The Alliance boys basketball season came to an end Monday night at the Prairie View gym in Ogallala following the match up between the number one seeded Scottsbluff Bearcats and the number four seeded Gering Bulldogs. Alliance went head to head against the Sidney Red Raiders. The Bulldogs were seeded second and the Raiders were seeded third.

After battling back from a early Sidney lead, the Bulldogs came within one point at halftime making the score 22-23, outscoring the Raiders 16-9 in the 2^nd quarter.

Headed into the 4^th quarter, the score was 38-32, Raiders. Alliance junior Austin Luger gave the Bulldogs a spark scoring 11 points in the fourth quarter. With just over a minute remaining, Sidney’s Cutter O’Connell hit a three pointer to give Sidney a four-point lead. Alliance senior, Baden Shelmadine quickly responded with a three putting the Bulldogs within one. Sidney was called for traveling on their next possession and Shelmadine came through again, this time hitting a jumper from the free throw line to give the Bulldogs a 53-52 lead with 8.3 seconds remaining. After two Raider timeouts, the ball was inbounded and dished off again to Cutter O’Connell who hit the game winner with a little less than one second remaining, to gave Sidney the victory over Alliance 53-52. Alliance finished the season at 13-8.

“It was a great season, we all had a great relationship and I felt like we truly are a family. I wouldn’t trade it for the world” Luger stated. Luger was the high scorer of the game with 25 points. Along with Luger’s 25 were Brody Brennan and Baden Shelmadine with 8, Jack Matulka with 6, Klayton Nordeen with 4, and Brendan Brehmer, with 2.

Coach Roger Trennepohl praised Bulldog Seniors Baden Shelmadine, Cody Henderson, Cole Randall, Michael Gomez and Klayton Nordeen for their contributions to the Alliance Basketball program.