Lady Tigers struggle to find complete game

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers are still looking for their first win of the season after five games, but last week's games had some good indications of positive things to come.

Meridian 60

Mountain Home 42

For two quarters, the Mountain Home Lady Tigers were right there with Meridian last Tuesday night at Meridian, but for two quarters they appeared anywhere but with them. Unfortunately for the Lady Tigers, the bad quarters were their undoing, losing 60-42 to the Lady Warriors.

The first and third quarters were Mountain Home's best, as they scored 34 points to the Lady Warriors' 35. But the Lady Tigers managed just four points each in the second and fourth periods, while Meridian scored 16 and nine respectively.

"We can't expect to win at this level only scoring four points in two of the four quarters," said Mountain Home Lady Tiger coach Karen Kohring. "That just doesn't work right. Despite those bad quarters, we did at many times play very well, but we're still looking for that first win, and there are no days off for us, we've got to work hard day-in and day-out, and nobody's going to give us anything, so we've got to go earn those wins."

Ali Hillman led the Lady Tigers with 13 points and 11 rebounds. Michelle Reynolds also scored in double figures, netting 11 points. Shelby Wickmark had a season-high nine points, Christa Stanton scored four, Des Walden, three, and Amanda Bitterman, two.

Mountain Home shot 33 per cent (18 of 55) from the field, but only one of six (17 percent) beyond the arc, and only 29 percent (5 of 17) from the free-throw line.

Meridian shot 35 percent (23 for 65) from the floor, including 39 percent (7 of 18) from three-point land, and cashed in on seven of 14 (50 percent) from the charity strip.

Wood River 48

Mountain Home 45

The Lady Tigers shot out to an 8-1 lead early last Thursday night in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium, and led, 8-5, after a quarter. They lost the lead in the second quarter, when they fell behind, 21-12, but fought back to within three, at 21-18, before two free throws by Syringa Stark made it, 23-18, Wood River at halftime.

Natalie Green kept Mountain Home at bay in the third quarter, scoring eight of the Lady Wolverines' 12 points in the quarter, as Mountain Home trailed, 36-30 heading into the final quarter.

Mountain Home whittled the lead to two, 37-35, with 6:32 left, but two baskets by Natalie Green, and a free throw by Emily Smith pushed the margin back out to 42-35, with 3:44 left.

Shelby Wickmark led another Lady Tiger surge, scoring six points to cut the lead to two again, 43-41, with 2:08 left, but that would be as close as they would come, Wood River hanging on for a wild 48-45 win.

"We matched up with them pretty well," said Coach Kohring after the game. "Our guards were putting lots of pressure on. Michelle (Reynolds), Erica (Stanton) and Amanda (Bitterman) were the ones outside looking for the steals, creating the steals, so we were real pleased with that type of game.

"Cleaning up the boards, Kim Gulley came in off the bench and did an excellent job, and Ali (Hillman) and Shelby (Wickmark) were doing a respectable job, and we lost a few of those 'ducks' early -- just those give-me's that we could have been probably six points ahead at the end of the game instead of where we were, but we played hard, and we're quite pleased with the effort."

Shelby Wickmark led Mountain Home with a season-high 15 points and brought down nine rebounds before fouling out with 16 seconds left in the game. Ali Hillman scored nine points and brought down 11 boards before fouling out with 6:52 left in the game. Kim Gulley scored a season-high seven points, Michelle Reynolds added four, Erica Stanton and Amanda Bitterman both had three points, Des Walden and Christa Stanton each scored two.

Mountain Home shot 30 percent (17 of 56) from the field, hitting two of nine (22 percent) treys, and only 47 percent (9 of 19) from the free-throw line.

Wood River also hit 30 percent from the field (16 of 53), made 25 percent (3 of 12) outside the arc, and 57 percent (13 of 23) from the charity strip.

Nampa 62

Mountain Home 47

Saturday night at Nampa saw the Lady Tigers get off to a good start, but once again, bad second and fourth quarters offensively did Mountain Home in.

Mountain Home led 13-9 after a quarter at Nampa, but were outscored 21-7 in the second period, and trailed 30-20 at halftime.

The Lady Tigers got close in the third quarter, but Nampa extended their lead in the final quarter for the 15-point win.

"Our offense is just not there yet," said Coach Kohring of the Nampa effort. "Defensively, we do a lot of different things and throw a couple different presses out there, and play fairly decent defense, but the offense just isn't coming through -- not what I think it should be."

Michelle Reynolds and Ali Hillman both scored in double figures for the Lady Tigers, Reynolds scored 12, Hillman, 11. Shelby Wickmark added eight, Erica Stanton and Kim Gulley each had six points, and Des Walden scored four.

The Lady Tigers were at Timberline last (Tuesday) night to face the 5A Lady Wolves in non-conference basketball. Mountain Home opens SIC 4A conference play Dec. 4 at Kuna.