Round three of the Western Conference basketball tourney had the Lady Bulldogs of Alliance taking on Ascent Academy. Using a big performance from senior Addison Weber, it was the Dogs defeating the Archers 47 to 33 in a game played Saturday at Scottsbluff High School. Alliance finishes the tournament 1 and 2 to take seventh place. AHS lost in the opening round to Sidney then fell to North Platte on Friday before posting the victory over Ascent. With the W, Alliance goes to 5 and 15 for the year. Weber ended the game with 14 points, sinking 4 three pointers. Junior Brooke Bailey added 11 tallies for the Bulldogs. AHS was strong in quarters two and three, outscoring Ascent 32 to14 in picking up the win.
Bailey was big for the Bulldogs in the first, scoring 5 of Alliance’s nine points. Two free throws by Bailey plus a bucket by the post player got the Dogs off to a strong start. A basket by Weber was next for Alliance’s sixth tally. Meanwhile, AHS’s defense was stingy in the first, allowing just 2 baskets and 3 three free throws. The quarter closed with the Dogs up thanks to another free by Bailey and a 2 from Hannah Benzel. After one, Alliance led 9 to 7.
A pair of treys by Weber in the second helped the Dogs maintain control. The period started with a Weber 3 and a basket by Olivia Krejci. Ascent would just tally 4 points in the second on a three and a free throws. After another deuce by Benzel, AHS got a three by Weber to extend its margin. Alliance’s final tallies came from a free throw by Reese Armstrong and a 3 ball by Bailey. The Bulldogs took a 23 to 11 lead to halftime.
Alliance’s best scoring quarter came in the third with 18 points. Once again, a three by Weber began the scoring. Both Weber and Armstrong would score 6 points each in the period. After the Weber 3, Alliance got hoops by Armstrong and Bailey in holding on to its advantage. Tally #33 came on Weber’s fourth 3 pointer. The period closed with 4 points apiece by Armstrong and Krejci. Heading to the finale, AHS was up 41 to 21.
Ascent outscored the Bulldogs in period four 12 to 6 but it wasn’t enough. Paz Cody made the Dogs sixth trey on the night for Alliance’s first score in the fourth. It was followed by a free throw by Bailey. The affair came to a finish with a score from Armstrong.
Final Alliance 47
Ascent 33
Ascent 7 4 10 12 33
Alliance 9 14 18 6 47
Scoring for Alliance Bailey 11 Weber 14 Cody 3 Armstrong 9 Krejci 6 Benzel 4
Alliance will return to Scottsbluff on Friday for a matchup with the Bearcats then host McCook on Saturday