The Houston Lady Tigers beat Mountain Grove when it mattered most.
After losing twice to the Lady Panthers in tournament play, HHS got its revenge Monday night with an important conference victory. The Lady Tigers raced ahead with a 10-0 second-quarter run and steadily pulled away from there. The result was a 53-38 victory inside Hiett Gymnasium that kept the team in the middle of the South Central Association hunt.
“The tournaments are great,” Lady Tigers coach Brent Kell said. “But I’d trade those two for one conference win, without a doubt.”
The win –– improving Houston (9-11) to 3-1 in the SCA –– sets up an important game Thursday against conference unbeaten Thayer. With all of the Lady Tigers’ remaining conference games at home, they have a chance to win the SCA title.
Not a bad position for a team that was picked to finish fifth in the preseason.
“We’re not done,” Kell said. “We’ve still got a shot. If we can get the big crowds out here being vocal and supporting the team, good things can happen.”
Houston got contributions from its entire lineup. The team’s leading scorers –– Kylee Elmore scored 17 and Alexa Ichord scored 12 of her 14 points in the second half –– did their part and got help. Kayla Herndon scored six off the bench, Amber Sillyman and Kenzie Scheets had five each and freshman Sarah Kelley scored four.
Even though his team lost the previous two matchups ––46-36 in the Mountain Grove Invitational and 51-44 Saturday night in the third-place game of the Mansfield Invitational –– Kell said he was confident.
“I told my wife we were going to win the game,” Kell said. “There was no doubt in my mind.”
Ahead 8-7 following a sluggish first quarter, the Lady Tigers began pulling away with a 10- run. Herndon and Elmore each had steals and transition layups to spark the spurt. Sillyman buried a 3-pointer from the left wing, and Elmore drilled a triple from the same spot on the next possession to put HHS ahead by 11.
The Lady Tigers still led by double digits –– 22-11 –– when Herndon banked in a jumper three seconds before the half.
Kell said he decided in church Sunday to play a 1-3-1 zone defense against the Lady Panthers. It worked. The guards were able to double down in the post to neutralize Mountain Grove’s Maddie Halford. She managed just seven points.
“I thought the girls did a great job of executing the defense,” Kell said. “We frustrated them.”
After Mountain Grove cut the deficit to eight midway through the third, Ichord had consecutive baskets to extend the advantage to 12. Kelley finished the quarter with back-to-back buckets to put Houston ahead 38-24 entering the final quarter.
The Lady Tigers’ advantage grew to as many as 21 points on Scheet’s layin with 57 remaining.
“I feel good for the girls,” Kell said. “They battled the other games, just couldn’t make plays down the stretch.
“Even though our record is below .500, I still feel we’re a good team when we play together, hard and just a few shots drop.”
On Saturday, Elmore scored 20 points in the Lady Tigers’ 51-44 loss to the Lady Panthers in the third-place game of the Mansfield Invitational. Ichord added eight points.
On Thursday, Elmore had 13 points in Houston’s 48-31 semifinal loss to Licking. The Lady Tigers led by one at the break.
Elmore was named to the all-tournament team.
JUNIOR VARSITY: The Houston JV Lady Tigers outscored Mountain Grove 19-8 in the fourth quarter Monday night as they pulled away for a 50-36 home victory inside Hiett Gymnasium.
Makayla Koch scored a career-high 14 points to pace HHS. Sarah Kelley added 10 points and Autumn Walker had eight.
Houston raced ahead 15-9 after the opening quarter before managing just two second-quarter points. The Lady Tigers fell behind by as many as five points in the third quarter before their late surge.
Box scores
VARSITY
Monday’s game
| Mountain Grove | 5 | 6 | 13 | 14 | – | 38 |
| Houston | 6 | 16 | 16 | 15 | – | 53 |
HOUSTON (53) –– Kylee Elmore 17. Alexa Ichord 14. Sydney Cremer 2. Kenzie Scheets 5. Amber Sillyman 5. Sarah Kelley 4. Kayla Herndon 6. FG 23. FT 4-9. F 11. (3-pointers: Elmore 2, Sillyman. Fouled out: none).
Saturday’s game
| Houston | 10 | 13 | 13 | 8 | – | 44 |
| Mountain Grove | 5 | 20 | 11 | 15 | – | 51 |
HOUSTON (44) –– Kylee Elmore 20. Alexa Ichord 8. Sydney Cremer 2. Kenzie Scheets 2. Amber Sillyman 5. Sarah Kelley 2. Kaylea Preheim 5. FG 18. FT 8-19. F 16. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none).
| Houston | 13 | 12 | 4 | 4 | – | 31 |
| Licking | 9 | 15 | 15 | 9 | – | 48 |
HOUSTON (31) –– Kylee Elmore 13. Alexa Ichord 4. Kenzie Scheets 4. Amber Sillyman 4. Sarah Kelley 4. Kayla Herndon 1. Kaylea Preheim 1. FG 11. FT 8-12. F 20. (3-pointers: Elmore. Fouled out: none).
JUNIOR VARSITY
Monday’s game
| Mountain Grove | 9 | 6 | 13 | 8 | – | 36 |
| Houston | 15 | 2 | 13 | 19 | – | 50 |
HOUSTON (50) –– Monica Hunter 2. Chloe Morning 6. Makayla Koch 14. Sarah Kelley 10. Megan Silveus 4. Shelby Cremer 6. Autumn Walker 8. FG 22. FT 6-7. F 7. (3-pointers: none. Fouled out: none).
The tournaments are great. But I’d trade those two for one conference win, without a doubt.”
Dec. 17 at Ava W, 49-33
Jan. 7 at Willow Springs L, 29-28
Jan. 10 at Salem W, 45-37
Jan. 28 Mountain Grove W, 53-38
Jan. 31 Thayer 6 p.m.
Feb. 11 Liberty 6 p.m.
Feb. 14 Cabool 6 p.m.