By Keisha Swafford, exclusive to the Times
LAKEVIEW 72, RAPIDES 57
The Lakeview Gators played an intense and highly physical game against the Rapides Mustangs. The Gators attacked the Mustangs with a strong and effective defense, rattling them and getting in their heads early in the first quarter. The Mustangs started to lose control of the ball, making unnecessary turnovers. Because of bad passes and traveling calls, the Gators continued to get the ball back, turning them into extra points. The Mustangs were then forced to foul them in order to gain possession. Fortunately for the Mustangs, the Gators were making 50 percent at the free throw line. According to Lakeview Coach Dewaskie Fuller, if they had made their free throws, they would have won by 30 points. In the first half, the Gators out rebounded and out hustled the Mustangs. The Mustangs rushed their shots and went too fast on offense. The Mustangs struggled to keep up with the Gators’ offense, making it hard for them to gain the lead in the second half. If the Mustangs had protected the ball better and slowed down on offense, they would have had a better chance of winning the game.
STAND OUTS
* The Rapides Mustangs’ Ky’Juwon Jones fouled out in the fourth quarter, with only 3:24 left. His teammate, Dorian Blue, stepped up and scored 11 points to finish the game.
* Taurious Lewis made 27 points for the Gators, making him the MVP of the night. QUOTABLES
* Lakeview coach Dewaskie Fuller said about winning the game, “We felt like we wanted to execute the plays. Last time they came in, they hit us with a good zone. We knew they couldn’t guard us man to man, so once we got the lead, we spread out and let the senior and junior guards go to work. The boys executed real well and overall good effort.”
* Lakeview shooting guard Zarious Lewis said about his performance: “I play defense, listen to Coach, and give it 100 percent.”
* Rapides coach Travis Broussard said about taking the loss: “I thought our kids played hard. We left it all out there. I thought the seniors gave it everything they had. We knew it was going to be a hard fought contest coming up and we would have to match their intensity and we did for a little while, but they were just too athletic for us.”
ON DECK
* The Lakeview Gators continue to compete in the playoffs next week against Rayville while the Rapides Mustangs left their hearts out on the floor as they finished up the season.
STATS
Zarious Lewis 27 Demondre Young 16 Michael Banks 11