Hay Springs High School hosted the Junior High Boy’s Panhandle Conference basketball tournament which was played on Monday. Nine schools took part in the event. Looking to win its third title in a row, the Alliance St. Agnes boy’s team started their march with an opening game against Cody Kilgore. The Crusaders used a game high 15 points from Cisco Cody and downed the Cowboys 56 to 27 to advance to a semi final contest versus Crawford. With the victory, the Academy improves to 5 and 2 for the year. SA never trailed in the game and led by 15 at halftime. Two other Crusaders-8th graders Grayson Dibrito and Tripp Johnson-ended in double figures with 12 points each.
Seven early tallies by the Academy gave Alliance a nice lead. Cody began the spurt with a 2 pointer which was followed by a free throw by Dibrito as SA went up 3 to 0. Back to back buckets by Danny Jelinek and Cody then put the score at 7 to 0 in favor of the Academy. Midway through the first period, the teams traded hoops with a trey by Johnson accounting for the Alliance points. Down 10 to 2, a Cowboy goal got CK to within 6 but SA came back with another basket by Jelinek and a deuce by Cody. The period ended with a Cody Kilgore goal and the Academy out in front 14 to 6.
St. Agnes had their best top scoring quarter in the second. The Crusaders added to their lead with 15 points in period #2. Three 3 pointers by Johnson and a 3 ball by Dibrito increased the Academy advantage. The period started with a Johnson triple and 2 pointer by the Boys. Up 9, another 3 pointer by Johnson gave SA a 12 point cushion. Alliance’s Eno Kappius then added a basket that put the Crusaders ahead by 14. The contest’s next goals were all threes. Cody Kilgore would make 2 while 3 balls by Johnson and Dibrito kept the SA lead at 14 28 to14. A free throw by Dibrito finished the half with Alliance in control at 29 to 14.
Four quick tallies by the Cowboys gave CK a little momentum in the opening seconds of the third. Alliance roared back with another 3 by Dibrito, a 2 by Joe Collins, and back to back hoops by Cody as the Academy surged ahead 38 to 18 at the 3 minute stage. The game’s next 7 points went to the Boys who sliced their deficit to 13 at 38 to 25 with a minute left in the quarter. Another score by Jelinek ensued and the period closed with Dibrito 2. Heading to the fourth, Alliance led 42 to 25.
St. Agnes gave up an early score to the Cowboys but shut out Cody for the rest of the contest. Up 15, the Academy received 5 straight points by Cody and moved ahead 47 to 27. With 4 minutes remaining to play. The Crusaders put the final touches on the win. It started with another 2 by Dibrito and 2 free throws by Collins that pushed the Alliance margin to 51 to 27. Three points by Alliance’s Luke Jelinek and a 2 pointer by Crusader Mason Conyers finished off the battle with SA winning 56 to 27.
CK 6 8 11 2 27
SA 14 15 13 14 56
Scoring for Alliance Cody 15 Johnson 12 Dibrito 12 Danny Jelinek 6 Collins 4 Luke Jelinek 3 Kappius 2 Conyers 2
St. Agnes played Crawford next in semi final action.