Jackson junior Ashten Howard couldn't find the basket in the first half.

After going 0-for-4 in the first two quarters, she sizzled in the second half, scoring 15 points to lead the Indians past Central, 55-50, in the third-place game Friday at the Saint Francis Medical Center Holiday Classic at the Show Me Center.

Howard even hit from the free-throw line in the second half, going 5-of-6.

"I just finally calmed myself down," Howard said. "I think my adrenaline was just going so fast in the first half that I rushed my shot. I just calmed down and took my shot. After you get one down, all the pressure comes off your shoulders."

Central opened a one-point lead at halftime, thanks to decent shooting and impressive defense. The Tigers held the Indians to 8 percent (1-of-13) from the floor in the second quarter.

Cape Central's Wendi Zickfield pulls down a rebound during the third place game against Jackson on Friday, December 21, 2007 at the Show Me Center. (Aaron Eisenhauer)

"We were a little more aggressive in the first half on defense," Central coach Sherri Shirrell said.

Central's problem was that it only shot 21 percent (3-of-14) in the quarter. Central's offensive woes started when the Indians switched to a pressure defense, employing a full-court press.

"We got to push it every chance we get," Jackson coach Sam Sides said. "And we need to put the pressure on them more. The tempo of the game was better suited for us than it was for them."

Central missed eight straight field-goal attempts in the second quarter before Sadie Pittman broke the streak with a basket with 50 seconds left in the half.

"We have to take care of the basketball," Shirrell said. "We're doing a better job of that. They played good defense."

Jackson took command in the second half. The Indians snatched the lead on Howard's second field goal of the game, coming with 4 minutes, 47 seconds left in the third quarter. They never trailed again.

Jackson opened a seven-point lead heading into the fourth quarter and managed to keep the lead with its free-throw shooting. The Indians only hit one field goal -- a Howard basket -- but went 13-of-19 (68 percent) from the free-throw line to hold on, barely.

The Tigers closed within two points, 47-45, with 1:05 left in the game. But Jackson hit enough free throws for the victory.

"We just try not to panic," Howard said. "That's what coach always tells us. The key is not to throw the ball up and just take care of the ball."

Pittman led the Tigers with 16 points -- the third straight game where she's scored 16. Wendi Zickfield added 15. The Indians concentrated on keeping the ball from Zickfield, and managed to slow her down. She hit her first three shots then missed her next six to end the first half.

"We need to keep the ball out of her hands as much as possible," Sides said of Zickfield. "In a half-court game, she's going to dominate. We let her get the ball a whole lot more than we should have.

"It seemed like every time she got it, she scored or we fouled her. She hurt us. She always plays well against us. At times we did a pretty good job on her. Other times, we were a step behind, I thought."

While Zickfield is the Tigers' known commodity, Pittman is quickly earning a reputation as a go-to player for Central (4-5). Jackson's Kelci Keith, who was charged with covering Pittman, came away impressed with Central's sophomore point guard.

"We have to keep a hold of Sadie," Keith said. "She's a quick little sucker."

Keith didn't let her defensive effort slow her down on the offensive end. She finished with a game-high 17 points.

Third Place

Jackson 55, Central 50

Jackson 13 7 19 16 -- 55

Central 14 7 11 18 -- 50

Jackson (55) -- Kaylen Knepp 6, Allison Smith 2, Ashten Howard 16, Whitney McNeely 12, Kelci Keith 17, Landon Wachter 2. FG 13. FT 22-33. F 19. (3-pointers: Keith 4, Knepp 1, Howard 1. Fouled out: none)

Central (50) -- Sadie Pittman 16, Jenna Matthews 1, Lauren Kinsey 3, Chelsea Pannier 4, Taylor Kirn 7, Sarah Uptmor 4, Wendi Zickfield 15. FG 18. FT 13-21. F 24. (3-pointers: Kinsey. Fouled out: Breia Twiggs)