Stinging Laquey’s Hornets 64-39 during opening-round action last Monday in the Missouri State High School Activities Association (MSHSAA) Class 3, District 8 Boys Basketball Tournament, John Viehland’s Belle Tigers looked to punch their ticket to the district championship game last Wednesday night with a semifinal victory against Fatima’s Comets.

Trailing 24-16 at halftime, Belle was outscored 18-7 in the third quarter leaving them facing a 42-23 deficit entering the fourth quarter.

In spite of an 11-2 run over the final eight minutes, Belle saw their Gasconade Valley Conference (GVC) championship season end at 19-8 following a 44-34 district semifinal loss to Fatima.

Fatima was then upset by Steelville’s Cardinals 56-46 in Friday’s district championship game.

Steelville saw their season end Monday night in MSHSAA Class 2 Sectional action following a 62-33 loss to Montgomery County’s Wildcats.

Hank Stratman led the Tigers against Fatima

with 15 points netting 10 of those in the first half. He nearly recorded a double double finishing with a team-high eight rebounds.

Nearly joining Stratman in double digits was Hank Willis who scored six of his eight points in the first half.

Garrett Gehlert scored all six of his points in the fourth quarter.

He was followed by Lukas Smith who hit a fourth-quarter 3-pointer and Glayden Woodruff who hit a fourth-quarter basket for two points rounding out Belle’s scoring against Fatima.

Alec Elrod dished out a team-high four assists while Gehlert also grabbed seven rebounds.

Matthew Robertson led the Comets with 15 points followed closely by Logan Kliethermes with 14 points.

In Belle’s victory against Laquey, the Tigers outscored the Hornets 52-28 after nursing a slim 12-11 lead through the first quarter.

Woodruff led three Tigers scoring in double digits with 18 points followed by 16 points apiece from Willis and Stratman.

Willis also grabbed a team-high nine rebounds while Stratman also added six rebounds and three assists.

Gehlert nearly made it a quarter of Belle double-digit scorers finishing with eight points.

Woodruff and Gehlert each recorded a team-high two steals.

Smith added four points in the second half to go along with a first-quarter bucket from Kooper Elrod for two points.

Rhyder Martin and Izeyah Boggs each led Laquey with 14 points.