Down 54 to 52 with less than five minutes to play, the Alliance girl’s basketball team was in great position to pull off a big upset of rival Scottsbluff. Unfortunately for Alliance it was the Bearcats scoring the final 8 points of the contest as the Bluffs hung on for a 62 to 52 victory in a ball game played in Scottsbluff on Friday. Alliance went ice cold from the field while the Cats nailed a big three pointer and free throws down the stretch to gain the win. With the loss the Dogs go to 7 and 12 for the season.
Both teams found success beyond the arc in the opening stages of the game. A Bluffs three began the scoring which was followed by a Bearcat free throw that put the hosts out in front 4 to 0. Alliance counter with back to back treys from Macey Seebohm to move ahead 6 to 4. Following another free throw by Scottsbluff it was Bulldog Jaelynne Clarke scoring for the guests making the score 8 to 7 in favor of Alliance with under four minutes left in the opener. The game’s next 11 points then would belong to the Bluffs. Scottsbluff made 2 free throws, three 2 point goals, and a three which put the Bearcats ahead 18 to 8. Alliance’s Regan Braun would stop the Cats run with a three ball but 2 more Scottsbluff free throws made the score 20 to 11 with under one minute left in the quarter. The period closed with another 3 by Braun and Alliance down 20 to 14. Seven points by Seebohm in the second kept Alliance alive. A 2 pointer by Seebohm began the scoring. Scottsbluff came back with the game’s next 6 points to increase their advantage 26 to 16. Midway thru the quarter AHS would receive free throws by Clarke and two goals by Seebohm to slice their margin to 28 to 24. The half ended with 5 more Cats points and a bucket by Bulldog Shyla Salcido. At half, Alliance trailed 33 to 26.
Twenty third period points by Alliance made things interesting after halftime. A three by the Bluffs started the scoring but it was answered by a 3 by Bulldog Addison Weber that kept the deficit at 7. Later in the quarter with the Dogs down 9 it was Alliance’s CC Hudson keeping the visitors close with 3 straight points. Another three by Scottsbluff was countered with baskets by Clarke and Weber. Down 10 it was Alliance going on a mini 7 to 0 run thanks to points by Clarke and Seebohm. The quarter came to a close with the Cats scoring 7 in a row and 3 more Clarke points. With one period remaining its was SB up 52 to 46. A free throw by Clarke and a three pointer by Braun is how the finale began as the Bulldogs would just trail to 2. A bucket by the Bluffs followed but a 2 pointer by Alliance’s Haylie Winter made the score 54 to 52. From there it was the hosts putting the game away. Alliance would go scoreless while the hosts garnered 8 straight to go on for the 62 to 52 win.
ALL 14 12 20 6 52
SB 20 13 19 10 62
Seven Bulldogs would get into the scoring column led by Clarke who had 16 points and 10 rebounds. Seebohm added 15 while Braun was good for 9 points. Scoring 5 was Weber with Hudson netting 3. Rounding out the scoring with 2 apiece 2 were Winter and Salcido.