Standing side by side, Houston’s players wrapped their arms around each other and listened to the band play the school fight song.
It was a sweet sound following a hard-fought victory.
After struggling offensively for the first three quarters Monday night, the Lady Tigers put away pesky Cabool with a late surge. HHS closed the game on a 19-4 run to turn a one-point game into a 16-point rout.
“It took us awhile to play well, but you finally saw it in the fourth quarter,” HHS coach Jim Moore said following his team’s 55-39 victory against their Texas County rivals.
The Lady Tigers (5-6) moved to one game under the .500 mark and improved to 2-0 in the South Central Association.
But it wasn’t easy.
With perimeter shots not falling and two of its top players –– Jaydin Ramsey and Kaitlyn Root –– in foul trouble, Houston couldn’t create much separation from Cabool. The Lady Tigers had 35 points in the first 25 minutes of the game before scoring 19 in a five-minute span to pull away.
“Give Cabool credit. Their girls are scrappy and never gave up,” Moore said. “I feel like we’re really close to taking another jump and becoming a better basketball team. Once we figure it out –– and we’re not far from it –– you’re going to see a completely different basketball team.”
Ramsey, who picked up three fouls in the first quarter and sat out the entire second, led the Lady Tigers with 17 points. She and Chloe Hunninghake, who scored nine off the bench, each hit three 3-pointers.
Cabool took its only lead of the game on a basket to open the fourth quarter. HHS regained the advantage on Stephani Crewse’s steal and layin and never trailed again.
Root hit a jumper and Ramsey banked in a triple as the Lady Tigers pushed their lead to double figures. It was 46-36 with 3 minutes, one second remaining after Root scored while being fouled.
Root hit another jumper between a Ramsey 3-pointer and conventional three-point play as the lead grew to 15.
Moore said getting touches for Root, who scored all eight of her points in the fourth quarter, was critical.
“The ball going in the short corner made the defense respect the baseline, which opened up Kaitlyn in the middle,” he said. “When she gets touches, she makes a lot of things happen.”
JUNIOR VARSITY: Kenzie Reber and Hunninghake scored seven points apiece in the JV Lady Tigers’ 27-13 win against Cabool.
The game was shortened to two quarters. Houston’s Sevanna Rowland, right, and Alyssa Hayes apply defensive pressure to force a jump ball in the second half of Monday’s conference game with Cabool.
BOX SCORES
VARSITY
Cabool 6 12 12 9 –– 39
Houston 11 11 9 24 –– 55
HOUSTON (55) –– Kaitlyn Root 8. Abby Casper 4. Sevanna Rowland 4. Stephani Crewse 7. Chloe Hunninghake 9. Jaydin Ramsey 17. Emily Shea 1. Alyssa Hayes 5. FG 17. FT 15-27. F 24. (3-pointers: Hunninghake 3, Ramsey 3. Fouled out: none.)
JUNIOR VARSITY
Cabool 2 11 –– 13
Houston 13 14 –– 27
HOUSTON (27) –– Kelly Hubbs 2. Sevanna Rowland 3. Kenzie Reber 7. Ally Morgan 4. Chloe Hunninghake 7. Kennedy Campbell 4. FG 11. FT 4-8. F 8. (3-pointers: Hunninghake. Fouled out: none.)