The Shadow
LOW MOOR – In a game that came down to the final minutes and a showdown of the undefeated Cougars in Low Moor, it was the Stuarts Draft Cougars who edged out the Alleghany Cougars on Tuesday night 42-38 in a non-district girls basketball game.
Playing in their fifth game in seven days, the red hot Stuarts Draft remained unbeaten following a big lift from their sophomore guard Augusta Seibert who scored a team-high 15 points. Seibert knocked down five of the SD Cougars eight three-pointers.
Stuarts Draft jumped out to a 12-2 advantage early on in the first quarter.
Despite being down double digits, Alleghany closed the first quarter scoring the final six points to cut the lead down to just four points.
The momentum from the first wouldn’t carry over right away for Alleghany as Stuarts Draft opened the quarter by scoring eight of the period’s first 10 points. The SD Cougars regained an eight point advantage at 18-10.
Much like in the first quarter, it would be another late quarter rally by Alleghany to get back into the game as they closed out the first half scoring nine of the final 13 points to cut the lead down to three points at 22-19.
During the second quarter Alleghany was backed by senior Bryce Leitch who knocked down a three-point in the quarter to help the AHS Cougars get back in the game. Leitch finished with a team-high 15 points and connected on a pair of three-pointers.
With both teams struggling in the third quarter which saw a total of 12 points (six from each team), the game came down to the final period. In the closing minutes of the game Alleghany took a late lead on a Ty’Aeija Smith layup at 34-33.
However, that would be the last time the AHS Cougars would lead as the SD Cougars scored eight of the next 13 points in the final three minutes.
Down a point with under three minutes remaining, Ava Flippin knocked down a jumper to put SDHS back in front 35-34.
With the lead back in their hands, Stuarts Draft grabbed the game’s biggest shot from Madyson Mason who buried a three-pointer to put the SD Cougars ahead 38-34. It would be Mason’s only bucket of the night. SDHS would hold onto the lead for good in the closing minutes.
Smith scored eight points coming on four made field goals while senior Kelsey Nicely scored six points and was a perfect 4-for-4 at the free throw line.
Stuarts Draft 12 10 6 14 – 42
Alleghany 8 11 6 13 – 38
STUARTS DRAFT (5-0) – A. Seibert 5 0-0 15, Flippin 4 2-2 11, Drumheller 1 2-2 4, Mason 2 0-0 4, Layne 1 0-0 3, Moore 1 0-0 3, Ott 0 2-2 2, Grim 0 0-0 0, H. Seibert 0 0-0 0, Weber 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 6-6 42.
ALLEGHANY (3-1) – Leitch 5 3-4 15, Smith 4 0-0 8, Nicely 1 4-4 6, Jack 2 0-0 5, Heighter 2 0-0 4, Lewis 0 0-0 0, Rose 0 0-0 0, Wolfe 0 0-0 0. Totals 14 7-8 38.
3-Point Goals – Stuarts Draft 8 (A. Seibert 5, Flippin, Layne, Mason). Alleghany 3 (Leitch 2, Jack).
