The Houston High School boys basketball team clinched a decisive win against the Cabool Bulldogs, finishing the game with a score of 54-36 in a South Central Association conference match on March 12, 2024, in Cabool. The Tigers demonstrated a strong defensive performance, limiting Cabool to single-digit scores in three of the four quarters.
Houston started the game with an impressive 14-8 lead, bolstered by a buzzer-beating 24-foot three-pointer from senior guard Caden Guerra at the end of the first quarter. The Tigers’ momentum continued as senior Gavyn Daily extended the lead to 18-8 early in the second quarter after grabbing an offensive rebound and scoring from close range. Although Cabool managed to narrow the gap to 19-15 with a basket from sophomore forward Josiah Leonard, Houston maintained its advantage, heading into halftime with a 22-15 lead thanks to a last-second three-pointer from freshman forward Karson McCain.
In the third quarter, Houston outscored Cabool 13-5, pushing their lead to 37-20 after another basket from Daily. Despite their efforts, Cabool fought back, closing the margin to 40-30 with a short basket by Leonard with 3:15 remaining in the game. However, McCain responded with an electrifying play, completing a three-point opportunity by executing a one-handed slam dunk and successfully converting a free throw after being fouled. The exuberant crowd erupted in cheers, chanting, “he’s a freshman!” in recognition of McCain’s impressive performance.
As the game neared its conclusion, senior guard DJ Riley capped off the Tigers’ scoring with an uncontested layup, marking Houston’s largest lead of the game. Guerra led the Tigers with 15 points, while McCain followed closely with 14 points. Daily contributed 10 points, and Riley added 9 points, all scored in the second half.
The Bulldogs, now holding a record of 8-16 and 0-6 in conference play, were led in scoring by Leonard with 16 points, while junior forward Jordan Kentner added 10 points.
This victory marked Houston’s first win in conference play this season, improving their overall record to 11-13 and 1-5 in the South Central Association. The Tigers will host a non-conference game against Dora on March 14, 2024, before concluding their regular season with an SCA home game against Ava on March 15, 2024.
