The Shadow
Playing on back to back days and coming off of a crushing senior night loss from the night before, the Alleghany Mountaineers (0-7, 7-10) in a non-district game at the 2023 Rock the Ribbon Roundball Shootout defeated the East Rockingham Eagles (11-6) of the Valley District 62-60 Saturday evening at Rockbridge High School.
After a tightly contested ball game, the game came down to the closing seconds.
With the score tied 60-60, the Mountaineers had the ball with a little over 14 seconds left. As the game clock winded down, Halen Lowman from near the top of the key, found an open Chris Harden who had cut to the basket and put in the layup to give the Mountaineers a 62-60 lead with just over three seconds remaining.
The nine-game losing streak was over.
Lowman was one of three Mountaineers in double figures as he led the team with a team-high 16 points, including pair of clutch free throws in the games final minute and the game-winning assist to Harden. Davien Moore had 11, and Eli Entsminger added 10.
In the loss the Eagles were led by Kain Shifflett who had a game-high 22 points.
This was the Mountaineers 12th single digit outcome this season. The team is 5-7 in single digit games.
The Mountaineers are back at Rockbridge High School this evening to take on the Rockbridge County Wildcats.
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On Friday, in a tightly battled game that saw numerous scoring runs and double digit leads, it was the Glenvar Highlanders (12-7. 5-3) who outlasted the Mountaineers on senior night.
In the opening period, the Mountaineers were the first to start the scoring streaks as they went on an 8-0 scoring run to take an 11-4 lead. The scoring run was started by back to back three-pointers from Lowman and Davien Moore.
Leading 11-4, the Highlanders dug themselves out of an early deficit by scoring the games next nine points to take a 13-11 lead.
Shortly after that, the Highlanders knocked down back to back three-pointers to take a 17-13 lead.
Just as momentum was all on the Highlanders side, the Mountaineers in the quarters final 1:40 went on a small 5-0 scoring run to retake the lead at 18-17. In the final minute of the period, Hayslett knocked down three to retake the lead.
The Highlanders would score the second quarters first five points to retake the lead at 22-18.
Once again, the Mountaineers much like the first period, went on a scoring run in the second period. This time the Mountaineers went on a 11-0 scoring run highlighted by two three-pointers from Chris Harden and one from Lowman. The Mountaineers had their largest lead at 29-22.
As the Mountaineers answered the Highlanders, in a blink of an eye, the Highlander once more would answer the Mountaineers scoring run by going on their own 11-0 scoring run to take a 33-29 lead. The Highlanders scoring run was highlighted by a breakaway slam dunk by Ford.
Just as it appeared all the momentum was back on the Highlanders side, Lowman knocked down a mid-range jumper before the buzzer to pull the Mountaineers within one possession at 33-31.
After a first half that featured multiple double digit scoring runs from each team, the second half provided even more.
In a pivotal third quarter, the Highlanders kicked off the second half by scoring the periods first 10 points to build their then largest lead at 43-31.
The Mountaineers would be unsuccessful in pulling within single digits in the quarter and would be outscored 16-5.
The Highlanders in the fourth quarter would build their largest lead of 14 points at 53-39, but after a quiet third period, the Mountaineers would work their way back into the game as they chipped away at the deficit.
Eli Entsminger knocked down two big three-pointers that helped bring the Mountaineers back within single digits.
However, as the Mountaineers were chipping away at their 14-point deficit, a lot of clock time game off the game clock.
With just over 30 seconds remaining, Harden stole the ball and dropped in a layup to pull the Mountaineers within just four points.
As the Mountaineers were within just two possessions, Ford received the inbounds pass and went coast to coast and dropped in a layup to put the Highlanders back up six points at 58-52.
In the closing seconds, Ty Boiling would knock down two free throws to seal the victory for the Highlanders.
The Highlanders were led by Ford who was one of two Highlanders who scored in double figures. Ford had a game-high 19 points, while also having a momentum-carrying breakaway dunk. Brody Dawyot recorded a double-double with 13 points and 13 rebounds.
Harden led the way in scoring for the Mountaineers with 17.
Team 1 2 3 4 Ttl
GHS 17 16 16 11 60
AHS 18 13 5 16 52
Mountaineers Scoring: Harden 17, Entsminger 8, Lowman 8, Hayslett 5, Moore 5, Garrett Via 4, Anthony Webb 3, Chase DePriest 2
