Unbeaten and highly ranked Ogallala flexed their muscles Friday night in a home matchup with the Alliance boy’s basketball team. The Bulldogs fought until the end but fell short to the Indians 83 to 65. Ogallala now sees their record improve to 15 and 0 for the year while Alliance drops to 10 and 5. The Indians totaled 27 points in the first period and led by double digits throughout the game. Top scorers for the Dogs were senior Seth Meyring who netted 20 points and junior Espen Lanik who added 17. Junior Trevor Zurn also closed in double figures for AHS with 11 points.
Fast and furious would best describe play in the first 8 minutes of play. The hosts ran off the battle’s first 12 points on 4 free throws and 4 two point goals. Down 12 to 0, a trey by Lanik got Alliance on the board. It was followed by a Meyring two as the Dogs got within 7. The momentum then went to the side of the Indians. Ogallala scored the game’s next 7 to surge ahead 19 to 5 with under four minutes remaining in the period. A good free throw by Lanik stopped the spree but another hoop by the hosts made the scoreboard read Ogallala 21 to 6. Freshman Creighton Fritzler then came off the Alliance bench and nailed a three but another 2 by the Indians kept the Dogs behind. The Bulldogs finished their scoring with 2 buckets each by Meyring and Jaden Guerra. After one quarter of play, Ogallala led 27 to 17.
In the second, Alliance scored just 8 points. Meanwhile the hosts increased their advantage by putting 15 in scorebook. An Ogallala three and 2 pointer began play with the Indians going up 32 to 17. Lanik hit his second trey of the game later in the quarter but 10 points in a row by the Indians gave the hosts a 42 to 20 lead with under 2 minutes left in the half. The half came to an end with Zurn sinking a three and a 2 and AHS down 42 to 25.
A three pointer by Bulldog Lexton Salcido gave the visitors hope as the third quarter started. Following a hoop by OG, the guests drew closer thanks to a basket by Alliance’s Payton Boyer and a free throw by Meyring. The Indians then went on a mini run, tallying the game’s next 7 points to push their lead to 20 at 51 to 31. Eight points by Meyring ensued but the period came to an end with the Indians scoring 6 in a row. Heading to the fourth, AHS was down 61 to 39.
Eleven fourth period points by Lanik kept the Dogs in the hunt. A Lanik triple started the scoring for the Bulldogs in the finale. Later in the quarter with the Bulldogs down 64 to 42. Lanik canned another trey that sliced the Dog deficit to 19. A three by Meyring minutes later stopped a brief spurt by the Indians as Alliance started a comeback. The teams then traded baskets by Alliance getting points by Lanik and Zurn. Ogallala put the game away midway through the quarter by scoring 6 in a row to go ahead 81 to 57. Salcido would swish a three for the guests and free throws in the final seconds by Meyring, Zurn, and Boyer made the final score read Ogallala 83 Alliance 65.
ALL 17 8 14 26 65
OG 27 15 19 22 83
Scoring for Alliance Meyring 20 Lanik 17 Zurn 11 Salcido 6 Boyer 4 Guerra 4 Fritzler 3
Alliance will play in a 3 day tournament on Thursday, Friday and Saturday in Scottsbluff and Gering.