Lady Lions drop first-ever state tourney game

HIAWASSEE - Two weeks ago the Lakeview Academy girls basketball team was one of the hottest in the area.

Friday night in the first round of the Class A state playoffs, the Lady Lions season came to an abrupt end against Bowden.

Bowden overcame a late Lakeview lead in the fourth quarter to take a 55-47 win.

The loss kncoks Lakeview (19-7) out the playoffs. It was the first-ever appearance in the tournament for Lakeview, which finished the year with three straight losses after losing just four over its first 20.

The difference was at the foul line where Bowden hit 18-of-26 for the game while Lakeview was just 2-of-8.

Bowden hit 14-of-16 free throws in the fourth quarter to preserve the win.

The Lady Lions, who led most of the game, gave up the lead with 4:00 left in the game when Bowden's Tustasanaka Wyatt hit a 3-pointer to give them their first lead since the first quarter.

Bowden used its free throw advantage to hang on to the lead.

Chelsey Chastain led Lakeview with 22 points. But Bowden was able to shut down Christi Thomas and Hillary Stanford. Thomas finished with just 2 points while Stanford had just 5.

Dianna Briggs had 8 and Hannah Bennet 7 for the Lady Lions.