Amber Sillyman did her best to bring the Houston Lady Tigers an important conference victory on her 18th birthday.
Sillyman scored 15 of Houston’s first 19 points to keep the game close. But Thayer methodically pulled away and cruised to a 69-54 victory last Thursday inside Hiett Gymnasium.
The win likely sealed the South Central Association title for the Lady Bobcats, who are unbeaten in conference play. It also likely ended the Lady Tigers’ bid at the championship.
“It hit our kids pretty hard,” said HHS coach Brent Kell, whose team fell to 3-2 in conference action. “They were really looking forward to the game, and they came out and took it to us.
“They’re a good ballclub. I give them credit. I thought we played pretty well, and we got beat pretty handily.”
Kylee Elmore led HHS (9-13) with 17 points. Sillyman finished with a season-best 16.
The Lady Tigers hung close early behind Sillyman’s hot shooting. She hit a 3-pointer with three seconds left in the first quarter, then nailed another early in the second to cut the deficit to three.
Houston trailed by six at the half before Thayer’s 17-4 run to start the third quarter put the game away.
“They got some easy ones on us by just pushing the ball,” Kell said. “They’ve got a little bit of everything. I look for them to make a run in the playoffs.”
On Monday, Elmore scored 13 points and Sillyman had 10 in a 56-35 loss at Hartville.
HHS, which trailed 12-11 after the opening quarter, was behind by nine at the half. The deficit grew to 19 after three quarters.
JUNIOR VARSITY: Sarah Kelley scored seven points and Shelby Cremer had six in the JV Lady Tigers’ 39-34 loss Monday at Hartville.
Cremer had nine points in Houston’s 50-28 loss last Thursday to Thayer.
Box scores
VARSITY
Monday’s game
| Houston | 11 | 6 | 11 | 7 | – | 35 |
| Hartville | 12 | 14 | 21 | 9 | – | 56 |
HOUSTON (35) –– Kylee Elmore 13. Alexa Ichord 2. Kenzie Scheets 1. Amber Sillyman 10. Sarah Kelley 4. Kayla Herndon 2. Kaylea Preheim 2. Megan Silveus 1. FG 10. FT 13-19. F 18. (3-pointers: Elmore, Sillyman. Fouled out: Ichord).
Thursday’s game
| Thayer | 19 | 13 | 22 | 15 | – | 69 |
| Houston | 13 | 13 | 12 | 16 | – | 54 |
HOUSTON (54) –– Kylee Elmore 17. Alexa Ichord 5. Sydney Cremer 2. Kenzie Scheets 1. Amber Sillyman 16. Sarah Kelley 5. Kaylea Preheim 4. Megan Silveus 4. FG 18. FT 13-27. F 14. (3-pointers: Sillyman 3, Elmore 2. Fouled out: none).
JUNIOR VARSITY
Monday’s game
| Houston | 10 | 7 | 9 | 8 | – | 34 |
| Hartville | 12 | 10 | 10 | 7 | – | 39 |
HOUSTON (34) –– Shelby Cremer 6. Krista Scott 1. Autumn Walker 4. Monica Hunter 2. Chloe Morning 2. Makayla Koch 2. Karissa Zalucky 5. Sarah Kelley 7. Megan Silveus 5. FT 10. FT 14-24. F 16. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: Cremer).
Thursday’s game
| Thayer | 12 | 8 | 13 | 17 | – | 50 |
| Houston | 7 | 8 | 4 | 9 | – | 28 |
HOUSTON (28) –– Shelby Cremer 9. Krista Scott 2. Autumn Walker 5. Chloe Morning 2. Summer Neal 1. Makayla Koch 2. Sarah Kelley 4. Megan Silveus 3. FG 7. FT 14-27. F 17. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none).