Basketball Recap: Make It Ten in a Row for Tipton

Tipton entered their tilt with Chillicothe on Saturday with nine consecutive wins but they'll enter their next game with ten. They claimed a resounding 71-38 win over the Chillicothe Hornets. Given the Cardinals' advantage in MaxPreps' Missouri basketball rankings (they are ranked fifth, while the Hornets are ranked 34th), the result wasn't entirely unexpected.

Tipton's success was the result of a balanced attack that saw several players step up, but Ava Schlotzhauer led the charge by dropping a double-double on 27 points and 12 boards. Schlotzhauer is on a roll when it comes to rebounds, as she's now pulled down eight or more in the last 38 games she's played dating back to last season. Another player making a difference was Clara Williams, who went 9 of 14 on her way to 19 points along with six boards and three steals.

Despite the loss, Chillicothe saw an underclassman step up: freshman Lexy Smith went 6 for 13 en route to 16 points. Those 16 points set a new season-high mark for Smith. Lydia Bonderer was another key player, putting up four points.

Tipton's victory bumped their record up to 14-2. As for Chillicothe, they moved to 11-3 with that defeat, which also ended their four-game winning streak.

Both squads are looking forward to the support of their home crowds in their upcoming games. Tipton will challenge Eugene at 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday. Tipton is facing Eugene at the right time seeing as Eugene is stuck on a six-game losing streak. As for Chillicothe, they will take on St. Pius X at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday.