A twenty point second period helped Alliance take down previous unbeaten Chadron 62 to 54 in boy’s basketball action on Friday. In a contest played in Chadron, the Bulldogs took a 9 point lead at half and withstood a late Cardinal rally. Espen Lanik led the Alliance O with 18 points. Also ending in double figures were Braeden Clarke who had 13 and Devin Graham who tallied 12. With the victory, Alliance goes to 4 and 2. It was the Bulldogs third straight win. Alliance was also victorious in the JV game, beating the Cards 51 to 43.
A spurt early by the hosts gave Chadron a 6 to 2 lead. Lanik would score Alliance’s first bucket. Down 4, the guests ran off the game’s next 11 tallies to go up by 7. A two by Alliance’s Jaden Guerra began the spree. It was followed by a Graham three, points by Creighton Fritzler and Lanik and a three ball by Clarke as the visitors surged ahead 13 to 6. The first closed with 2 Cardinal hoops and Alliance leading 13 to 10.
The squads traded scores in the opening moments of the second. Alliance got a deuce by Lexton Salcido to stay ahead. Midway thru the second, Alliance went on a 7 to 0 run thanks to another 3 by Graham and 4 points by Lanik.
A Chadron 3 stopped the spurt but points by Graham and Fritzler ensued as the guests continued to lead. The second ended with AHS getting tallies by Guerra, Lanik, and Clarke and the Bulldogs out in front 33 to 24.
Period #3 was even with both clubs netting 16 apiece. Alliance got 8 Clarke points in the period to stay up. Chadron scored first but a Fritzler three helped the visitors stay ahead. At the 6 minute mark, back to back buckets by Clarke made the board read Alliance 42 Chadron 31. Another hoop by Graham later in the quarter kept the Dogs up by double digits. The period finished with Alliance getting points from Devonte Taylor, Clarke, and Guerra. Heading to the fourth, the Cardinals were down 49 to 40.
Chadron would get within 4 in the late stages but Dog free throws down the stretch were too much. Free throws by Guerra and Trevor Zurn kept Alliance in control early in the finale. Up by 6, the Bulldogs got a steal and a lay up by Lanik to go up 53 to 45. Graham then added another score as the guests went up by 10 with 4 minutes remaining. Chadron would make one last run with a pair of threes to get within 5 at 57 to 52. After a free throw by Lanik, two free throws by the Cardinals made things interesting at 58 to 54. The hosts then fouled Lanik who coolly made both free throws to put the host’s deficit at 6. Action came to a conclusion with a missed three by the Cards and 2 more Lanik free throws. Final Alliance 62 Chadron 54.
All 13 20 16 13 62
Chad 10 14 16 14 54
Scoring for Alliance Lanik 18 Clarke 13 Fritzler 8 Graham 12 Guerra 6 Taylor 2 Salcido 2 Zurn 1
On Monday, the Dogs travel to Sidney.