First round action in the Boy’s Western Conference tournament featured a battle between Alliance and Sidney. Success behind the three point line enabled Sidney to best the Dogs 64 to 47 in a contest played Thursday in Gering. The Raiders sank 10 treys in posting the win. Sidney made four of them in the first that erased an early lead by AHS. With the loss, the Bulldog’s record now stands at 7 and 9. Alliance led early by 9 but a late first quarter surge by the Raiders led SHS to the win. Senior Espen Lanik was Alliance’s leading scorer with 31 tallies.
From the start, Alliance had the momentum. The Dogs roared to a 7 to 0 lead in the opening stages. Devin Graham began the scoring with a hoop. It was followed by 5 points by Lanik. After a 2 by Sidney, AHS extended their advantage by 9 with buckets by Graham and Braeden Clarke. Graham’s 2 was a break away dunk! Back came the Raiders as Sidney went on a 15 to 2 spurt to go ahead 17 to 13. Lanik had a pair of free throws during the spree for Alliance. Three more free throws by Lanik then ensued as the Dog deficit went to 1. The period came to a finish with 5 straight by the Raiders and AHS down 22 to 16.
Quarter #2 was a rough one for the Dogs. Alliance would manage just 3 tallies while Sidney totaled 15. A Clarke score early along with a free throw by Lanik later were the lone tallies by the Dogs. Sidney controlled the action with a couple of threes, three free throws, and 3 deuces. At halftime, Sidney was ahead 37 to 19.
Three more 3 pointers in the third helped the Red Raiders maintain their margin. Overall in period 3, Sidney outscored Alliance 15 to 8 in keeping its advantage. Baskets by Clarke, Lanik, and Riley Best accounted for the Bulldogs scores. The quarter started with 4 in a row by Sidney and 2 Lanik free throws. A brief 6 to 3 run by the Dogs made the score 46 to 25 at the midway point. The period came to a conclusion with a Raider trey at the buzzer. AHS was down 52 to 27 heading to the fourth.
Lanik had a huge fourth for the Dogs. The lefty guard scored 16 of Alliance’s 20 fourth quarter tallies. Following three baskets by the Raiders, Lanik canned 3 threes and a free throw to make the board read Sidney 58 Alliance 37. AHS would get a hoop by Clarke and a 4 point play by Lanik to pull within 19. Alliance’s scoring ended with a deuce by Lanik and a basket by Graham.
Final Sidney 64 Alliance 47.
All 16 3 8 20 47
Sid 22 15 15 12 64
Scoring for the Dogs Lanik 31 Clarke 8 Graham 6 Best 2
Alliance will play Ascent Academy in Scottsbluff on Friday