The Shadow
Alleghany fought an uphill battle for three and half quarters.
A hustling offensive rebound from Devin Lane turned into a Christian Allen three and Corey Easton’s baseline drive with 1:15 left finally put the Mountaineers on top.
They wouldn’t score again.
Carroll County notched the game’s final six points, all in the final 29 seconds and all from the free throw stripe in a 53-48 Three Rivers District victory Friday night.
The loss was the fourth straight for Alleghany, who dipped to 0-4 in the TRD and 4-7 overall.
“The last couple of games we have not shot the ball well,” said Alleghany coach Nolan Caldwell. “We are really struggling in our zone offense. We just can’t make any shots to get teams out of their zone. It’s very frustrating.”
The Mountaineers were just 4-of-20 from behind the arc Friday night.
But they still had a chance in the final minute.
A missed three and a critical turnover however, proved to be the difference.
Ian Herman gave the Cavaliers (2-2 TRD, 3-8 overall) the lead with a pair of free throws with 29 ticks left and Ryan Phillips iced it by going 4-for-4 in the final nine seconds.
“We had the ball and the lead,” said Caldwell. “We draw a play to get the ball in. It seems like how the season has gone — we step on the sideline and turn the ball over. I thought they were getting ready to foul us and we happen to step on the line right before we get fouled.”
Tanner Aritt’s three, a Jayson Easton steal and lay-up and Chris Tingler’s rebound and score gave Alleghany a quick 7-0 lead a couple minutes into the opening quarter.
But Weston Burcham’s personal 11-point run gave the Cavaliers a lead they would carry for most of the game.
They boosted the lead to nine at the half, 30-21, and twice grew the lead to 10 in the third quarter.
Tingler’s inside score, a Daylin Pinkston bucket off a Colby Skidmore assist and a Jayson Easton steal and conversion chopped the lead to four after three.
Jayson Easton ended the night with 11 points, while Allen had 10 and Tingler added eight. Lane led the Mountaineers on the boards with eight, while both Jayson Easton and Allen had six each.
Burcham and Ryan Phillips both scored 11 for the Cavs, with Herman adding 14.
“Tonight is the first time we’ve dressed everybody since the third game of the season,” said Caldwell. “It’s been a fight trying to get in a rhythm.”
That rhythm may be thrown off again next week. Alleghany is scheduled to host Giles Monday, but that game is up in the air depending on winter weather expected this weekend.
The Mountaineers were 49-42 winners in Friday’s JV game played at Clifton Middle.
Andrew Middleton had 18 points for Alleghany, while both Baron Leitch and Antwaun Broadnax had nine each. Dylan Nicely scored four, Dylan Gibson had three and Cameron Marshall, Dalton Ouimette and Alexandre Taylor all had two.
The Mounties led 18-17 at the half.
