Forsan Flies Past Ballinger Late for Bi-District Playoff Win

SAN ANGELO, TX — It’s hard to tell by the final score, but the Forsan and Ballinger boys were in an absolute dogfight for much of their first-round playoff game Monday night at Angelo State’s Junell Center.

In a back-and-forth battle, Ballinger led by a point midway through the third quarter before Forsan turned on the afterburners and ran away with an 89-65 win.

The 24-point victory wasn’t indicative of how close it was most of the game, but it showed just how dangerous Forsan can be when it shifts into its top gear.

Forsan improved to 26-5 with its 13th straight win and advances to the area round later this week against No. 7 Ropes (25-3).

Ballinger’s season ended with a 17-15 record and a first-round loss to Forsan for the second consecutive year.

The Buffaloes trailed by as many as 13 points late in the first half Monday, but they closed the second quarter with a 13-0 run to tie the game at halftime, then took over in the second half.

“We were in a bad position, honestly,” Forsan sophomore Kanyon Myers said. “Our coach, he talked us into it. I don’t know, we just flipped a switch. We knew we could’ve played better. We just didn’t come ready, I guess. But in the end, we got it done.”

Myers, who had 15 points, eight rebounds and six steals, was one of five Forsan players who scored in double figures.

Coy Evans led the way with 21 points, 14 rebounds and six assists.

Jayce Spivey had 17 points and 10 rebounds, while Colt Stockton also had 17 points, including five 3-pointers. Matthew Blakeney had 10 points, eight rebounds and two blocks.

“We have several people that can score, but (Evans) is our go-to guy, and other teams know that. … He’s tough enough to play inside and smooth enough to play outside,” Forsan head coach Cory Richardson said. “When they’re trying to stop him, other people get their looks. And when we spread out, it opens up things for him.”

Ballinger was led by Caiden Villarreal, who knocked down five 3-pointers and finished with 20 points, along with three steals.

He helped fuel Ballinger’s hot start as the Bearcats took a 39-26 lead with three minutes left in the second quarter, punctuated by three free throws after a double technical by Forsan as the game began to get chippy.

“Give credit to Ballinger. They came out ready to play and put us in a bind early. They really made us have to dig deep to come back,” Richardson said. “We got that technical there, and when things are not going our way, we pride ourselves on responding better than that, and we didn’t. But we were able to regroup and got back to what we do, which is one play at a time. We don’t really look at the score. That helped get it tied, and the next thing you know, we’re up. Even by the end of the game, it didn’t feel like we were up as much as we were.”

Late in the third quarter, Ballinger was hit with a double technical, and Forsan sank three free throws for a 59-53 lead.

Then Spivey stole a last-second inbounds pass and dished it to Myers, who buried a long 3-pointer at the buzzer for a nine-point lead that seemed to completely shift momentum.

Forsan outscored Ballinger 27-12 in the final quarter to run away with the game.

Other players who scored in double digits for Ballinger were Marcus Cook and Coleman King, who each had 13 points. Hunter Kresta, who is a dependable force down low, was held to only nine points, though he still had 14 rebounds and four blocks.

Forsan will now turn its attention to the area round, where the Buffaloes hope to avenge last year’s 64-25 loss to Ropes.

“We have some unfinished business from last year,” Richardson said. “I think we’re a lot different team than we were last year. We’re still young. We were a bunch of sophomores last year, and we’re a bunch of juniors this year. But a win like this, especially when we didn’t play our best in the first half, is hopefully gonna propel us down the road.”

Forsan 89, Ballinger 65

Forsan   21   18   23   27 — 89

Ballinger   15   24   14   12 — 65

FORSAN — Colt Stockton 17, Jayden O’Neal 2, Kanyon Myers 15, Matthew Blakeney 10, Halen Kemper 3, Cole Wyatt 4, Coy Evans 21, Jayce Spivey 17.

BALLINGER — Caiden Villarreal 20, Marcus Cook 13, Coleman King 13, Dylan Page 2, Daiven Quiroga 8, Hunter Kresta 9.