For the third time this year, the Alliance boy’s basketball squad met up with the Cardinals from Chadron. Gering High School hosted the event on Saturday. The contest was for fifth place at the Western Conference tournament. Alliance bested the Cards 52 to 32 in improving to 9 and 9 on the season. Back in December, it was the Bulldogs downing Chadron while the Cards came back with a victory over AHS in January. Alliance got a 20 point effort by Espen Lanik in posting the win. AHS led by 14 at halftime then outscored the Cards 22 to 11 in the fourth in picking up the W.
Chadron was held to just 3 points in the first while the Dogs put 12 points on the board. Early hoops by Lanik and Braeden Clarke provided an early spark. After 2 Lanik free throws, AHS got a nice lift from their bench. Reserves Creighton Fritzler and Riley Best scored the Bulldogs final 6 point of the period. With one quarter in the books, Alliance was up by 9 at 12 to 3.
Once again, Alliance’s defense was solid in the second as the Cardinals would muster just 5 points on a 2 and three free throws. Alliance increased its margin by scoring 10 in the quarter. Baskets by Lanik and Best helped the Bulldogs stay out in front. A three by Alliance’s Lexton Salcido was next. Period #2 closed with the Bulldogs ahead 22 to 8 with Alliance’s Devonte Taylor accounting for AHS’s final 3 tallies.
Chadron threaten in the third, scoring 13 points while the Dogs were held to just 8. Clarke started the scoring for Alliance with a 2. It was followed by a trey by Dog Devin Graham. Alliance’s final three points came from the line with Nason Thompson sinking 2 and Jaden Guerra making one. Alliance led 30 to 21 after three periods of play.
Any hopes for the Card comeback were dashed early in the fourth. Lanik was clutch in the finale, scoring 14 of the Dogs’ 22 points. A 3 pointer by Salcido helped AHS control the action. It was followed by 11 straight Lanik tallies as the Dogs held on to their lead. Back to back 3 balls by Best and Lanik put the contest away. Two free throws by Lanik ended the game with Alliance posting the win 52 to 32.
CHAD 3 5 13 11 32
ALL 12 10 8 22 52
Scoring for Alliance Lanik 20 Graham 3 Salcido 6 Fritzler 4 Taylor 3 Thompson 2 Clarke 4 Best 9 Guerra 1
A trip to Scottsbluff on Friday will be the next battle for the Dogs. Then, on Saturday, McCook comes to town.