With a playoff appearance already assured, the Ballard High School boys basketball team closed out the regular season with a 57-48 loss to Roosevelt Feb. 12.

Senior Gary Smith led Ballard with 14 points. Junior Salim Gloyd and senior Kyler Korsmo each had nine.

The Beavers backed their way into the postseason, losing their final two games. Losses by three other teams combined to lock up the eighth and final playoff spot for Ballard Feb. 9.

Ballard finished the regular season with a 6-10 record in KingCo and a 7-13 record overall.

That represents a drop-off from last season's 8-8 conference record and 11-9 record overall. But, the Beavers lost John Barnes, who many saw as their best player coming into the season, after two games.

Gloyd averaged 14.7 points per game in the regular season, placing seventh in KingCo. Smith's 13.2 points per game put him at 10th. Korsmo finished third on the team in scoring with 9.5 points per game.

This is only the second time Ballard has made the KingCo playoffs, having done it last year as well.

Last season, the Beavers lost their only two games in the double-elimination format.

Ballard opens the postseason at 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 16 at Skyline, the number-one seed.

Skyline defeated the Beavers 55-46 in their regular-season meeting Jan. 19.