Hopes were high going into the matchup, but they were dashed in a deluge of long-range shots, as the Houston High School boys basketball team suffered a season-ending 62-49 loss to county rival Licking in a first round game of the Class 3 District 9 Tournament Tuesday at Cabool.
The fourth-seeded Wildcats sank nine 3-pointers in the contest, including six during a decisive third quarter outburst.
Licking never trailed in the game, and the only time the score was tied was at 0-0.
The Wildcats jumped out to a 5-0 lead at the outset, and were up 16-6 at the end of the first quarter, with senior forward Benton Corley draining three treys during the period.
After falling behind 18-6 at the beginning of the second quarter, fifth-seeded Houston went on a 9-2 run to trim the deficit to 20-15. The Tigers trailed 24-17 at halftime, but the Wildcats were red hot from deep and doubled their score in the third quarter, with Corley drilling three more shots from behind the arc, senior guard Karson Walker nailing two and sophomore guard Jett Sullins hitting one.
After Licking led 48-32 at the end of the period, the Tigers made another run and were down 50-39 when senior guard Caden Guerra sank a 3-pointer with 5:35 to go in the game. But they never got any closer.
Licking employed crisp ball movement around the perimeter throughout the contest, and shut down Houston’s transition game, as the Wildcats scored 13 points in transition while the Tigers had none.
Corley added one 2-point field goal to his collection of six treys and finished with a game-high 20 points. Walker scored 16 points for Licking and doled out a game-high 7 assists, while junior forward Conway Adey added 10 points. Sophomore forward Jason Ingram had a big all-around outing for the Wildcats, scoring 7 points, grabbing a game-high 9 rebounds and dishing out 5 assists.
Riley led Houston in scoring with 17 points, while freshman guard Karson McCain had 9 and three players added 6 apiece (Guerra, senior center Gavyn Daily and junior forward Dillon Shelton).
“I thought there were some transition opportunities where we didn’t push the ball the way we typically have all season,” said HHS head coach Dan Narancich. “There were moments where we could have played a little faster, but sometimes players see different reads in real time. Credit to Licking — they shot 40% from the 3-point line and made some tough, contested shots. I felt like we had good effort defensively with hands in their faces. At times, you have to tip your cap when shots fall, and then focus on the next possession.
“Offensively, we know consistency has been a challenge for us at times this season, and we weren’t able to establish the rhythm we’re capable of. I thought we generated some decent looks, but we didn’t convert at the rate we needed to.”
Riley finished his high school career with 1,168 points, which ranks third on the HHS boys all-time scoring list, behind 2014 graduate Devin Coulter (1,296) and 2010 graduate Kyle Poynter (1,186).
“It’s been amazing to be part of his journey and to watch him grow — not only as a player, but as a leader for our team,” Narancich said. “He has played a major role in our success over the past couple of seasons. His ability to handle the ball, make tough shots, create for others and play unselfishly sets him apart. He’s also someone we trust at the free-throw line in big moments.
“To see him reach the 1,000-point milestone is an incredible accomplishment and a testament to the work he’s put in. I couldn’t be happier for him.”
The Tigers finished the season with an overall record of 12-15 and went 1-6 in South Central Association conference play. The 12 wins was the most by an HHS boys squad since the 2019-2020 season (13 wins).
“It’s easy to focus on our seniors and everything they’ve meant to this season, but what people may not realize is how much our younger players contributed to the success we had,” Narancich said. “We have a group of young men who stepped into varsity roles – many of them earlier than expected – and embraced the challenge. They didn’t just fill spots; they competed, they learned and they grew. Their willingness to be coached, their energy at practice and their commitment to being the best they could be for the team made a real difference. They showed true grit all season long. They handled the pressure, put up with the hard coaching and never backed down from the work.
“Because of them, we didn’t just have a good season, we built a foundation for what’s ahead. The future is bright, and it’s bright because of the standard these young men have already chosen to uphold.”
Narancich was in his second year leading HHS boys hoops.
“Eighty-four feet. All season long, these young men poured everything they had into those 84 feet — more than most people will ever realize,” he said. “The blood, the sweat, the miles logged on the court — it all mattered. They came in as a group of individuals, and they leave as a family. Through every challenge, every high and low, they never stopped competing. They learned how to fight through adversity, how to stay hungry and how to grow through the ups and downs of a long season.
“This group proved that when you work together, stay positive and play for the guy next to you, good things can happen. That’s bigger than any single stat or moment. To our seniors: You’ve shown that hard work and dedication pay off. You chose to believe in something greater than wins and losses. You believed in each other. You believed in this program. And most importantly, you believed in yourselves. Hope. Belief. Teamwork. Family. Thank you for a special year.”
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HHS BOYS ALL-TIME TOP-5 SCORERS
Devin Coulter (2014): 1,296
Kyle Poynter (2010): 1,186
DJ Riley (2026): 1,168
Clayton Moore (2020): 1,132
David Adams (1973): 1,019