The Cardinals controlled the tempo of the game throughout the first three quarters, but the Trojans rallied in the fourth and won on a Worth Smith buzzer-beating shot.
Smith had tied the game 50-50 with 30 seconds remaining. East Wilkes took the ball down court in attempt to set up the last shot, but the Cardinals were called for traveling with less than eight seconds on the clock.
Smith quickly went the other way, took the ball inside and hit a jumper as time expired to give the Trojans the victory. The result dropped East Wilkes to 0-6 in conference play, 1-7 overall. Alleghany improved to 2-3 in the Northwest 1A and 4-6 overall.
"We got outworked all night, and we played terrible defense all night," East coach Justin Call said after the game. "We managed to mask our bad defense for a while because we shot the ball well all night. Alleghany decided they were going take it inside to score, and I have to give them credit for winning it down the stretch."
Chas Deal got the Cardinals started early with a jumpshot for two. The Trojans would come back about a minute later and tie it up.
East started to take control of the game midway through the first after Donal Carter got an easy two points and come right back with a three. The Cards ended the first with the lead, 13-9.
"We shot well early" Call said.
Chris Vannoy got the Cardinals started in the second quarter with two points, but Alleghany would answer right back to hold the Cardinals lead at four.
East pulled ahead by six midway through the second, but the Trojans mounted a charge and took the lead late in the half after Lee Hash scored 5 straight points. That lead would be short-lived, and the Cardinals grabbed it back with a 9-0 run with under three minutes to go.
East held a 28-20 advantage after Vannoy hit a buzzer-beater to end the second quarter.
The Cardinals maintained their tempo throughout the third quarter and took a 40-32 lead into the final period.
Alleghany started to fight back, however, and pulled within four with a little under seven minutes to go.
Donal Carter responded with a long jumper for East, but Alleghany went on a 6-0 surve to take the lead 44-43 midway through.
Ben Gregory give East the lead once again after hitting a layup and one free throw. From there Alleghany and East would battle back and forth the last two minutes of the game, paving the way for Smith's heroic shot.
Carter led the Cardinals with 17 points. Gregory added another 13. Hash paced the Trojans with 16 and Smith finished with 8 points.
The East Wilkes girls had no trouble putting the Trojans away Tuesday night, cruising 39-24 victory. The Lady Cardinals started the game on a 7-0 run and did not allow the Lady Trojans to score till midway through the first period when Sydney Marion hit a layup.
The Lady Cardinals ended the first quarter leading 12-6. Celeste Caudill pulled the Trojans to within three points early in the second after a three-pointer, but the Lady Cardinals wouldn't let them get any closer the rest of the night.
East took a 22-13 lead into halftime. Alleghany came out in the third quarter and got five unanswered points early to pull within four, but the Lady Cardinals responded with a 6-0 run, getting three-pointers from Ashley Wilcox and Jessie Elmore.
Alleghany came back with four unanswered points, but the Lady Cardinals got all four right back to go into the fourth leading 32-22. East closed the game on a 7-2 run and held the Trojans to two points in the 4th quarter.
"We defended Alleghany's top players, Celeste Caudill and Leah Bugielski, well" East Wilkes coach Bill Brown said after the game. "We didn't shoot well but made up for it on defense."
Lauren Royal led the Lady Cardinals with 14 points, and Celeste Caudill led the Lady Trojans with 12.
Alleghany Boys 52, East Wilkes 50 Tuesday * at Sparta
East Wilkes 13 15 12 10 -- 50
Alleghany 9 11 12 20 -- 52
East Wilkes: Donal Carter 17, Ben Gregory 13, Chris Vannoy 8, Micah Bryan 4, Will Sparks 3, Ethan Lyon 2, Chas Deal 2.
Alleghany: Lee Hash 16, Oliver 10, Worth Smith 8, Thomas 8, Miller 7, Weaker 3
East Wilkes Girls 39, Alleghany 24 Tuesday * at Sparta
East Wilkes 12 10 10 7 -- 39
Alleghany 6 7 9 2 -- 24
East Wilkes: Lauren Royal 14, Jessie Elmore 9, Ashley Wilcox 9, Tiffany Smith 3, Anna Litschke 2, Makayla Sales 2.
Alleghany: Celeste Caudill 12, Bugielski 4, Lyons 4, Gentry 2, Marion 2
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