The Lakeview boys basketball team is primed for semifinal success today as the Gators tip off at 2:45 in Lake Charles against East Iberville in a Non-Select Division IV playoff game.
The game rewards the winner with a berth in Friday’s state championship game against either Ferriday or West St. Mary’s.
Lakeview (29-4) is the second seed in the bracket, while East Iberville (26-7) is No. 3. The teams met last year in the state quarterfinals, when East Iberville’s Tigers shocked the Gators on a buzzer-beater, 47-46, but fell by four in the semifinals.
This is a return to Marsh Madness in Burton Coliseum for the second time in three years for Lakeview, which has made five visits to the state semifinals in the first 11 seasons under coach Brian Williams.
To say Lakeview is peaking at the right time might be an understatement. The Gators have won 14 of their last 15 games, with the only loss coming by two points to a Tioga team that reached the Division I quarterfinals.
Lakeview has blown out both playoff opponents, Haynesville 75-46 and Northeast 84-40 last Friday in the quarterfinals. The Gators tuned up for postseason with a non-district 56-54 win over Class C state finalist Pleasant Hill.
East Iberville has some impressive wins this season, including a two-point overtime victory over Non-Select Division II’s second-seeded team, Madison, and victories over Class 5A teams Bonnabel and Southside. The Tigers’ only loss in the past 12 games was a blowout defeat to Washington-Marion, which is in the Division II semifinals, and they’ve won three overtime games in that stretch. Their playoff wins have come over Homer by 33, and Lake Arthur 73-56 in the quarterfinals.
Today’s game can be seen on a pay per view basis through the NFHSnetwork.com website, or through the LHSAA app.
