Boys basketball: Battle Ground 63, Skyview 51

After eight minutes on Thursday, the Skyview Storm looked like a playoff-bound basketball team.

But Battle Ground wasn’t ready for its season to end.

The Tigers erased an early 16-point deficit and beat the Storm at Skyview in the final game of the Class 4A Greater St. Helens League boys basketball season.

The result means Battle Ground (13-7, 7-5) earns third place in the GSHL. The Tigers will play Spanaway Lake on Saturday at Auburn in a bi-district tournament play-in game.

Serg Ovchinnikov scored 21 points for Battle Ground. Jake Belford and Trevor Ingram added 12 apiece.

Skyview (9-11, 5-7) was led by 19 points from Austin Bonds.

The Storm led 23-7 after one quarter. Transition opportunities and three 3-point baskets helped Skyview start quickly.

Battle Ground held Skyview to only 28 points the rest of the night, and outscored the Storm 40-17 in the second half.

“They got hot and they knocked down shots and we did not,” Skyview coach Adam Horn said. “They did a good job of executing their offense and got good looks and hit them.”

BATTLE GROUND 63, SKYVIEW 51

BATTLE GROUND — Jamie Ford 7, Damien Ford 0, Jordan Olsen 4, Serg Ovchinnikov 21, Trevor Ingram 12, Tim Shkarovskiy 2, Kevin Haynes 1, Jake Belford 12, Kaleb McGary 4. Totals 25 (7) 6-11 63.

SKYVIEW — Austin Bonds 19, Spencer Paulin 3, Brian Brady 1, Keegan Liebelt 5, Ryan Bickford 10, Matt Brown 0, Jordan Berni 1, Ross Armstrong 2, Willie Lopez 1, Anthony Chamberlain 9. Totals 17 (3) 14-22 51.

Battle Ground 7 16 22 18–63

Skyview 23 11 11 6–51

JV — Battle Ground won. C — Battle Ground won.