For the fourth time in a little over a year, the Alliance boy’s basketball squad faced off with McCook. And for the fourth time, it was the Bison coming out on top. The teams battled Thursday in McCook in semi final play of the Class B district 6 tourney with the hosts posting the win 76 to 65. McCook also ended the Bulldog’s season last year in district action. Alliance conclude their year at 11 and 14. The Bison outscored the Dogs 19 to 11 in the final quarter to pull away for the victory. Free throws were big for the Bison as the hosts sink 24 from the charity stripe compared to just 11 for AHS. The Dogs did miss 7 free throws in a row in the final stretches of the contest to deny a comeback. Senior Espen Lanik finished his Bulldog career as the Alliance’s top scorer with 17 points while Creighton Fritzler added 13 and Jaden Guerra tossed in 10. AHS led by three at halftime but were outscored in the second half 44 to 30.
Points were no problem for both clubs in the first. Each schools scored 16 each in the opening period. Lanik’s seven tallies in the quarter led the Dog offense. The lefty guard scored Alliance’s first seven on a three, a 2 , and a pair of free throws. A Fritzler trey later in the period gave the Bulldogs a 10 to 9 lead. Three tallies by Bulldog Braeden Clarke at the 3 minute stage helped AHS stay ahead. Scoring came to a close with two 2 pointers by the hosts and Alliance getting a bucket by Guerra and a free throw from Jaxon Poss. After one, the game was knotted at 16.
Action again was even in the second. A hoop by Clarke is how the quarter started. McCook came back with back to back buckets to take the lead 20 to 18. AHS answered right back with points by Nason Thompson, Lanik and Devin Graham to surge ahead by 5. The momentum then went to the hosts. McCook went on a 7 to 3 run to get within one. Alliance would get a three from Fritzler during the spurt. At the 2 minute mark, a bucket by Poss ended the spree. The squads then swapped three pointers with Lanik hit one for the Bulldogs. Lanik finished the scoring in the half with a pair of free throws. Alliance was up 35 to 32 after 2 periods of play.
McCook’s offense was super strong in the third as the Bison put 25 points in the scoring column. Early on, though, it was the Bulldogs making the plays. A three by Graham was followed by a lay up by Fritzler that put the Dogs ahead by 8 at 40 to 32. Back came the hosts. McCook responded with a big 14 to 2 spurt to go up 46 to 42. A deuce by Lanik was the lone Bulldog tally during the spree. Alliance then got tallies by Guerra, Fritzler, and Poss to stay close. Four straight points by Dog Riley Best were next that got the guests to within 2. The contest was then tied at 54 following a pair of free throws by Fritzler. Quarter three closed with a buzzer beating three by the Bison. McCook was ahead 57 to 54 heading to the fourth.
Period #4 had the Bison increasing its advantage. The Bison used 4 free throws and a 2 pointer to extend its margin. A Poss bucket kept the visitors in the hunt. Things got interesting at the 4 minute stage with the Bulldogs receiving 4 straight by Guerra to get within 3 at 63 to 60. After a hoop by the Bison, another 2 by Guerra put the Dog deficit again at 3. Cold shooting from the line then plagued an Alliance rally. The Dogs missed 7 in a row from the line while 6 consecutive tallies by McCook put the contest away. Down the stretch points by Fritzler and Clarke helped the guests stay close at 71 to 65. Alliance was then forced to foul and the Bison closed the game with 5 straight from the line.
Final McCook 76 Alliance 65
ALL 16 19 19 11 65
MCC 16 16 25 19 76
Scoring for Alliance Clarke 7 Lanik 17 Graham 5 Thompson 2 Fritzler 13 Guerra 10 Best 4 Poss 7