The Houston seventh-grade boys’ basketball team will play for a championship Saturday afternoon.
The Tigers overcame a slow started and rolled past Willow Springs 45-21 Tuesday night in the second game of the Willow Springs Tournament. Houston beat Mountain Grove in the opening round.
After scoring just two points in the first quarter, Houston had 18 points in the second to take a 20-6 halftime advantage.
“At times we have really struggled in this tournament to get into a rhythm coming out of the Christmas break,” Tigers coach Eric Sloan said. “When we get into a rhythm, they are a fun group to watch. This group has really bought into the team concept and accepts their roles and will do whatever it takes to earn the win.”
Clayton Moore led Houston with 16 points. Kyler Ramsey and Isaiah Buse added eight points apiece.
The Tigers face West Plains at 1 p.m. Saturday for the tournament championship.
In Monday’s opening game, Moore scored 10 points and Ramsey had nine in Houston’s 38-31 victory against Mountain Grove.
Sterling Jackson added six points for the Tigers, who rallied from a 20-16 halftime deficit.
EIGHTH GRADE: CJ Lee scored 15 points in the Houston eighth-grade boys’ basketball team’s 56-32 loss Tuesday night to Willow Springs in the Willow Springs Tournament.
Lee scored 18 points in the Tigers’ 49-32 loss Monday to Mountain Grove.
“With seven players on the team, we are always battling foul trouble,” Sloan said. “The kids fight their tails off, but our lack of depth hurts us.”
BOX SCORES
EIGHTH GRADE
Tuesday’s game
| Willow Springs | 23 | 8 | 15 | 10 | – | 56 |
| Houston | 6 | 11 | 7 | 8 | – | 32 |
HOUSTON (32) – Paydon Dixon 5. Thomas Smith 2. CJ Lee 15. Logan Cary 6. Josh Stell 4.
Monday’s game
| Houston | 6 | 13 | 5 | 8 | – | 32 |
| Mtn. Grove | 15 | 13 | 19 | 2 | – | 49 |
HOUSTON (32) – Paydon Dixon 4. Thomas Smith 4. CJ Lee 18. Logan Cary 2. Brecken Adey 1. Josh Stell 3.
SEVENTH GRADE
Tuesday’s game
| Houston | 2 | 18 | 18 | 7 | – | 45 |
| Willow Springs | 4 | 2 | 12 | 3 | – | 21 |
HOUSTON (45) – Kyle Mills 5. Robbie Mortensen 2. Isaiah Buse 8. Kyler Ramsey 8. Connor Wilson 2. Clayton Moore 16. Sterling Jackson 4.
Monday’s game
| Houston | 8 | 8 | 10 | 12 | – | 38 |
| Mtn. Grove | 9 | 11 | 6 | 7 | – | 31 |
HOUSTON (38) – Isaiah Buse 5, Kyler Ramsey 9. Dakota Burchett 4. Tristan Leier 2. Connor Wilson 2. Clayton Moore 10. Sterling Jackson 6.