Houston Lady Tigers coach Brent Kell said his team badly needed a victory. With a strong second half, they got it.
HHS outscored Willow Springs 26-16 in the final 14 minutes Monday night and won their conference opener 49-36.
The win was the second in a row for the Lady Tigers (4-6, 1-0 South Central Association) following a five-game losing skid.
“It’s a work in progress,” Kell said. “We’re just going to get better as the season goes on. I’ll be surprised if we don’t. I told the girls after the game that we haven’t played our best basketball by any stretch of the imagination.”
Kylee Elmore scored a game-best 16 points to lead Houston. Senior Sydney Cremer added 10 points and Sarah Kelley scored eight.
Ahead 23-20 at the break, the Lady Tigers scored 11 of the first 15 points of the third quarter to take a double-digit lead. Elmore hit one of her two 3-pointers during the spurt.
Willow Springs pulled within six points early in the fourth quarter. But Abby Casper and Kelley had baskets to spark a quick 9-2 rally. HHS led 47-34 after two Elmore free throws with just under four minutes remaining.
“I was pleased with our second half,” Kell said. “I thought we played much better.”
The Lady Tigers forced the tempo with their fullcourt pressure. They switched from a 2-2-1 look to a 2-1-2 that Kell said better protected the middle of the floor.
“Even though we may not get a lot of steals, we can force turnovers by just making them go faster than they want,” he said.
JUNIOR VARSITY: The JV Lady Tigers couldn’t hang onto a double-digit lead and lost 33-32 Monday night to Willow Springs.
Freshman Emily Shea led Houston with 10 points. Stephani Crewse and Alyssa Hayes scored six points apiece.
The Lady Tigers led 8-1 after the opening quarter and twice by 11 points in the first half.
BOX SCORES
Monday’s games
VARSITY
| Willow Springs | 11 | 9 | 8 | 8 | – | 36 |
| Houston | 15 | 8 | 13 | 13 | – | 49 |
WILLOW SPRINGS (36) – Alana Biehl 2. Cassidy Crewse 2. Michaela Cox 9. Grace Bailey 4. Alexis Brooks 1. Beth Sherbo 14. Devin Perkins 2. Shila Letterman 2. FG 13. FT 10-14. F 21. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: Brooks).
HOUSTON (49) – Kylee Elmore 16. Shelby Cremer 4. Abby Casper 6. Sydney Cremer 10. Makayla Koch 2. Sarah Kelley 8. Jaydin Ramsey 2. Kaylea Preheim 1. FG 16. FT 15-23. F 16. (3-pointers: Elmore 2. Fouled out: none).
JUNIOR VARSITY
| Willlow Springs | 3 | 13 | 13 | 2 | – | 33 |
| Houston | 8 | 12 | 3 | 9 | – | 32 |
HOUSTON (32) – Krista Scott 2. Jaycee Huff 4. Monica Hunter 4. Stephani Crewse 6. Emily Shea 10. Alyssa Hayes 6. FG 13. FT 6-13. F 18. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: Scott).