Houston coach Rod Gorman wanted to go right – into the winner’s bracket – of the holiday basketball tournament.

Merry Christmas, coach. Your team gave you the gift you were hoping for.

Clayton Moore and Ty Franklin scored 18 points apiece and Jakean Moss added 12 off the bench as No. 9 Houston topped eighth-seeded Chadwick 69-65 Wednesday morning in the opening round of the Cabool Holiday Tournament.

Houston (3-6) won the first game of the Christmas tournament for the first time since 2008.

The Tigers will face No. 1 Licking at 3 p.m. Thursday in the winner’s bracket quarterfinals. The undefeated Wildcats, who are ranked sixth in Class 3, throttled Crocker 84-24 in the first game of the tournament.

Houston took a first-half lead by outscoring Chadwick 25-10 in the second quarter. Moore scored 12 points during the spurt, including three triples.

Franklin scored 14 of his career-high point total in the second half.

BOX SCORE

Houston 14 25 14 16 – 69

Chadwick 18 10 19 16 – 65

HOUSTON (69) – Kyler Ramsey 9. Connor Wilson 8. Clayton Moore 18. Dakota Burchett 4. Ty Franklin 18. Jaekan Moss 12. FG 16. FT 12-15. F 12. (3-pointers: Moore 4, Ramsey. Fouled out: none).