“If we can rinse and repeat this night, we’re going to get a lot of good wins out of this season,” HHS coach Dan Narancich said. “The boys are ready for that.”
After three double-digit losses, the Tigers turned the tables with a quick start against Winona. Behind an aggressive defense that led to multiple steals and easy transition baskets, Houston scored 18 of the game’s first 21 points. Guerra led the way offensively, scoring 17 first-half points and hitting five 3-pointers as he scored nearly half of the team’s points. “We’ve been encouraging Caden to shoot the ball more,” Narancich said. “He’s been struggling with his shot. He’s been working hard and you saw it tonight.”Houston suffocated Winona with fullcourt pressure and extended its zone defense on the perimeter as Guerra and D.J. Riley jumped into passing lanes and hounded ball handlers. The Tigers gave up 65, 71 and 70 points in their first three outings. “We were locked in defensively,” Narancich said. “Our new style of defense is working out really well for us – getting in the passing lanes creates a lot of havoc for other teams.”It was an energy-packed night inside Tiger Fieldhouse with the Tigers and Lady Tigers playing in a hoops doubleheader that included the HHS cheerleaders and band. The win for the Tigers, who lost to Winona by 17 points last season, was their biggest since topping Boubon 83-40 in January.
