By ERIC VICCARO
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The Bellevue High School boys’ basketball team has high aspirations this year, especially coming off a 32-win season in 2013-14.
The Eagles were involved in a litmus test this past Saturday evening at D.L. Ligon Coliseum on the Midwestern State University campus.
This test occurred on a wooden gymnasium floor, not on a granite countertop in one of MSU’s chemistry laboratories.
Well, the test didn’t come back with good result for Bellevue as it fell to Blue Ridge 73-44 in the small school boys’ division championship at the Fantasy of Lights Tournament.
Blue Ridge (8-0 record) just happens to be currently ranked 17th in Conference 2A in the latest Texas Association of Basketball Coaches poll.
“Blue Ridge made it tough on us,” Bellevue head coach Colby Broussard said. “They shot the ball exceptionally well. When a team shoots the ball at just more than 70 percent, you have to bring your ‘A’ game. They are a very strong 2A team that will make a good run in the playoffs.”
Broussard wasn’t pleased with Bellevue’s execution on defense, as evidenced by Blue Ridge’s scorching performance from the field. The Eagles also didn’t handle Tiger defense, which held Broc Terry to 14 points and Layne Morris to seven (significantly below their averages). Read more, and see the complete box score, in the mid-week Bowie News.

Bellevue’s Layne Morris (30) drives through the lane and puts up a shot during Saturday’s small school boys championship game against Blue Ridge. The Tigers’ defense kept Bellevue to 44 points in the game. Click on the image itself for the complete photo. (News photo by Eric Viccaro)