Day two of the Western Conference tournament had the Alliance boy’s basketball team pitted against the Archers of Ascent. Using a big first half, it was the Dogs racing past the squad from Colorado 86 to 19 in a game played at Scottsbluff High School. AHS tallied 58 points in quarters one and two in getting their ninth win on the year. AHS had four Bulldogs ending in double figurers led by 21 by Espen Lanik and 14 from Creighton Fritzler. Adding 11 was Braeden Clarke while finishing with 10 was Riley Best.
Alliance scored early and often in the first. Overall, AHS outscored Ascent 23 to 4 in period #1 in building a nice margin. The Dogs began the game on a 17 to 2 run. During the spurt, AHS received tallies from Lanik, Devonte Taylor, Clarke, Nason Thompson, Fritzler, and Devin Graham. The quarter concluded with the Bulldogs getting baskets by Fritzler and Trevor Zurn and 2 free throws by Fritzler. After one, AHS was up by 19.
Ten Dogs would get in the book in the second as Alliance netted 35 points in the 8 minute stanza. Ascent was held to just two points in the quarter. Seven quick tallies by AHS put their lead at 30 to 4. Early hoops by Thompson and Clarke along with a trey by Lanik put the Dog margin at 26. After a free throw by the Archers, the Alliance offense countered by scoring the game’s next 25 points to take a 55 to 5 advantage. Scores from Clarke, Lanik, Taylor, Graham, Best, Fritzler, Zurn, and Jaxon Poss gave the Bulldogs a 50 point cushion. The half ended with a free throw by Ascent and a 3 pointer by Alliance’s Lexton Salcido. Alliance led 58 to 6 at half.
Due to the 40 point rule, a running clock was used in the second half. Still, the Dogs continued the onslaught by scoring 19 tallies in the third. A 7 to 0 spurt by AHS began the period. Alliance got a 3 and a 2 by Lanik and a Clarke bucket to go up 65 to 6. The Archers came back with a nice spree with 2 deuces and a three. AHS responded with scores by Graham, Lanik, and Graham. The quarter came to a finish with Alliance leading thanks to tallies by Fritzler, Tray Best, and Riley Best. With 3 in the books, the Dogs led 77 to 14.
Quarter #4 had the Dogs score 9 points. Early tallies by Poss and Riley Best started things. A three by Salcido ensued and the game came to a close with free throw by Riley Best.
Final Alliance 86 Ascent 19
Archers 4 2 8 5 19
Dogs 23 25 19 9 86
Scoring for Alliance Lanik 21 Clarke 11 Graham 5 Thompson 3 Taylor 5 Riley Best 10 Zurn 4 Salcido 6 Poss 4 Fritzler 14 Tray Best 3
Alliance will play Chadron for fifth place on Saturday