Lady Tigers crush Columbia, but lose to Skyview

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers came away with a split of their conference games last week, winning at Columbia, but losing to Skyview at home.

Mtn. Home 53

Columbia 39

The Mountain Home Lady Tigers shot out to an early lead and went on to claim a 53-39 SIC 4A girls basketball win over Columbia last Tuesday night at Columbia High School in Nampa.

Mountain Home jumped out to a 13-5 lead after a quarter and increased it to 31-14 at the half.

The third quarter saw Columbia shave the lead to 39-25 after three, but the Lady Tigers never let the Lady Wildcats come much closer.

"We played very well and ran the floor well and cut our turnovers to only nine, and played very good defense and kept them off guard all game long," said Lady Tiger basketball coach Brian English. "It was a good win for us."

Jessica Egusquiza led the Mountain Home scoring attack with 11 points. Ashley Kipp added nine, Brandie Riggs netted seven, Emily Moranda and Alyssa Saltzgaber both scored six (a new season-high for Saltzgaber), while Dani Dean and Chantell Crane each hit four points and Sammy Dodge scored two.

The Lady Tiger shot a warm 46 percent (21/46) from the field, including two of four (50 percent) treys. They shot 60 percent (9/15) from the free throw line.

Mountain Home won the battle on the boards, 39-29, with Sammy Dodge both bringing down seven boards.

Skyview 48

Mtn. Home 33

A bad third quarter -- Skyview outscored the Lady Tigers 19-4 -- proved to be the difference Friday night as the Lady Tigers dropped a 48-33 conference contest to Skyview in Lloyd Schiller Gymnasium.

Mountain Home got off to a great start and led 12-6 after a quarter.

Skyview rallied in the second, but the Lady Tigers still led 22-21 at the half.

Then came the disastrous third quarter, when the Lady Hawks went on a 14-0 run to start the period, and rolled to a 40-26 lead heading into the final quarter. Mountain Home was unable to get a rally going in the fourth and fell to the Lady Hawks 48-33.

"The first half we played very, very well," said Coach English. "We shot 55 percent from the floor and played great defense, and then we just kind of fell apart in the second half.

"We couldn't put a four quarter together, and that's what we've got to work on -- to be consistent for four quarters, especially against one of the big four (Skyview, Emmett, Bishop Kelly and Middleton)."

Sheena Nelsen and Emily Moranda led the Lady Tigers in scoring with six points, a new season high for Nelsen. Brandie Riggs added five points, Jessica Egusquiza scored four, and Ashley Kipp, Hannah Zamora, Alyssa Saltzgaber, Chantell Crane, Francesca Hale and Sammy Dodge all scored two points.

The loss dropped the Lady Tigers to 4-6 in league play and 7-9 overall.

Mountain Home plays at Bishop Kelly tomorrow (Thursday) night, and hosts Emmett on Saturday afternoon at 2 p.m.

"BK put a spanking on us the last time," said Coach English. "I think we can play a whole lot better, and Emmett was a game of turnovers -- that's the game we had 54 turnovers, and if we can cut that down, we'll see what happens."