Tigers open 2007 season with losses to 5A Timberline and Vallivue squads

Wednesday, December 5, 2007

The Mountain Home Tigers opened their boys basketball season against two of the top 5A teams in the state, losing to Timberline and Vallivue.

Timberline 72

Mtn. Home 45

The Timberline Wolves pulled away from the Mountain Home Tigers in the second half on their way to a 72-45 win in the season opener for both ball clubs Thursday night in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium in Mountain Home.

Mountain Home never led, but tied the game at 2-2 before Timberline shot out to a 10-2 lead. It was 14-8, Timberline after a quarter.

The Tigers got within two, 14-12, but a 7-0 run by Timberline made it 21-12. Mountain Home got back within four, 21-17, before the Wolves again pushed the lead up to 31-22 at the half.

Zach Peterson scored 16 of his game-high 22 points in the third quarter as Timberline built their lead to 53-35 after three, and stretched it to a 72-45 final.

"I thought we did some good things (for our first game), but I didn't think there were enough of them and we kind of ran out of them," said Tiger head basketball coach Tony Kerfoot.

"They're a very good team and they play at a high-speed and physical level, and that's the way 5A basketball is. We haven't been practicing that way and I think that took it's toll on us in the second half, because we seemed to be a step slower on defense and didn't quite make that extra pass on offense, and that showed up a lot in the second half."

Nick Barrie led the Tigers with 19 points against Timberline. Chris Maholick added seven points, Travis Gordon, six, Alex Campbell and Jake Posey both had four, Kyle Kerfoot, three, and Chris Rau, two.

Vallivue 65

Tigers 38

One night after hosting the Timberline Wolves, the Tigers traveled over to another 5A powerhouse at Vallivue, and fell to the Falcons, 65-38.

A 14-0 run midway through the first quarter put the Falcons up, 24-7 after a quarter. The Tigers battled the Falcons tough to a 41-31 ball game the rest of the way, falling, 65-38.

"I think that first quarter showed the affects of the hard-fought game the night before, but we battled and made a game of it the rest of the way," said Coach Kerfoot.

Jake Posey led the Tigers with 12 points and seven rebounds. Travis Gordon and Nick Barrie both netted eight points, Jake Hiler and Alex Campbell each had three, and Kyle Kerfoot and Chris Rau both chipped in two points.

The Tigers open their SIC 4A conference schedule Thursday night in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium when they take on the Columbia Wildcats at 7:30 p.m.

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