Garden City came in to their game against Ballinger ranked as the #3 team in Texas 1A basketball and they played like it in a 38-32 defeat of Ballinger. The Lady Cats led 9-5 at the end of the 1st quarter, but in the 2nd quarter they did what no one has really done against Ballinger all year.
In a 15-1 2nd quarter Garden City pressed on the in bounds, they trapped players all over the court and played near flawless defensively. Ballinger did not look prepared for that physicality as they have not been pressured very often at this point in the season.
Halftime adjustments were made in Ballinger’s favor with an 11-4 3rd quarter, but as the game went on they could not pull closer than that 24-21 score.
Kinlee Bowman was the leading scorer for Ballinger with 12 points while Jadyn Gore and Kinley Gray both pitched in 4. The Lady Cats again won the rebound battle 39-26, but turned the ball over almost twice as much, 32-16. Points of turnovers was 8-25 and 2nd chance points were 4-12 in favor of Garden City.
Ballinger will next take part in the Ballinger Classic Tournament. Winters and Lake View will be played on Thursday then Merkel on Friday before moving open from Pool play.
