Crown them champions. Again. HHS junior Abby Casper scored 19 points in the championship game to earn MVP honors.
The Houston Lady Tigers secured their second tournament championship Saturday night with a hard-fought 57-48 victory against top-seeded Norwood in the finale of the Mansfield Invitational.
Before the game, HHS coach Brent Kell wrote “statement win” on the dry erase board in the team’s locker room. By defeating an opponent that had beaten them earlier in the season and had just two previous losses, the Lady Tigers got one.
“They’ve set high goals,” Kell said, “and I think they’re determined.”
It certainly wasn’t easy –– although Houston made it look that way early.
The Lady Tigers (14-4) raced ahead by double digits in the first quarter and led by nine at the half. But Norwood erased the deficit with a strong third quarter and took a momentary three-point lead.
Houston recovered with six key points in the final moments of the third –– a 3-pointer from Jaydin Ramsey and three free throws by Abby Casper as the clock expired –– to regain the lead. HHS then went 9-for-10 at the free-throw line in the fourth quarter and was 19-for-22 overall to secure the tournament title.
The Lady Tigers also won the Cabool Holiday Tournament earlier in the season.
“To get a big lead, fall down and fight back, that shows a lot of composure and pretty good character from the team,” Kell said. “I think we’re growing up.”
Junior Abby Casper scored 19 points to lead three HHS players in double figures. Sarah Kelley scored 12 and Kaitlyn Root added 10.
Emily Chadwell led Norwood with 14 points. Cherokee McGraw had 12.
Casper and Kelley were both named to the all-tournament team. Casper, who hit one of the team’s two triples and was 8-for-9 at the line, was the tournament’s MVP.
“When she plays with confidence and makes up her mind she’s going to be aggressive, she’s hard to handle because she’s so quick,” Kell said.
BOX SCORE
Houston 19 7 11 20 – 57
Norwood 7 10 17 14 – 48
HOUSTON (57) – Kaitlyn Root 10. Shelby Cremer 6. Abby Casper 19. Sarah Kelley 12. Jaydin Ramsey 8. Emily Shea 2. FG 18. FT 19-22. F 11. (3-pointers: Casper, Ramsey. Fouled out: none).
NORWOOD (48) – Chloe Crain 3. Emily Chadwell 14. Emma McIntosh 8. Marla Chadwell 2. Sara McIntosh 8. Jenna Ogletree 1. Cherokee McGraw 12. FG 19. FT 7-9. F 20. (3-pointers: Chadwell 2, Crain. Fouled out: Ogletree).