MARIETTA — The Lakeview boys basketball team had not backed down from a single challenge this season -- and Saturday's Class A Private semifinal provided yet another opportunity for the Lions to bow their necks and battle.
After winning so many slugfests this season, however, the difference on Saturday came in the form of Southwest Atlanta Christian's Deaundrae Ballard.
The Florida-bound senior answered every Lakeview basket, every Lakeview rebound and every ounce of Lakeview determination -- almost single-handedly dragging the Warriors past the Lions via a 41-point explosion that halted Lakeview's historic campaign 77-74 in Marietta.
"We doubled him half the time, and I thought we played good defense on him, but he's amazing," Lakeview coach Todd Cottrell said of Ballard, who scored 26 points in the second half, including 14 straight at one point.
Even in the face of Ballard's onslaught, the Lions refused to wilt, fighting back from a nine-point first half deficit to take a 48-47 lead with 3:10 left in the third quarter. The Warriors (23-8) responded, however -- inevitably through Ballard -- to grab a slim advantage that they maintained throughout the fourth quarter. Southwest Atlanta Christian also made key free throws, finishing the game 18 of 24 from the line to maintain just enough cushion and move on to next week's state championship game.
"I'm disappointed, but I'm so proud of how we battled," Cottrell said. "A turnover here, a made shot there and you're talking about a different finish. But that's what it comes down to in a state semifinal game."
The Lions (25-6) excelled in the paint in the second half -- fighting back from a slow start that saw the Warriors out-rebound Lakeview 20-9 in the first half. Lakeview actually out-rebounded Southwest in the second half, 16-13, but the Lions' usual offensive strength -- outside shooting -- failed to provide enough spark, as the Lions sank just four 3-pointers for the game.
"We didn't get a whole lot of clean looks, and you have to give them credit for that," Cottrell said. "Then when we had a couple of good, clean looks later, they just wouldn't go in. But that's basketball sometimes."
Tre Gober, who slugged it out underneath throughout, paced Lakeview with 22 points, while Drew Cottrell, who did drill two treys, finished with 18. Josh Randolph, who also won his share of battles in the paint, also scored 11 and Evan Pitts added 10.
"Josh and Tre can play inside out, and Tre is a natural scorer, so we knew we had a good option there tonight," said Cottrell of the two seniors that helped the Lions to their best-ever season after reaching the Final Four for the first time and setting a new program record for wins after making it to the state quarterfinals for only the second time in program history the season before.
"Tre and Josh have been with us for four years, and then Ryan (Lackey) and Matt (Rowland) for two -- and once the hurt of this goes away they're going to look back and see all the things they accomplished. They've become really good players, and they're great young men," Cottrell said. "They've set some standards; they've proven they can have that magical year, and hopefulluy the guys coming back will take note of that and try to build on it."
The Lions served notice early on Saturday that they were not interested in moral victories, trading leads with Southwest seven times over the course of the first half. Led by Gober's 13 points and Drew Cottrell's 10, Lakeview answered every Warriors basket -- until Ballard began to heat up just before the half. The senior scored six baskets to spark an 11-3 run that gave Southwest a 41-32 advantage with just under a minute left in the second quarter. Gober fired right back with a three-point play with 24 seconds left until the interval -- momentum that carried over into the third quarter, as Jack Blackburn sank a 3-pointer and Pitts scored inside to begin an 11-4 run that ended with Gober's lay-in with 3:10 left in the third quarter. The basket put Lakeview in front at 48-47 -- but the Lions could not maintain the advantage, as Ballard scored with a long jumper to jump back in front. And while Lakeview stayed close the rest of the way, it could not overcome Ballard's damage.
"I've had the priviledge of coaching some great teams, and this group has really taken me on the most phenomenal ride," Cottrell said. "I'm so proud of them."
