One of South Dakota’s top teams, the Rapid City Christian Comets, were on display Saturday in a contest with the Alliance in boy’s basketball action. The ball game, which was played in Alliance, saw the hometown Dogs hang in for a quarter but in the end it was the Comets gaining the win 79 to 49 win. Rapid City led by only one point after the first period but a 24 to 9 advantage in the second was too much to overcome. The Comets also got the W in the Junior Varsity defeating the Dogs 66 to 28.
Rapid would score first, but 7 straight Bulldog points gave the hosts hope in the early moments of the first period. Two free throws by Alliance’s Espen Lanik began the run. It was followed by a three by Dog Seth Meyring and 2 pointer by Filippo Bandera that put AHS up 7 to 2. It was the one-two
punch of Meying and Bandera later in the period that helped the Bulldogs keep their lead at 12 to 4. The Comets countered with 9 straight to take a one point lead at 13 to 12. The quarter ended with Alliance receiving points by Jackson Norris and Bandera, and the Comets were out in front 18 to 17.
Thanks to 2 two pointers by Lanik, AHS gained the early second period lead at 22 to 21. It was Rapid City controlling the rest of the half. The Comets put the game’s next 9 points on the board to move ahead 30 to 22. A free throw by Lanik stopped the Comet run at the four minute mark, but another Comet bucket helped them keep their lead at 10. In the final moments of the half, Bulldog Tristen Timbers scored the Dogs final four points, but a late surge by the guest gave the Comets a 42 to 26 lead at half.
An early 9 to 2 run by Rapid made a Dog comeback difficult. During the span it was 2 free throws by Meyring accounting for the Alliance points. Down 51 to 28 the Bulldogs came back with buckets by Jackson Norris and Bandera to cut their deficit to 21. The quarter closed with 2 Bulldog free throws by Bert Trevino and a goal by Jonah Amill. Heading to the fourth, Rapid was ahead 66 to 36. Both teams would score 13 points in the final 8 minutes of play. Scoring in the last period for AHS were: Lanik, Norris, Meyring, Bandera, and Ethan Little Hoop. Final Comets 79 Dogs 49
RC 18 24 24 13 79
AHS 17 9 10 13 49
Three Dogs finished in double figures, led by 12 from Lanik, 11 from Bandera, and 10 by Meyring. Norris had 6 while Timbers scored 4. Adding 2 each were Little Hoop, Amill, and Trevino.