Staff Photo by Angela Lewis/Chattanooga Times Free Press
Jan 6, 2011–Howard’s Roddarius Martin and Hixson’s D’Monota Smith at Howard School of Academics and Technology on Thursday evening.Hixson’s Wildcats had Howard’s Hustlin’ Tigers right where they wanted them.
Hoping to leave the score tied as a worst-case scenario, visiting Hixson had the ball in the final minute of regulation in Thursday’s District 6-AA boys’ high school basketball game but got a little antsy with it. Even after a reprieve, the Wildcats couldn’t convert.
Howard’s 8-of-10 free-throw shooting in overtime lifted the Tigers to a 66-63 win.
The game marked the beginning of three pivotal consecutive home games for Howard (6-3, 5-0). It plays archrival Brainerd tonight at 8 and Red Bank (4-0 6-AA) on Saturday at 7:30.
“That’s going to make us or break us,” Howard coach Walter McGary said of the stretch.