by Marianne Gasaway
The Lions moved to within one game of a State berth with a 60-54 victory over Ballard Thursday, Feb. 23.
The atmosphere was electric in the CLHS gymnasium as fans watched Ballard (10-13) battle back from an eight-point fourth quarter deficit to pull within three in the final minute.
The game was close throughout, but after the opening minutes the Lions never relinquished the lead. They led 15-12 after one quarter and 33-27 at halftime.
Each time the Bombers challenged, the Lions answered the call.
“We knew they were a good solid club and they proved it,” said Clear Lake Coach Jeremey Ainley. “Overall, it was a great tournament win.”
Early in the third quarter the Lions extended their lead to 10 after Cael Stephany and Dylan Litzel scored on back-to-back possessions. But two free throws and a three-pointer from Ballard quickly cut the margin to five. A 6-0 run by the Bombers pulled them within three, 37-34, with two-minutes to go in the third.
With :45 on the clock in the third Stephany hit the first of three three-pointers which threw water on Ballard’s surges.
Stephany finished as Clear Lake’s top scorer with 21. Eleven of his points came in the second half on three three-pointers and two free throws. Stephany’s final trey came with under one-minute left in the game and put his team ahead, 57-51.
Ballard drained a three of their own to pull back within three, but Clear Lake’s senior leader Travaughn Luyobya stepped to the line after being fouled with 12.3 to go and was successful on his first free throw to make it a two possession game, 58-54.
Stephany sealed the deal with a rebound and trip to the charity stripe, where he drained both attempts for the 60-54 win.
“Offensively, I thought we shared the ball well and got others great looks,” said Ainley. “Travaughn was really going early and Dylan had a great spark offensively for us. Cael continued to hit some big shots from the outside.”
Thomas Meyer was also in double figures for the Lions with 10-points and pulled down a team-high nine rebounds.
Litzel came off the bench to score three field goals in the second quarter and finish with eight points. Ben Loge and Titan Schmitt had two-points apiece.
Schmitt was instrumental in holding Ballard’s leading scorer, Mason Gorsh to just five-points. Ballard freshman Jude Gibson was the teams’ leading scorer with 19.
“ I thought we had to limit their scoring from their two leading scorers and we did,” said Ainley. “The point guard (Gibson) still got 19 points, but on 21 shots, and their leading scorer we held to five points. I thought Titan and Travaughn did a phenomenal job on them.”
Clear Lake was lifted by its 60 percent field goal shooting. Ballard attempted six fewer shots and only connected on 31 percent of them. The two teams were both impressive from the foul line, with Clear Lake making 11 of 13 attempts and Ballard capitalizing on 16 of 17.
The Lions out-rebounded the Bombers, 29-19.
