A dagger of a three pointer plus 3 free throws in the final seconds propelled Bridgeport past Alliance 60 to 58 in boy’s action Saturday night in a thriller played in Bridgeport. A three pointer by Alliance’s Seth Meyring put Alliance ahead by 1 with under a minute left to play. But the host Bulldogs answered with a three of their own and 3 points from the free throw line to gain the victory. With the loss Alliance drops to 4 and 7 on the year.
Thanks to 10 first period points by Alliance’s Espen Lanik the visiting Dogs got off to a strong start. Lanik had two 2 pointers and 2 treys to lead the Alliance offense. Early baskets by Lanik and Bulldog Filippo Bandera kept the score close in the early stages of the opening period. Down 7 to 4 a Lanik three ball tied the score at 7. Buckets then by Lanik and Meyring at the 4 minute mark helped Alliance move ahead 11 to 9. A free throw by Landen Crowe and another three by Lanik closed a very exciting first quarter with Alliance up 15 to 14. In the first four minutes of period 2 it was Alliance surging out in front. A score by Crowe plus a three by Lanik gave the guests a lead at 20 to 16. Midway thru the quarter free throws by Meyring and Bulldog Jackson Norris came Alliance ahead. Another 2 pointer by Crowe and 3 more Meyring points gave the Dogs the lead at 32 to 23 in the final seconds of the half. Unfortunately a Bridgeport three ball at the buzzer closed their deficit to 6. Half time score Alliance 32 B Port 26
Two free throws by Alliance’s Tristen Timbers began the scoring in the third. Following a Bridgeport score the guests from Alliance got back to back threes from Meyring to surge ahead 40 to 28 with under 4 minutes left in the period. The game’s next 7 points then belonged to the hosts as the Alliance lead slipped to 40 to 35. Scores by Timbers and Meyring kept Alliance out in front in the final stages of the quarter. The period closed with 3 free throws by BP and Alliance still ahead 46 to 43. Five quick Bridgeport points began the scoring in the final moments of the fourth. A three point play by Meyring put Alliance up 49 to 48 but a three and a 2 pointer by the hometown Dogs gave B Port the lead at 53 to 49 with 4:36 remaining in the contest. Another basket by Meyring closed the Alliance gap to 2 at the 4 minute mark. Timbers added a free throw and a huge Meyring three put Alliance ahead 55 to 54 later in the game. With under a minute to play a monster three by BP gave the hosts the lead at 57 to 55. Following an Alliance turnover the guests were forced to foul. The hometown Dogs connected on both shots from the charity line to go up 59 to 55. An Alliance three was no good and another free throw by BP put the score at 60 to 55. Lanik closed the game with a three but it was not enough. Final Bridgeport 60 Alliance 58
ALL 15 17 14 12 58
BP 14 12 17 17 60
Top scorer for Alliance was Meyring who closed with 23 with Lanik tossing in 20 points. Rounding out the scoring: Timbers 7 Crowe 5 Bandera 2 and Norris 1.