Back to back three pointers by Alliance’s Espen Lanik in the final moments helped the Bulldog boy’s basketball club get past the Bison of Hot Springs 55 to 49 in a contest played in Alliance on Saturday night. Lanik finished the game with 28 points as the Bulldogs improved to three and one for the season. Alliance got 5 big points off the bench from freshman Jaden Guerra, all in the fourth quarter, to rally for the victory. It was AHS third win in a row. Alliance also came out on top in the junior varsity game played earlier at the Alliance Middle School. The JVs down Hot Springs 70 to 36.
Twenty first period points by the Bison helped the guests gain the early momentum. The game was a contrast in styles with Hot Springs relying on their posts to score in the paint while the Dogs used a strong outside game to do damage. A 8 to 2 early run by the visitors gave the Bison hope. The lone score for AHS was a hoop by Bulldog sophomore Braeden Clarke. A steal and score by Lanik followed that sliced the Bulldog deficit to 4. At the four minute mark, another bucket by Lanik made the score 10 to 6 with Hot Springs in front. The contest’s next 5 points would then belong to the Bison as their lead grew to 15 to 6 with under 2 minutes left in the period. Alliance closed to within 6 thanks to a goal by Seth Meyring and a free throw by Devin Graham. But the quarter ended with 5 more Bison tallies. After one, AHS trailed 20 to 9.
The key to the second for the Dogs came on the defensive side. Hot Springs would score only 5 points in the period as the Bulldogs mounted a comeback. The quarter began with a trey by the guests but Hot Springs would not score for the game’s next 7 minutes. Down 22 to 9, Alliance slowly started their rally. Four points by Graham began the spree. Three pointers by Lanik and Alliance’s Payton Boyer ensued that got the Dogs to within 3. The hosts eventually took the lead with 2 free throws by Clarke and a basket by Lanik. A trey by the Bison stopped the run but a buzzer beating three ball by Lanik concluded the half with AHS up 26 to 25.
Using the late momentum, the Dogs quickly increased their advantage in the early moments of period #3. Another three by Lanik plus points by Meyring and a 2 pointer by Lanik gave the Bulldogs a lead 33 to 25. The momentum then went to the guests thanks to an old fashion three point play and a trey that sliced their margin to 33 to 31. At the four minute mark, the teams traded scores with AHS getting points from Boyer, Lanik, and Meyring. The Bulldogs led 40 to 35 after three periods of play. Five early points for Alliance, three by Guerra and 2 by Lanik, pushed the Bulldog lead to 10 early in the finale. Hot Springs answered with a 3 but a free throw by Alliance’s Lexton Salcido kept the Dogs up by 8. At the 5 minute mark, the Bison started a spree. The visitors scored the contest’s next 9 points to take a 47 to 46 lead with under 2 minutes left to play.
Alliance would go to Lanik who responded with 2 three pointers as the Dogs took a 52 to 47 lead with under a minute to play. Following a hoop by the Bison, Hot Springs was forced to foul. Boyer nailed the first shot but his second was off but Guerra was there for the rebound. The Alliance freshman was fouled and calmly drilled both shots from the charity line. A Bison three was off in the final seconds as the Bulldogs claimed the 55 to 49 win.
HS 20 5 10 14 49
ALL 9 17 14 15 55
Scoring Lanik 28 Meyring 6 Boyer 6 Graham 5 Guerra 5 Clarke 4 Salcido 1
It will be a busy week for the Bulldogs with games against Torrington, Cheyenne, and Chadron. The game versus Chadron will be at home on Friday.