Straughn’s Kayla Teel scored 12 of her 26 points in the first quarter Friday night to help lift her team over Calhoun, 48-39.

Teel’s 12 points in the first quarter helped the Lady Tigers shoot out to a three-point, 15-12 lead heading into the second quarter.

“We got off to a good start,” Straughn girls coach Scott Kinsaul said. “We shot the ball real well early. We got us a lead and we just kept that lead the whole way. We got an area win, which is important for us.”

Leading 23-19 at the break, the Lady Tigers (15-3, 3-1 in Class 3A, Area 3) outscored their area opponent 12-10 in the third quarter and 13-10 in the fourth quarter.

Throughout the final quarter of play, Straughn executed its pass play under the net to score easy lay ups.

“We passed the ball well and ran our offense real well,” Kinsaul said. “I would like to have made more shots and free throws, but we executed real well (Friday night).”

Calhoun countered by attacking on the perimeter to keep the game close.

In the final minute of the match up, three Calhoun players fouled out of the game.

Straughn’s Kimberly Teel also had a good night, scoring seven points. Katy Messick had five and Sierra Danford had four.

Calhoun boys 45, Straughn boys 43

Straughn boys coach Todd Reynolds said his team is getting better despite falling to Calhoun Friday night.

“We’re heading in the right direction, but unfortunately not at the speed that you want to be,” he said. “The goal is to be playing your best basketball by the end of the season. It’s just a shame that we can’t get these efforts into a victory.”

Straughn (5-11, 0-4) led 8-4 after the first quarter.

Calhoun bounced back with 15 points in the second compared to Straughn’s 10 to lead 19-18 at halftime.

Down by 10 points in the third quarter, Straughn rallied back to decrease Calhoun’s lead by two points at 30-28 heading into the final quarter of the contest.

“The effort was tremendous, but we had a lapse there in the third quarter and got down by 10 and had to battle back,” Reynolds said. “That was just enough energy expelled to be the difference. Now, we’ve got a tough Luverne squad coming in and I’m thinking that there’s nobody I’d like to have my first area win than over Luverne. It’s frustrating and we’ve got to keep battling.”

Straughn kept battling in the fourth quarter staying even with Calhoun scoring 15 points.

Austin Pickrel led Straughn with 15 points; and C.J. Christopher had 11.

In B-team action, the Tigers won 26-21.

Straughn will host Luverne tonight in area play. Tip off is at 4:30 with the B-team.