Alleghany’s win streak snapped as Fourth Quarter rally falls short

SWOOPE – Playing on the road for a second consecutive night Alleghany saw their seven-game win streak come to an end following a 48-46 non-district basketball game against Buffalo Gap last Friday evening.

 

It was another tightly contested game for Alleghany through the first three quarters where the game was separated by single digits as the Cougars were the ones this time trailing entering the fourth down 35-30.

 

With time ticking down in the fourth quarter Hannah Coffman made a difficult shot while being fouled. Coffman would finish off the old-fashioned three-point play as the Bison took a 10-point lead at 43-33 with just under five minutes remaining.

 

Over the next four minutes the two teams would exchange points with Alleghany cutting it down to as close as five points at 45-40.

 

Buffalo Gap kept the pressure on Alleghany and took a 48-40 lead with 1:28 left. 

The Bison would be held scoreless the rest of the way and even opened the door for a potential Cougars comeback as they would fumble the ball multiple times as they committed three turnovers in the final minute and a half. 

 

In the final minute Bryce Leitch scored four of her game-high 25 points, including a pair of free throws with 30 seconds left in the game. 

 

Following an errand pass that went out of bounds by Buffalo Gap, Alleghany was given a chance to tie or win the game

 

With the ball having to be inbounded under the rim of the home side, the Bison put full court pressure on the Cougars. AHS got the ball inbounded and pushed the ball across half court, with three seconds left Emma Wolfes’s go-ahead 3-pointer was off the mark. However, Kayden Jack grabbed a huge offensive rebound and had a great look at the hoop, but her shot hit off the glass and did not bank in as it missed off of the front of the rim as time expired. 

 

Kelsey Nicely finished with another double-double performance with 12 points and 12 rebounds for the Cougars.

 

As a team AHS shot 15-for-19 at the foul line.

 

The Cougars loss was their second this season to the Bison. BGHS defeated AHS 52-42 back on December 17th. 

 

Of Alleghany’s four losses this season, they have come against only two opponents, Buffalo Gap and Stuarts Draft where they’ve lost two times to each team. 

 

Alleghany (12-4) has six games remaining on their regular season schedule with their next game set for Thursday against Grace Christian in Staunton. Their game with the Warriors will be the Cougars final non-district game of the regular season as they close out with district games.