Scrappy Lake View Downed by 3A Foe Ballinger on Senior Night

SAN ANGELO, TX-- The Lake View Chiefs dropped their second to last non-district game to the Ballinger Bearcats in a 62-41 loss.

Despite the score, Lake View kept finding a way to claw their way back in to the game.

"We didn't help ourselves offensively," Lake View Head Coach Courtney Bliskey said. "Defensively we had some spurts that helped us get back in to the game...As we built that momentum, and this spans the globe of basketball, as you build that momentum, you miss a couple of shots and the momentum starts to shift again."

After trailing 18-5 in the first quarter, the Chiefs narrowed the Bearcat lead to end the first half.

The Bearcats would extend their lead to a game-high 16 points in the third quarter behind 12 points from senior center Chance Parker.

Parker would lead the scoring totals for Ballinger with 25 points overall.

Despite the 16 point deficit, Lake View would cut the lead to single digits behind the play of senior Isaiah English who scored 14 points in the second half.

"Isaiah gives a lot of effort," Bliskey said. "We were trying to isolate him in the post because we know what he can do. He plays bigger than he is and he uses his length. He may not be the fastest guy on the court, but he uses his length so well."

Eventually, the Bearcats would put the Chiefs away with 23 points in the fourth quarter.

"It boils down to they just outrebounded us by 12," Bliskey said. "We missed 22 shots in the paint. We had a four possession game at halftime that quickly turned to a seven possession game. We just kind of came unglued." 

Ballinger improves to 14-5 on the year and will play Coahoma next Friday. Lake View falls to 3-17 this season and will open district play next Friday at Lubbock Monterey.