The Hustilin’ Tigers’ girl’s team withstood a frenetic rally by the visiting Brainerd Panthers during their 38-34 Saturday night victory. At the end of the first quarter, it looked as if Howard was on their way to an easy win over their crosstown rivals.
The Tigers shredded the Panthers early, pouncing out to a 21-6 lead by the end of the quarter. Makayla Reed scored her six points in theatrical style, opening and closing the quarter with a trey from the left wing. In between those bombs were a flurry of points off the fast break, with Terriah Knox bullying her way in for layups on several occasions. Knox finished the matchup with a game-high 18 points.
The middle quarters were a grind, with neither team able to consistently score. Although Brainerd’s Amarah Robinson was able to get on the stat-sheet with six points, the team as a whole had difficulty getting the ball into the basket. Howard hardly fared much better, with both teams missing layups in the half court, during the fast break, and on the offensive boards. By the end of the third quarter and leading 32-19, Howard appeared headed to a fairly routine win.
The fourth quarter was a harrowing eight minutes for every Howard fan in the gym. The Hustlin’ Tigers stayed cold, with shots bouncing awry left and right. When the Tigers weren’t missing, they seemed to be turning over possession to the other team. While Brainerd still missed their fair share of attempts and coughed up a sizable number of turnovers, they produced enough points to chip away at the lead.
Tyliyah Ward scored six in the final quarter, bringing the Panthers within four points. Brainerd’s rally fizzled out before it could complete though, even though Howard gifted their opponent plenty of chances via missed free throws and turnovers. The Hustlin’ Tigers eked out their narrow win after Brainerd failed to make a series of layups and free throws in the final minute.
GAME SUMMARY
BRAINERD 6 5 8 15 -- 34
HOWARD 21 2 9 6 -- 38
BRAINERD (34) – Bradley 4, Ward 6, Wright 7, Robinson 10, Bell 3, Gates 4
HOWARD (38) – Flowers 6, Reed 6, Washington 2, Terriah Knox 18, Tiah Knox 6
3-POINT GOALS: Brainerd 2 (Robinson 2); Howard 3 (Reed 2, Terriah Knox 1)