Tigers lose to undefeated Hawks, beat Wildcats

Two nights after seeing their win streak snapped at three, the Mountain Home Tigers bounced back strong with a big win over the Columbia Wildcats.

Skyview 72

Tigers 51

The Mountain Home Tigers came out with a vengeance at Skyview last Tuesday night, hoping to knock off the unbeaten Skyview Hawks, and gave the Hawks a battle but lost 72-51.

Led by D.J. Elliott's 11 first-quarter points, the Tigers came out smoking and led 15-8, with less than three minutes left in the quarter. Mountain Home led 18-16 after one quarter.

The Hawks took the lead in the second quarter off a 9-0 run that started in the first quarter. Mountain Home got within one, 21-20, but the Hawks went out to a 35-28 lead at halftime.

The Tigers managed to get within four, 39-35, with 5:19 left in the third quarter, but then a 13-0 run by the Hawks pushed their lead up to 52-35. It was 54-41, Hawks, after three.

Mountain Home managed to get back within nine early in the fourth quarter, but a 12-0 run for the Hawks pushed the lead past 20 points. The final score was 72-51, Hawks.

"D.J. came out and lit it up outside, and I thought we moved the ball very well early, and they kind of clamped some defense on us and I think that ball movement went down and we didn't get those shots any more," said Tiger basketball coach Tony Kerfoot after the game.

"They're a good team, and they gave us a little problem with their defenders, kept a lot of passes, and the bottom line, I think, was just turnovers, we kind of unraveled at the end."

D.J. Elliott had a great night for the Tigers, hitting five of eight treys and nine of 15 shots from the field and three of three free throws to total a season-high 26 points.

No other Tiger scored in double figures, as Alex Campbell, Chris Maholick and Trevor Woodruff all scored six points, Logan Monasterio added five and Deion Brown scored two.

The Tigers hit 30 percent (7/23) on three-point shots, and shot 43 percent (13/30) inside the circle. They hit four of five free throws for 80 percent from the foul line.

Skyview hit 30 percent (3/10) on treys, and 51 percent (24/47) on two-point shots. They shot 75 percent (15/20) from the free throw line.

Tigers 72

Columbia 53

The Tigers bounced back into the win column last Thursday night, downing the Columbia Wildcats, 72-53, in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium in Mountain Home.

The Tigers enjoyed a hot night shooting, jumping out to a 20-11 first quarter lead and stretching it to 43-20 at the half. It was 66-38, Tigers, after three, and the lead hit 30 points early in the fourth, which meant the clock didn't stop except for timeouts. Mountain Home won 72-53.

Coach Kerfoot was pleased with the efforts against the Wildcats.

"I thought we did a nice job executing offensively. Our passing was a lot better tonight -- we may have had the turnovers, but I think that was late.

"I thought the first half we moved the ball really well and we got very good shots, and I thought we saw the floor well, and I think our assists were way up in that first half, and I was real happy.

"I knew the second half it was just going to be scramble and hang on to it however you can. I thought we started executing pretty good in the third quarter, too, and bumped it up even a little bit more."

Alex Campbell led the Tiger scoring attack with 20 points. Danny Snelgrow added 13, D.J. Elliott netted 12, Chris Maholick nine, Trevor Woodruff seven, Logan Monasterio four and Jared Sexauer three.

The Tigers hit on 56 percent (9/16) of their three-point shots, 59 percent (17/29) of their two-pointers, and 79 percent (11/14) from the foul line.