throws to hold on.
Hall, an assistant and middle school basketball coach prior to this year, is optimistic the Tigers can rebound from the loss.
“I think we can play with anybody,” he said. “I’m proud of the way we played and hope we can build from this.”
JUNIOR VARSITY: Eli Smith scored 11 points and Curry VanHorn had eight in the Tigers’ 71-45 loss.
FRESHMEN: Kevin Dunn hit a pair of 3-pointers and scored nine points in the Tigers’ 53-18 loss.
Varsity box score
West Plains 11 12 15 24 13 – 75
Houston 19 12 12 19 8 – 70
WEST PLAINS – Riggs 1 2-3 4. Townsend 10 0-0 22. Tilson 1 2-3 4. Hall 1 2-4 4. Kraft 12 5-5 31. Jewell 1 0-0 3. Johnson 2 0-0 4. Huff 0 3-4 3. Totals 28 12-19 75.
HOUSTON (0-1) – Weybright 1 0-0 2. Buchholtz 1 0-0 2. KyPoynter 8 7-12 26. Setters 3 1-3 10. O’Neil 5 3-6 16. TScheets 5 2-2 12. Totals 23 13-23 70.
3-pointers: West Plains 5 (Townsend 2, Kraft 2, Jewell); Houston 9 (KyPoynter 3, Setters 3, O’Neil 3).
JV box score
West Plains 14 20 19 16 – 71
Houston 7 15 11 12 – 45
HOUSTON (0-1) – Smith 4 2-3 11. Miller 0 0-2 0. Buchholtz 1 2-2 4. VanHorn 3 1-2 8. Dunn 2 0-0 6. KaPoynter 3 0-0 7. Guynn 1 0-0 2. CScheets 2 0-1 5. Gunter 1 0-0 2. Totals 17 5-10 45.
3-pointers: Dunn 2, Smith, VanHorn, KaPoynter, CScheets.
Freshmen box score
West Plains 12 17 20 4 – 53
Houston 4 2 10 2 – 18
HOUSTON (0-1) – Huff 1 0-0 2. Dunn 3 1-2 9. Preheim 1 4-8 6. Beezley 0 0-1 0. Ashworth 0 1-2 1. Totals 5 6-13 18.
3-pointers: Dunn 2.