There’s obviously two O's and one D in Lyla Wood’s last name, but the D has always outweighed the O's from her viewpoint.
“She's a defensive-minded kid and works very hard on the defensive end,” Ozark coach Brandon Clift said.
No one wanted to talk about Wood’s defense Monday, after she scored a career-high 11 points and Ozark enjoyed its highest scoring game in two years during a 69-45 whipping of Willard.
“Tonight is the first time I've ever shot more than twice in a game,” Wood said.
One Wood shot stood out by a long shot. She swished a buzzer-beater from half-court at the end of the first quarter.
The thought of ever making a half-court heave had never entered her mind.
“I never practice half-court shots,” Wood said. “I wouldn't even think I could get it there.”
Wood’s half-court highlight was preceded by Sydney Hampton receiving an in-bounds pass at the middle of mid-court with :03 remaining in the opening period. Hampton’s catch was a highlight in itself, as she leaped and caught the ball above her with her arms fully extended.
By design, Wood was positioned at a sideline to Hampton’s left along the center stripe. After receiving an assist from Hampton, Wood got her shot off just in time for the buzzer to sound as the ball hit nothing but net.
“I didn't think the shot was going to get off in time,” Wood said. “I knew I had to get it off immediately. I think having no time to think about it helped me because I wasn't thinking.
“When it went in, my mouth dropped and I threw my hands up and ran to my team,” Wood said.
Wood’s shot obviously wasn’t a game-winner, but was a game-changer. It gave Ozark a 12-11 lead and the host Lady Tigers took off from there.
Five minutes later, Ozark was up 26-14 and the rout was on. Willard wound up being down by as much as 30 points in the fourth quarter.
There was no doubt Wood’s shot triggered Ozark’s fireworks.
“It was exciting and kind of crazy. There was a lot of energy. I loved it,” Ozark guard Josey Roberts said of Wood’s half-courter. “It helped with our momentum. It got our offense and defense going.”
“It got us really excited and we started hitting our shots,” Wood said. “It helped with our momentum. Everyone was making shots and sharing the ball.”
“It changed the tide for us,” Clift said. “In the first quarter, we weren't hitting easy shots. After that shot, the floodgates opened for us offensively.”
Ozark’s 69-point output that included 11 3-pointers was much welcomed. It was the highest scoring game for Ozark since a 77-point night against Willard in February, 2022.
Clift’s crew is averaging only 46.9 points a game. But that figure is on the rise. Ozark’s norm is 54.3 points a night over its last seven games.
"This was one of the better games we've played,” Roberts said.”I’m hoping more games will be like this.”
Hampton topped the winners with 15 points, while Roberts netted 14 and Kori Roussell had 12. Wood had a pair of 3-pointers in her 11-point effort.
“I’ve continued to encourage her to shoot the basketball. But she's not necessarily a score-first mentality kind of kid,” Clift said. “She's very capable (offensively). I knew it was in there for her. When we shoot in practice, she shoots as well as a lot of the kids.
“She shot a wide-open 3 late in the third quarter in transition and sometimes that might have been a shot she would have passed up in the past,” he added. “She was full of confidence tonight and knocked it down.”
Ozark (9-9 overall and 2-0 in the COC) finds itself tied for first in the COC with Republic and Nixa.
“It's a good start and it's nice to be 2-0,” Clift said. We’ll go to Webb City (on Thursday) and see if we can get another one.”
