Bakersfield Lions fall to 18-8 after loss to East Carter as they head to district play
Photo by Tucker Keith Bakersfield junior Eli Cotter faces off with an East Carter defender during Friday night’s home game. Cotter led the Lions’ scoring efforts with nine points.
The Bakersfield Lions saw their win column take a hit Friday night, falling 74-34 to East Carter and dropping to 18-8 on the season.
East Carter caught fire early and never cooled off, delivering one of the most efficient shooting performances Bakersfield head coach Cainen McGinnis said he has ever witnessed. The Redbirds connected on 16 of 28 shots from beyond the arc, including a blistering 9-of-10 stretch from three-point range in the second quarter alone.
“I have personally never seen a team shoot it that efficiently from outside the perimeter,” McGinnis said. “Meanwhile we shot 3-of-15 from three. It’s just hard to win games if you can’t make shots, let alone when the other team is having one of those nights where they aren’t missing.”
The Lions struggled to find offensive rhythm against East Carter’s pressure and hot shooting. Eli Cotter led Bakersfield with nine points, while Isaac Luna added six. Ty Cotter and Seth Montague each finished with five points. Tyler Hodgson chipped in three, and Hayden Sanders, Paxton Cotter and Alex Helm contributed two points apiece.
Bakersfield now turns its attention to postseason play in the Class 2 District 10 tournament. The Lions entered as the No. 5 seed and were scheduled to face fourth-seed Fordland on Tuesday, Feb. 24. Results of that contest were unavailable at press time.
“We have to put it behind us as we get ready for a totally different Fordland team that can overwhelm you with their inside presence and all-around size,” McGinnis said following the East Carter loss.
With district play underway, the Lions will look to regroup quickly and rediscover the form that carried them to 18 wins during the regular season.