Preseason basketball on Tuesday had the Alliance boys hosting Kimball. Five Dogs scored in double figures in a 73 to 59 win over the Horns. Senior Trevor Zurn led the Alliance offense with 18 points. Adding 12 points each were: Braeden Clarke, Jaden Guerra, and Devin Graham. Also ending in double figures was Lexton Salcido who closed with 10. Kimball stormed out to a 24 to 20 lead after the first quarter but it was all Alliance after that. The Dogs were up 35 to 32 at half.
Success behind the three point arc helped the guests get off to a quick start. The Horns sank 5 three pointers in the opening period to get the early advantage. A three by Salcido opened the scoring for the hosts. Baskets by Zurn and Guerra later in the period tied the game at 10 midway thru the quarter. The teams then traded scores with AHS getting a hoop by Zurn and 6 points by Clarke. The fast paced period closed with another trey by the Longhorns and Alliance down by four at 24 to 20.
Action slowed in the second. The Bulldogs would outscore the guests 15 to 8 to take the lead. Alliance nailed 9 free throws in quarter 2 to surge ahead. Scoring points from the charity stripe were Guerra, Creighton Fritzler, Zurn, and Nason Thompson. A bucket by Fritzler began the scoring. Kimball used an old fashion 3 point play to knot the contest at 27 with under 4 minutes left in the half. With the hosts up 33 to 30, a Graham basket made it Alliance 35 Kimball 30. The first half closed with a Horn hoop and the Bulldogs ahead by 3.
Alliance again put 20 into the scoring column in the third. Salcido started the spree with a 2 pointer. It was followed by threes by Zurn and Salcido. Hoops by Guerra and Devonte Taylor helped the Dogs extend their lead to 48 to 40. Another 3 ball by Zurn increased the Dog cushion to 11 with under 2 minutes left in the stanza. The period came to a conclusion with Alliance getting tallies by Clarke and Taylor. Heading to the fourth, the Bulldogs were up 55 to 44
Ten tallies by Graham in the fourth denied a Kimball comeback. Early hoops by Guerra and Clarke put the Kimball deficit at 15. Following a Longhorn bucket, Graham nailed a trey, making the score 62 to 46. An 11 to 5 spree ensued as the Dog’s lead grew to 73 to 51. Alliance would get tallies during the run from Salcido, Clarke, and Graham. The game ended with 8 straight by the visitors. Final Alliance 73 Kimball 59
Kim 24 8 12 15 59
All 20 15 20 18 73
Scoring for the Dogs: Salcido 10, Zurn 18, Fritzler 4, Clarke 12, Graham 12, Guerra 12, Taylor 4, Thompson 1.
Alliance will play on Friday in Gering.