The Cavaliers (2-0) have picked up right where they left off last season.

Despite trailing Westlake in the season opener at the half, and into much of the third quarter, Lake Travis scored 30 points in the final quarter to break a 48-48 tie at the end of three periods.

The Cavaliers took the season-opening win, 78-63.

The frantic finish helped make up for a poor start.

“In the first quarter, [Westlake] just took it to us,” Lake Travis head coach Jan Jernberg said. “They’re big and strong, and a really good team, and they’ll finish the season with at least 25 wins.”

The Cavaliers – ranked No. 9 in the state by the Texas Association of Basketball Coaches – made matters worse by shooting just 25-percent from the floor in the first quarter, but got a boost from a Chaparral team that plays the same style of basketball.

“They decided they wanted to up the tempo, and we were fine with that,” Jernberg said.

As a team, Lake Travis shot 24-of-27 from the foul line. A dozen of those free throws came in the fourth period, while Westlake made nine of 12 foul shots in the game.

Just like last season, the big players stepped up for Lake Travis.

Jordan Jahr had 28 points to go with 11 rebounds, pacing the Cavaliers throughout the night. Ryan Betori had 16 points, David Eads dished out 15 assists, and Cole Vucurevich had 14 points. Jahr, Betori and Vucurevich each had three, three-pointers in the game.

Lake Travis followed that up with a dominating win over former district foe Vista Ridge, 53-33. On the surface, the game looked like smooth sailing, but it really wasn’t the case.

“We just weren’t very good that night,” Jernberg said. “We were out of sync all night, but played really good defense and that helped bail us out.”

Zach Karczewski led the Cavaliers with 14 points and five rebounds.

“Karczewski really stepped up,” Jernberg said. “He had a huge breakaway dunk and a rim-rattler that bounced all the way back to the three-point line. It was a big game for the young guy.”

Vucurevich added a sparkling defensive play, chasing down a Vista Ridge player headed for a sure lay-up, and then pinning the ball on the glass with a two handed block.

“That was something else,” Jernberg said. “We’ve got some incredible athletes on this team. But the two-handed pin was a sight.”

The Cavaliers play Austin High and Anderson this week before Thanksgiving, and Cedar Park at home next Tuesday at 8 p.m.