Cougar Palace in Scottsbluff was the site Friday night for semi final action between the Alliance boy’s basketball team and Sidney in the Western Conference tournament. The Bulldogs came in confident having already downed the Raiders in early January. But cold shooting by the Dogs plagued Alliance as Sidney won the game 69 to 33. The Raiders raced to early 15 point first period lead and went on for the victory. With the loss, AHS now has an 11 and 6 record for the season. Two Dogs, Espen Lanik and Seth Meyring, led the scoring for Alliance, tallying 8 points each. The matchup was a far cry from the January 6th game when Alliance stopped Sidney 65 to 54.
Alliance would lead the battle just once. Following 2 quick Raider goals, the Dogs put the next 5 points on the board on a three by Alliance’s Trevor Zurn and a 2 pointer from Meyring. After that it was all Sidney. The Red Raiders went on a 16 to 0 run and lead 20 to 5 after one quarter of action. Sidney used a couple of three pointers, a few points from the free throw line, and three 2 point baskets to surge ahead by 15. The Alliance offense had some good looks but nothing would fall. Many of the same shots the Dogs had been making all year would not drop as the Raiders grabbed the momentum. After one, AHS trailed 20 to 5.
More trouble for Alliance continued in the second. A Sidney three started the scoring but a pair of Meyring free throws kept AHS close. Seven straight by the Raiders ensued that put the Dogs down 30 to 7. At the four minute mark, the Bulldogs got a basket by Meyring and a free throw by Braeden Clarke to move within 20 at 30 to 10. An old fashioned three point play by Sidney then made the score 33 to 10 before 4 points by Lanik pulled the Dogs close at 33 to 14. Lanik nailed a three and was fouled, and his free throw got AHS in striking distance. The half ended with a Sidney goal and a free throw by Bulldog Payton Boyer. After 2 periods of play, the Bulldogs were down 35 to 15.
Sidney got the best of the Dogs in the third, outscoring Alliance 15 to 8. The quarter began with the Red Raiders going on an 8 to 2 run. A Boyer bucket was all the Dogs would get early in the period. Meyring then scored for AHS, making the scoreboard read Sidney 43 Alliance 19 with 4 minutes left in the period. The teams then traded goals in the final moments with Alliance getting 4 scores from Lanik. Heading to the fourth, Sidney was out in front 50 to 23. Red hot shooting by the Raiders went on in period #4. The Raiders scored 19 points in the quarter to pad their lead. Alliance would get a Clarke two pointer, a goal by Creighton Fritzler, 2 free throws by Boyer, a hoop by Lexton Salcido, and a late goal by Jaden Guerra but it was not enough. Final Sidney 69 Alliance 33
SID 20 15 15 19 69
ALL 5 10 8 10 33
Scoring Lanik 8 Meyring 8 Boyer 5 Clarke 3 Zurn 3 Guerra 2 Fritzler 2 Salcido 2
Alliance played Gering on Saturday for third place.