Four Alliance boy’s basketball players ended in double figures Saturday night in their contest with Mitchell. The Bulldogs downed the host Tigers 61 to 45 to garner their first win on the season. With the victory, AHS now has a 1 and 1 record. Leading the offense for the Dogs was junior Espen Lanik who tallied 18 points while senior Seth Meyring closed with 16 points. Also reaching double digits were: senior Payton Boyer and sophomore Braeden Clarke who tallied 11 points apiece. Alliance also got the win in the JV game played earlier in the night. The Dogs took down the Tigers 57 to 35 for their second win on the year.
A Tiger trey started the scoring in the opening quarter. The Bulldogs responded with a goal by Clarke but another Tiger bucket made the score 5 to 2 in favor of the hosts. Down 3, Alliance went on a scoring spree. It started with a basket and free throw by Meyring that knotted the game at 5. Lanik then added a trey of his own and after 2 free throws by Clarke, Alliance surged ahead 10 to 5 with under 4 minutes in the first. Six Boyer free throws followed as the Dogs started to pull away. A huge trey by Bulldog reserve Devin Graham closed the scoring in the period with the Dogs up 19 to 11. Alliance’s defense was solid in the second. Mitchell was held to just 6 points while the Bulldogs would tally 15 points. Seven consecutive tallies by Alliance increased their margin midway in the quarter. Another 3 ball by Lanik was followed by two pointers by Clarke and Meyring that put AHS up 26 to 13. Following a Tiger basket, AHS got 2 free throws by Lexton Salcido and buckets by Lanik and Meyring to move ahead 32 to 15. The half ended with a hoop by the hosts and a goal by Meyring. After 2 periods of play, Alliance led 34 to 17
Mitchell would outscore the Dogs in the third but by just 1 at 13 to 12. The teams traded points early in period #3 with AHS getting points by Meyring and Boyer. At the 4 minute mark, a 7 to 2 run by the Tigers got the hosts close at 40 to 28. Clarke was responsible for the Bulldog points during the Tiger run. Back to back three pointers by Lanik foiled any Mitchell plans of a comeback as the Bulldog’s lead grew to 46 to 28. The third concluded with a Tiger goal and Alliance up 46 to 30. In the final 8 minutes of action, both team’s offense would muster 15 points each. A Tiger three closed the gap to 12 at 47 to 35 but AHS answered back with points by Meyring and Lanik. At the 6 minute spot, the Tigers made one last push. Mitchell scored six points in a row to get within 10 at 51 to 41. Alliance, though, was up for the challenge as points by Meyring, Clarke, and Lanik helped the Dogs increase their margin to 13 at 56 to 43. Down the stretch, free throws by Boyer, Lanik, and Clarke put the final touches on the Alliance win at 61 to 45.
ALL 19 15 12 15 61
MITCH 11 6 13 15 45
Scoring Lanik 18 Meyring 16 Boyer 11 Clarke 11 Graham 3 Salcido 2
A trip to North Platte on Friday will be Alliance next game. It will be followed by a home Saturday versus Hot Springs.