The Chadron/Alliance basketball rivalry renewed Friday Night in Chadron at the Birdcage. Just shy of one month since the first meeting of the season in Alliance the energy inside the Birdcage was electric and the Cardinals returned the gesture to the fans with a sweep of the night. Both JV teams took wins then in varsity the girls won 51-36 while the boys raised some eyebrows with a 65-48 win.
In the first meeting of the season between the girls teams the Cardinals got out to a 20-0 run, but Friday was different with the score being 9-7 after the first quarter. Chadron started pulling away in the second quarter, getting up to a 24-17 lead at the half. Macey Seebohm had all 17 points for the Bulldogs in the first half while Jezy Alcorn had 14 for the Cardinals at halftime.
The second half was all Chadron as they outscored the Bulldogs 29-19 to get a 51-36 win.
Jezy Alcorn had 16 points in the game, Sophie Watson had nine, Rylan Barry and Gracie Calkins had eight. Reese Ritterbush had five while Cali Hendrickson and Jacey Turman each had three.
The Cardinals hit six threes in a game that had five lead changes and two ties, all in the first half.
The boys game was electric from the beginning with the score being 12-10 after the first quarter. Alliance controlled the second quarter of the game by out-scoring the Cardinals 17-10 to take a 27-22 lead into the half. The third quarter was legendary for the Cardinals with Chadron going off for 29 points in the quarter, hitting eight 3s in the quarter to get out to a 15 point lead going into the fourth. Alliance was able to cut the Cardinals lead down to five but Chadron pulled away in the final few minutes to win 65-48.
Thomas Smith led the Cardinals with 25 points, 17 in the third quarter and hit six 3s in the game. Derek Bissonette had a career high 15, Tobin Landen was right behind him with 14. Brady Daniels finished with eight, Creighton Ryan had three and Talon Jelinek had two.
The Cardinals hit 10 threes on the night in a game that had four lead changes and three ties.
The Cardinals girls are now 8-5 and have won three straight games while the boys are now 6-6 and have won four straight.
Next up for the Cardinals is a trip to Hermosa, South Dakota on Tuesday night to take on the Custer Wildcats. Varsity girls are set for 6pm with boys to follow.