For the first time in over 20 years, the Alliance St. Agnes boy’s basketball team played Bridgeport. The battle took place Monday in Bridgeport. St. Agnes fell behind early in both contests and were defeated by the host Bulldogs. In the opening varsity match up, the Academy dropped a 50 to 19 decision to BP. The second period was a rough one for the Crusaders as the guests were outscored 12 to 0. Bridgeport continued their domination in the JV affair. Alliance was defeated 60 to 13 by the Dogs. St. Agnes’ record the varsity is now 1 and 4 while the JVs slipped to 3 and 3. Chief Cody was the leading scorer in the varsity ball game with 6 tallies while Liam Pena closed with 8 in the second contest.
Bridgeport’s size in the post posed problems for the Academy from the start. The hosts jumped to a 10 to 4 lead after the first period. St. Agnes got first period hoops from Emerson Trumble and Ashton Weingart to stay close. As mentioned earlier, the second quarter was when the Dogs pulled away. The Crusaders were outscored 12 to 0 and half ended with SA trailing 22 to 4.
Six straight tallies by BP is how action started in the third with BP extending its margin to 24. A bucket by Cody followed. Later in the third, a hoop by Alliance’s Mason Conyers made the score 29 to 8.
Alliance’s final third period points came from Pena who converted an old fashion three point play. BP led 36 to11 heading to the fourth.
St. Agnes had their best scoring period in the fourth with 8 tallies.
Early points by Cody and Conyers accounted for the Crusader totals. Another Cody deuce at the 4 minute mark made it a 40 to 17 ball game. The contest came to a finish with a 2 by Weingart and the Crusaders falling 50 to 19.
ALL 4 0 7 8 19
BP 10 12 14 14 50
Scoring for the Academy Cody 6 Conyers 4 Weingart 4 Pena 3 Trumble 2
Big scoring sprees by the hosts in the second tilt helped the Bulldogs take the win 60 to 13. Alliance stayed close in the first with baskets by Pena and Jaden Estevane-Acosta. St. Agnes trailed 13 to 6 after the end of the first. Four consecutive tallies by Pena is how period #2 began. BP then went on a big run, scoring the game’s next 10 points to surge ahead by 13.
The second ended with a free throw by Crusader Tristin Hansen and the Academy behind 23 to 11.
St. Agnes would manage just 2 points in the second half. A basket by Declan Kirchner in the third was the lone Academy total. Meanwhile, the Bulldogs would score 16 points in the third and 21 in the finale to go on for the 60 to 13 win.
ALL 6 5 2 0 13
BP 13 10 16 21 60
Scoring for Alliance Pena 8 Kirchner 2 Estevane-Acosta 2 Hansen 1
St. Agnes goes to Crawford on Thursday and plays host to Scottsbluff on Saturday.