Behind a strong fourth quarter, Licking narrowly escaped Hiett Gymnasium with a victory over its rivals.
After Houston’s 15-2 third-quarter rally erased a double-digit deficit, the Wildcats recovered down the stretch. They went 13-for-18 from the foul line in the fourth quarter and held on for a 58-50 victory Tuesday night.
Although it was a loss, it was another step in the right direction for the Tigers (4-11) under first-year coach Richard Rose.
“One thing happened that I wanted to see: We got better,” Rose said. “The first two or three weeks of the season, we lose this game by about 30. We’re getting much better.”
Playing in front of a capacity crowd, the Tigers made their move early in the third. Trailing 35-25, they scored 15 of the next 17 points to take their first advantage since leading 4-2.
But Licking responded with six unanswered points to regain the lead. HHS managed to tie the score on Devin Coulter’s 3-pointer from the top of the key with 4 minutes, 54 seconds remaining before Licking scored 13 of the final 18 points of the game to pull away.
“It would help to have the confident boost to get the validation of having a ‘W’ on the record, but our validation should be we’re playing well with good teams,” Rose said. “They were seeded fourth in the Cabool (Holiday) Tournament, and we were 12th and got murdered by the fifth seed (Winona).”
Coulter, who is among the top five scorers in southwest Missouri at 19.9 points per game, led three players in double figures with 19 points. Weston Walker added 11 points and Aaron Cantrell had 10.
Sophomore Lane Duncan scored 17 of his 26 points in the second half to pace Licking. Jake Hood added 10 points.
Houston’s starters played the entire way until Cantrell fouled out late in the game.
“That’s an incredibly tough thing to ask of a group of kids,” Rose said. “I feel bad for them. I wish we magically could have another body to help out.”
Licking led by as many as 12 points in the second quarter and by 10 when HHS made its move.
Cantrell and Coulter had consecutive layins to start the rally. After a Duncan jumper, Kolby Walker and Coulter scored to cut the deficit to four. Tanner Smith’s layin made it a two-point game, and Coulter put HHS ahead 38-37 with a triple from the right baseline with 2:34 to go in the third.
Rose said Licking’s comeback victory was tough for several of his players to handle. He liked that.
“A couple of these guys had their heads down after the game. To me, that shows they care,” he said. “They put work into it and see the improvement.”
Box scores
Tuesday’s game
| Licking | 17 | 14 | 8 | 19 | – | 58 |
| Houston | 13 | 12 | 15 | 10 | – | 50 |
HOUSTON (50) – Devin Coulter 19. Aaron Cantrell 10. Tanner Smith 4. Weston Walker 11. Kolby Walker 6. FG 21. FT 4-9. F 18. (3-pointers: Coulter 3, WWalker. Fouled out: Cantrell).
Friday’s game
| Houston | 15 | 10 | 11 | 15 | – | 51 |
| Doniphan | 16 | 19 | 23 | 18 | – | 76 |
HOUSTON (51) – Devin Coulter 20. Aaron Cantrell 9. Weston Walker 22. FG 20. FT 2-2. (3-pointers: Coulter 4, WWalker 4, Cantrell).