In a rematch of last week’s conference championship game, the Alliance St. Agnes boy’s basketball team downed the Bobcats of Hemingford 44 to 31 in action played Monday in Hemingford. The Crusaders who were behind by 8 points at half used a big third quarter in getting the victory. With the win, the Academy now has an 8 and 2 record for the season. St. Agnes won the earlier matchup last week in Morrill 56 to 23 but had their hands full with the hosts before pulling away late. Hemingford won the nightcap, using a similar format. The Cats trailed SA late in the battle before scoring the game’s final 10 points in getting a 22 to 21 win. Top scorers in the A game were Cisco Cody for the Crusaders and Andrew Miller for the Cats. Cody ended with 19 points while Miller led the hosts with 12. In the JV game, James Lanier led HEM with 10 points. For the Academy, their top scorer was Enzo Kappius who tallied 10 points. The game winning shot in the junior varsity game came from Wyatt Contant, a Bobcat seventh grader.
All Cats in the opening period of the varsity game. Hemingford outscored the Academy 10 to 3 in the first 6 minutes of action. A Miller hoop started the scoring for the Cats. It was answered back with a basket by Alliance’s Phoenix Red Nest who tied the match at 2. At the 3 minute mark, the Bobcats went on an 8 to 1 to move ahead by 7. Scoring during the spree for Hemingford were: Warner Tallon, Lanier, and Cooper Galles who had back to back goals. St. Agnes’ third point came on a free throw by Braden Myers. After one period of play, SA trailed 10 to 3.
Period #2 had the Bobcats increasing their margin. Buckets by Miller and Fletcher Moseman helped the hosts maintain its lead. The Crusaders countered with threes from Cody and Tripp Johnson. Another tally by Miller put the Crusader deficit at 7 with 2 minutes left in the half. The second came to a conclusion with both teams trading punches. Free throws by Cody and a deuce by Joe Collins kept SA close. As for the Cats, they got 5 more points by Moseman in keeping their lead. Hemingford took a 21 to 13 advantage at halftime.
Fourteen consecutive Alliance points is how the third started. Following a basket by Red Nest, the Crusaders got the rock into the hands of Cody who responded with 10 straight tallies as the Academy took their first lead. Cody had 2 two pointers and a pair of triples that made the score St. Agnes 25 Hemingford 21. With under a minute left in the quarter, Danny Jelinek netted a bucket that made the Alliance cushion stand at 6. Hemingford’s Dallas Woltman halted the Crusader spree with a 2 but a trey by Johnson closed out the scoring with SA out in front 30 to 23.
In the first 2 minutes of the fourth, Alliance got 2 hoops by Collins and 2 pointers by Grayson Dibrito and Johnson to stop a Bobcat rally. Four more by Miller kept the hosts close as the game went to the halfway point of the final quarter. Another 2 by Cody ensued while the Cats got baskets by Galles and Miller. Up 40 to 31, SA closed out the contest with scores by Red Nest and Cody. Final Alliance 44 Hemingford 31
Scoring for the Cats Miller 12 Moseman 7 Galles 6 Woltman 2 Tallon 2 Lanier 2
Scoring for the Crusaders Cody 19 Johnson 8 Collins 6 Red Nest 6 Dibrito 2 Jelinek 2 Myers 1
ALL 3 10 17 14 44
HEM 10 11 2 8 31
Due to sickness by the Bobcats, the late game was only 3 periods, but it was a thriller. The early momentum went to the guests from Alliance. Four points by Kappius helped the Academy surge ahead. The Cats got an early 2 pointer from Daxton Davies to slice the host’s deficit to 2. Alliance then pulled further ahead later in the first with a Tatum Devlin hoop and free throws by Luke Jelinek. The quarter closed with a Lanier goal and SA leading 8 to 4.
Four quick Kappius points is how the second began as the Crusader margin grew to 12 to 4. A Bobcat spurt was next. The hosts outscored the Academy 8 to 1. Scoring for HHS during the spree were: Woltman, Davies, and 2 hoops by Lanier. A free throw by Alliance’s Mason Conyers was the lone tally during the run. After 2 quarters of play, the Crusader lead stood at 13 to 12.
In the finale, Alliance put the first 8 points in the scoring column. Two Devlin goals plus 2 pointers by Conyers and Tristin Hansen helped the Academy take a 21 to 12 advantage at the three minute stage. Lead by Lanier, the Cats slowly staged their comeback. Back to back scores by Lanier, got Hemingford to within 5. Things then got very interesting as the hosts received 2 pointers by Woltman and Davies that made the score 21 to 20. Down the stretch, a deuce from Contant was the difference in the Hemingford victory 22 to 21.
Scoring for the Cats Lanier 10 Davies 6 Woltman 4 Contant 2
Scoring for the Crusaders Kappius 10 Devlin 6 Conyers 3 Luke Jelinek 2
ALL 8 5 8 21
HEM 4 8 10 22
Alliance will be in Hay Springs on Tuesday and in Scottsbluff on Thursday.