Howard Tigers top Rams, 60-46

Howard's Hustlin' Tigers may have found a remedy for their free-throw shooting problems in the fourth quarters of games: Build a big enough lead, like they did Thursday, and it doesn't matter.

The Tigers went from trailing Tyner by a point with two and a half minutes remaining in the third quarter of their District 6-AA high school basketball game to leading by 15 as the midway point of the fourth quarter approached. From there they were able to finish off a 60-46 victory.

Howard's last field goal was a jump shot from the left side of the lane by Demontay Suttles with 4:15 to play, making the score 49-35. The Tigers' final points came on 11-of-19 free-throw shooting, leaving them 19-for-33 overall.

"Free throws have been our Achilles' heel all year," Howard coach Walter McGary said. "Not producing and finishing games cost us five ballgames."

With those five losses, the Tigers have won 13 games and they're 10-1 in the district with games remaining against Central, East Ridge and East Hamilton. Should they win out, they'll earn the top seeding for the district tournament.

"Just from playing ballgames," McGary said, "We've grown up so much."

The Rams' last lead was 30-29, although they trailed most of the game. Trey Suttles' layup that put them up at that point provided Tyner's first lead since 6-5.

"I just thought they played tougher than us -- in all aspects," Tyner coach Gerald Harris said. "They were on the boards against us all night. They were mentally tougher and physically tougher the whole game."

The Tigers' main force inside, Barry Griffin, was saddled with early foul trouble and was limited to four field goals -- all in the third quarter. McGary acknowledged that reserve post player Brandon Walters filled in admirably, and the coach liked the spark that guard Anthony Smith provided off the bench.

But the Tigers' leader on this night turned out to be point guard Keante Cameron.

"He took on a leadership role and wanted the ball in his hands," McGary said. "He did some nice things. He handled the ball for us and was able to make some moves to the basket."

Cameron's 22 points included two 3-point goals and 8-of-11 shooting from the free-throw line.

"I thought he hit some big shots," Harris said. "And he went to the hold. He's a tall guard. Two or three dribbles and he's at the basket."

Suttles supported Cameron with 14 points.

Travis Jones made his first nine free throws before missing his last, and he wound up pacing Tyner (13-5, 7-4), which made 16 of 20 free throws, with 15 points. The Rams' Suttles totaled 12.