Five players reached double figures as the Houston Lady Tigers snapped a two-game losing skid Thursday night.
Led by Kylee Elmore’s 19 points, HHS beat Mountain Grove 67-56 inside Hiett Gymnasium.
Also joining Elmore in double figures were teammates Sarah Kelley, who scored 13 points, and Shelby Cremer, Abby Casper and Makayla Koch, who had 10 points apiece.
The Lady Tigers (14-7, 3-2 South Central Association) led by as many as 19 points in the third quarter after Elmore sank the fourth of her 3-pointers in the period.
Mountain Grove made a late charge to get within six points with 45 seconds left in the game. But Cremer snuck behind the Lady Panthers’ fullcourt pressure for an easy bucket and Houston closed out the victory at the free-throw line.
Mountain Grove’s Sadie Dugger hit four 3-pointers en route to a game-high 22 points. She was the lone Lady Panther in double figures.
Houston took control early as Elmore connected from downtown and Kelley had a conventional three-point play as part of an 8-0 run. The Lady Tigers led 16-8 after the opening quarter.
After Mountain Grove cut the deficit to three, Kelley had another three-point play and Cremer converted a drive through traffic as Houston’s advantage swelled to nine. The advantage reached double figures as Koch scored three straight baskets to end the first half to put the Lady Tigers in front 32-21.
Elmore hit 3-pointers on consecutive possessions early in the third quarter to make it 44-28 and the Houston lead was 19 points when she buried a trey from the baseline with 1:44 left.
The Lady Tigers led by 15 entering the fourth.
BOX SCORE
Mtn. Grove 8 14 18 16 – 56
Houston 16 16 23 12 – 67
HOUSTON (67) – Kylee Elmore 19. Shelby Cremer 10. Abby Casper 10. Makayla Koch 10. Olivia Woosley 2. Sarah kelley 13. Jaydin Ramsey 2. FG 24. FT 14-20. F 11. (3-pointers: Elmore 4. Fouled out: Ramsey).