Ballard, Stowers send Islanders to showers in OT
- Updated: February 10, 2016
Christian High’s Kyle Stowers goes up for a tip in Tuesday night at Ryan Athletic Center against the visiting Coronado Islanders.
2015-16 EAST COUNTY PREP BOYS BASKETBALL
By Adam Paul
© East County Sports.com
EL CAJON (2-10-16) — The Christian Patriots shook off the sting of last Friday’s home loss to Kearny by rallying in the fourth quarter from a deficit to force overtime, then quickly took over against the visiting Coronado Islanders in a 73-66 Central League win at Ryan Athletic Center Tuesday night (Feb. 9).
Christian High’s Jacob Sandusky defends against Coronado Tuesday night. / Photo by Ramon Scott
TRAVIS BALLARD had 30 points (on 11-of-18 from the field), 11 rebounds and four steals to outshine Coronado junior D.J. Jackson down the stretch after the Islanders nearly assumed control midway through the fourth period. Ballard had four free throws in the final 24.1 seconds of overtime to seal the Patriots’ deal.
Christian’s KYLE STOWERS had 18 points, six rebounds and six assists. He was the catalyst in overtime, as he scored or assisted on seven Christian points to help put the hosts up 69-64 with 1:23 to go.
Jackson had 11 points and 21 rebounds for the Islanders, but Ballard quieted his inside presence over the final four minutes of the fourth and early in overtime. Jackson’s bucket late in OT closed the game to 69-66.
Late in regulation, Ballard cut the Isles’ lead to 62-60 with a three-pointer with 1:28 left in the game, then tied the game at 62-62 with a fall away jumper.
Christian stopped the Islanders’ final possession of regulation on a missed field goal.
Sophomore guard Myles Manning had 24 points for the Islanders, including 6-of-9 from three-point range. His fifth triple of the game gave the Islanders its biggest lead at 49-42 early in the fourth.
Christian’s Kyle Stowers blocks a shot by Coronado’s D.J. Jackson late in the game Tuesday night. / Photo by Ramon Scott
A one-point game for Coronado at halftime, 29-28, the Patriots then fell behind late in the third, as the Islanders closed the quarter on a 13-4 run to take a 46-42 lead.
Ballard extended the Patriots’ lead early in the third as he initially got Christian off to a quick second-half start, as the Pats went up 38-33.
Coronado led 22-17 in the second behind Manning, but Ballard scored five-straight to put CHS back in front, 28-27. Ballard had 11 points and eight rebounds in the second half. The game was tied 12-12 late in the first quarter.
Christian: Travis Ballard 30 (11 reb, 4 stl), Kyle Stowers 18 (6 reb, 6 ast), Layne Larsen 9 (3 ast), Jacob Sandusky 8 (1 reb, 2 ast, 1 stl), David Todd Jeremiah 5 (5 reb, 3 ast, 2 stl, 1 blk), Dominic Bristol 3 (2 reb, 1 stl), Joe Vrzich (2 reb), Daniel Welch (1 reb, 1 ast).
