Playing against the top-seeded team and host, the Houston High School girls basketball team never found its footing in a Thayer Winter Classic semifinals defeat on Thursday.
In the opening quarter, Thayer freshman Ryleigh Davis scored 13 points and junior Kadyn Hilles added 10 to give the Lady Bobcats a 31-10 lead. By the half, they led 48-19, with nobody on Houston managing more than 5 points.
Thayer widened the margin by the end of the game, winning 82-40.
“Thayer is a great team,” said HHS head coach Micah Lee. “If you don’t play your best basketball against a great team, they will take advantage of that.”
Davis and Hilles finished the game with 21 and 19 points, respectively. Senior forward led the scoring for Houston, with 11 points. Senior guard Lacey Cavaness added 7. The Lady Tigers shot 7-for-10 from the free-throw line.
Fourth-seeded Houston (5-10; 1-1 SCA) takes on No. 3 Liberty in the third-place game at 3:30 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 25. The championship game between Thayer and No. 2 Alton is at 5 p.m.
