MALDEN -- The success continued for the Malden Green Wave in the Bootheel Conference on Monday.
Malden improved to 3-0 in Bootheel Conference regular season play with a 60-49 home win against the Senath-Hornersville Lions.
"They are starting to mold together and I've said it from the get-go, 'It's not about where you start but how your finish,'" Malden coach Josh Herring said. "Right now they are working to get better. We've still got a lot of things we need to improve on but it's always nice to get a win as you improve. These girls have worked hard all season and I'm just tickled to death how they played tonight. The energy was great and they played a complete game."
Senath-Hornersville trailed 47-45 with 3:37 left in the fourth quarter before Malden ended the game on a 13-2 run. The spurt was highlighted by four run-out layups by Jade Criglar after the Malden defense created turnovers.
"You've got to give Malden credit," Senath-Hornersville coach Ashley Taylor said. "They are athletic and quick and gave our guards some fits. They didn't really let us get into our offense. Then if you did get past their guards you had to go against the Reed kid in the middle. She's long and athletic and we had to battle her as well."
Malden played with a single digit lead most of the way. The Green Wave led 14-10 after one quarter and 30-23 at halftime. Senath-Hornersville cut the deficit to 40-37 by the start of the fourth period after limiting the Green Wave to just four field goals in the third quarter.
"We've talked a lot about defense this week," Taylor said. "I felt like my kids played the best defense they have played since I've had them tonight. It's still not where it needs to be but it's continuing to get better. I told the girls, 'We don't have to be at our best now we just have to continue to progress and we will be there at the end of February.'"
Criglar paced the Green Wave with 28 points. She recorded 13 2-pointers and made two of four free throws.
Malden forward Lana Reed also finished in double digits with 20 points. She had six 2-pointers and made eight of 13 free throws.
"I thought not only did Criglar and Reed do a good job but Alyexus LeShay helped our offense with her defensive pressure," Herring said. "The defensive pressure is what allowed us to get steals so Criglar and Reed could get buckets on our end. Some of the girls that came off the bench also did a good job on the defensive end."
Senior center Madi Shrum paced Senath-Hornersville with 28 points on 14 two-pointers.
"Shrum did a magnificent job on the low block," Herring said. "Coach Taylor is doing a great job with that group and they didn't make it easy for us tonight."
Malden (3-7) will play its second of a string of four straight home conference games when it hosts South Pemiscot Thursday.