Tiger teams sweep Wood River

Tigers get first win of 2009

If Friday night's game with Wood River is any indication, 2009 will be a good year for the Mountain Home Tigers.

The Tigers opened the new year Friday night picking up their first win of the season, downing the visiting Wood River Wolverines 58-34 in non-conference boys basketball.

The first quarter was a close one, with the lead going back and forth and five ties, the last at 11-11.

Chris Maholick's basket with 18 seconds left in the first quarter put the Tigers up 13-11 after a quarter and was the beginning of a 16-0 run by Mountain Home that saw the Tigers go up 27-11 before Michale Brunker's trey with 2:02 left in the half stopped the run.

It was 30-14 Mountain Home at halftime.

Mountain Home was able to keep up the pressure in the second half, building up a 44-22 advantage after three, and went on from there for the 58-34 win.

Tiger head coach Tony Kerfoot was happy to get that first win.

"I'm happy about that, but I'm even more happy because I thought we played a lot harder tonight.

"I challenged them tonight before the game (that) we had to start defending, working a lot harder on defense, and rebounding a lot better, and hustling, and I saw all that, and I think the outcome will take care of itself if we make sure those are in place."

Alex Campbell and D.J. Elliott paced the Tigers with 14 points each, a new season-high for Elliott, Chris Maholick added eight, Logan Monasterio had a season-high seven points, Danny Snelgrow and Deion Brown both scored six -- for Brown a new season high -- Jared Sexauer scored his first two varsity points, and Trevor Woodruff had one point.

The Tigers shot a frigid 11 percent (2/18) on three-point shots, but were a sizzling 61 percent (23/38) inside the arc. They hit just 43 percent (6/14) from the foul line.

Wood River shot 18 percent (3/17) on treys, 29 percent (8/28) on two-pointers, and hit 60 percent (9/15) from the free-throw line.

The Tigers dominated the boards, 38-21, led by Alex Campbell with 10 boards.

The Tigers returned to conference play last night, hosting the Nampa Bulldogs.

They travel to Kuna for a conference game with the Kavemen Friday night.

JV team wins 45-15

The Mountain Home Tigers JV boys basketball team came away with a 49-15 non-conference win over the Wood River Wolverines Friday night in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium in Mountain Home.

An 11-2 run for Mountain Home in the first quarter put them up 15-6.

The Tigers held Wood River without a field goal in the second quarter until the final two seconds as they built their lead to 24-9 at the half.

Wood River scored the first two points of the third quarter, but would not score again until 1:07 left in the ballgame as the Tigers rolled to a 49-15 win.

Brock Morris paced the Tigers with 14 points, Tyler Wright had nine, Anthony Castillo, eight, Damian Soliz, four, Aaron Hobbs, Tom Hennessey and Jordan Warila each scored three, Drew Hopkins had two and David Bitrick one.

Sophomores win 69-36

The Mountain Home Tigers sophomores opened the new year with a 69-36 win over Wood River in boys basketball action Friday night in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium.

Mountain Home shot out to a 26-9 lead after a quarter and led 41-22 at the half.

It was 63-28, Mountain Home, heading into the fourth.

Four Tigers scored in double figures against Wood River, led by Brent Sexauer with 14 points. Justin Connolly added 12, J.T. Cristobal netted 11, Mert Baysal 10, Anthony Barbosa seven, Ricky Castillo and James Simon each scored six and Dakota Ramos scored four.