Lakeview Centennial has unfinished business in Texas basketball

Three years ago, the Lakeview Centennial (Garland) boys basketball team relied on young players as it tried to become a winner. During a game that season, a Lakeview freshman was knocked to the floor, and students from the opposing school started a chant:

"Weight room freshman! Weight room freshman!"

It was easy to pick on Lakeview's lack of size and muscle during the 2007-08 season, when the Patriots finished 8-20. But now Lakeview (20-1) is the team pushing others around, and by climbing to the No. 1 spot in the 5A state rankings, it's the team everyone wants to beat.

"It puts a target on our back," guard Toddrick Gotcher says. "We actually love the target because it makes us work harder."

And that always seems to take a toll on opponents. Lakeview's style of play is full-speed, full-time. The Patriots pressure all over the court, force turnovers and push the pace to wilt opponents.

"We just keep on with our press and get the other teams tired," says Gotcher, a 6-3 senior who signed with Texas Tech, "and that's when we perform."

It's quite a performance, led by Gotcher, who averages 16.1 points and 6.7 rebounds per game. He's joined on the perimeter by 6-2 senior point guard Chris Jones, a North Texas signee who averages 15.4 points and 7.1 assists. Jamarlas Demas, the "weight room freshman" of three seasons ago, is now 6-2 and averages 13 points per game.

They've helped Lakeview come a long way in three years, but the Patriots nearly made the bottom-to-top rise a year ago. Lakeview finished 33-4 last season and lost to Fort Bend Bush, 65-58, in the 5A title game.

That loss is huge motivation for Lakeview, which became the first school from the Garland Independent School District to make it to the state tournament. A sign on Lakeview's locker room door says "unfinished business," and the Patriots know what they must do to take care of business.

"It's all about tempo," coach Tony Mauldin says.

That means pressure defense, transition baskets and running, running and more running. That's always a part of Lakeview practices, which mirror the intensity of the games. The Patriots have a deep lineup of supremely conditioned players, and when the fourth quarter hits, the opponent usually drops.

That's when Lakeview finishes business. The Patriots hope that continues through the state tournament in March.

"We know we can get back there and win it," Gotcher says.

DESOTO TAKES DOWN ARLINGTON GRACE PREP
Grace Prep (Arlington), the private-school power featuring 7-foot junior center Isaiah Austin, is the only team to beat Garland Lakeview this season. But DeSoto, with 6-foot-9 Florida State signee Antwan Space, routed Grace Prep, 66-46, on Friday. Space had 23 for DeSoto (21-2), which is No. 3 in the 5A state rankings. Austin, who has orally committed to Baylor, had 15 points.

TOP PERFORMERS
* Kameron Curl, Hebron basketball: Curl hit a layup as time expired to give Hebron a 45-43 upset win over Plano West, which was No. 18 in the 5A boys rankings.

* Cha' Zaye Wright, DeSoto basketball: Wright had 22 points, four assists and seven rebounds as DeSoto, No. 5 in the 5A state girls rankings, beat Longview, 86-42.

* Aubrey Allison, Frisco Legacy Christian basketball: Allison scored a career-high 44 points in a 68-66 victory over Ovilla Christian. She made 20 of 29 free throws in the game.

Matt Wixon is the high school sports columnist for The Dallas Morning News. He can be reached at mwixon@dallasnews.com or on Twitter @mattwixon.