The Ballard High School basketball team is hoping to put an opening-round loss and one of its worst games of the season behind it as it moves on in the KingCo 4A playoffs.

The eighth-seed Beavers were trounced by number-one seed Skyline Feb. 16. The 59-36 final score matches Ballard's worst loss of the season.

Skyline jumped out to an 18-8 first-quarter lead and never looked back.

Ballard coach Billy Rodgers said it was a tough game. Skyline has a lot of weapons and caused problems for the Beavers on both ends of the floor, he said.

"There is a reason why they are the number-one seed in our tournament," he said.

Senior Kyler Korsmo led Ballard with 10 points. Senior Mitch Hipp added six.

Ballard's leading offensive weapons – junior Salim Gloyd and senior Gary Smith – never got off the ground, tallying just nine points between them.

Rodgers said Ballard struggled with cold shooting and missed some easy shots throughout the game.

The Beavers will have a chance at redemption due to the double-elimination format of the playoffs when they face Eastlake Feb. 19.

Lose to Eastlake, and Ballard's season is over. Win, and the Beavers will move on to the next round and a possible rematch with Skyline.

Eastlake beat Ballard 71-63 during the regular season. It lost to Woodinville 56-53 in the first round of the playoffs on a last-second three-pointer in overtime.

Rodgers said Eastlake has what he considers the best player in KingCo in Ryan Russo. Russo can really score, and he hit some key shots against Ballard earlier this season, Rodgers said.

Ballard will be looking to pressure Eastlake's shooters and hopefully shoot a little better themselves, he said.

"Eastlake is coming off of a tough loss to Woodinville, so I know they will be ready," he said. "Should be fun."

The game is at 4:45 p.m. on Feb. 19 at Juanita High School.