By Tyler Thompson (For OzarksSportsZone.com)
SPRINGFIELD — The Ozark Lady Tigers entered this week authoring a 13-4 record and the sitting as the No. 8 team in Class 5.
They now can add another win to the column as the Tigers produced a 28-18 fourth-quarter run en route to the 60-52 win at Kickapoo Tuesday evening.
Kickapoo led for 24 minutes, but with offensive and defensive catalyst Indya Green fouling out with 10 points with 2:41 remaining in the third, Ozark went to work.
“She is a beast. We had to get her out of the game, or it was going to be close,” said Ozark senior Katie Mayes — who led the team with 17 points.
Green made her return to the hardwood one minute into the third — surprising Mayes, her Tigers teammates, and many in the crowd.
Turnovers and missed opportunities illuminated the first half, when the Chiefs led 15-13 at the end of the opening quarter and 25-21 at halftime.
The Chiefs’ stingy zone defense was much to credit for the sluggish Ozark start, as the Tigers committed 10 turnovers in 16 minutes of play.
In the second half, though, the Lady Tigers began asserting themselves in the post, from the perimeter, and on the glass.
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“I feel like we could have been a little more aggressive (first half), but sometimes like that, the intimidation of her is a lot. Sometimes people won’t drive in, but once we got a few fouls on her, we were able to have more confidence driving,” said Mayes.
When Green did make her second-half appearance, the Tigers navigated around the opposition like a shark does its prey, sizing it up prior to overtaking it.
The Tigers became more methodical on perimeter ball movement and began to search for the right shot.
Pass after pass after pass, the Kickapoo zone appeared to dissipate.
Patience became as much a theme in the final 16 minutes of play as any other facet.
Senior Olivia Hanks eyed the opening in the interior and pushed the leather through the paint for the score.
Mayes liked how her Tigers were able to stay close and navigate the Chiefs’ zone: again, patience was their virtue on this night.
Added Mayes: “I feel like we did well tonight. I mean, there are some areas for improvement: we could have blocked out better. We had a few mental mistakes, but that happens.”
Leading 34-32 at the start of the fourth and their best player on the bench, the Chiefs had to eliminate the big shot.
But Mayes and senior Madi Braden had never received the memo.
Mayes converted the old-school 3-point play, and Braden connected for back-to-back bombs from the perimeter, as Ozark created the much-needed separation, 43-37, with five minutes to go.
The Chiefs cut the lead to five points but could never close the gap any more, as the loss of Green was too much to overcome.
While Hanks was held in check for most of the game, finishing with 10 points, the Tigers just rolled the scoring opportunities to others.
“It is really nice,” Mayes said of the team’s depth and versatility. “We have players who can drop 20, or 10. If they lock down one person, we have another player who is able to do it. It is nice to have a program that works well together.”
Mayes’ quick four points in the fourth sparked the run, and while the early shots for Braden weren’t falling, she never deviated from her craft.
“I felt good. The whole game, it wasn’t falling for me, I couldn’t get the shots to go in,” Braden said. “Seeing one go in, everything followed behind it.”
Braden finished with 15 points — including nine from the perimeter in the second half.
But a good look from the wing, compounded by one from the top of the arc, allowed the Tigers to showcase the balance that has contributed to the 14-4 record.
Balance that was omitted from the first-half game plan.
While the offense wasn’t fluid in the first half, Braden said staying the course was vital in the win — which allowed the Tigers to alter the lack of fluidity in the second half.
“I just can’t get down on myself,” Braden said. “I have to stay positive and keep shooting and giving other people shots when my shots aren’t falling.”
Scoring
Ozark 13 8 11 28 (Mayes led all scoring with 17 points); Braden-15; Hitt-2; Watson-2; Hanks-10; Putt-5 (unofficial).
Kickapoo 15 10 9 18 (Green led with 10 points); Conway-9; Fredrick-6; Turner-4; Corbin-13 (unofficial).
