0-2 Wildcats play another close game

News Photo by Owen Kinzey An image from the Alpena boys’ basketball game against Escanaba on Saturday.
ALPENA — After a close defeat against Marquette on Friday night, the Alpena High boys basketball team (0-2) searched for redemption against Escanaba the following day.
On Saturday, the Wildcats, once again, couldn’t pull away with the lead and fell short because of a pair of three-point shots down the stretch in favor of the Eskimos.
Ultimately, Alpena was defeated 55-59 in the last 30 seconds of play.
“That one hurts, because we know we definitely could’ve won and come out on top,” Alpena coach John Pintar said. “We struggled to make our shots tonight, despite having so many good looks. It’s just hard to win a basketball game when you shoot as poor as we did in the field and from three.”
From the jump ball, Alpena had taken the lead. A great jump from Caleb McEwen set up Tucker Bright for a wide-open layup and the game’s first points.

News Photo by Owen Kinzey An image from the Alpena boys’ basketball game against Escanaba on Saturday.
On the next possession, after an Escanaba layup, Bright scored again, this time with a three-pointer.
Early scoring has come few and far between for the Wildcats over the past couple of years, but a change in pace had the offense going early.
A 7-2 start looked promising for Alpena, but a few costly turnovers became easy points for the Eskimos, as the score quickly shifted to 10-13 by the end of the first quarter.
The Wildcats’ offense appeared to fizzle out, only scoring two points in the quarter’s remaining five minutes.
Starting the second quarter, Alpena’s shots began to find the bottom of the net. A pair of three-pointers in the first two possessions came from Easton Srebnik and Connor Cameron, allowing the Wildcats back into the lead.

News Photo by Owen Kinzey Easton Srebnik goes for the shot in this picture taken on Saturday when the boys’ basketball team lost to Escanaba.
As the game progressed, both sides kept exchanging shots, but one basket from beyond the arc put Escanaba up 26-29 going into the half.
Straight out of the break, Bright attacked the hoop, driving right through his defender, picking up the foul and making the shot, tying up the game at 29-29.
A few minutes later, Srebnik found himself open for a three. The successful shot presented the Wildcats with its first lead since the beginning of the second quarter.
Instead of a three-point lead, Escanaba was up just one point heading into the final quarter, meaning it was anyone’s game to finish.
Alpena tied the game at 46-46, and a huge defensive stop after a steal from Bright set the Wildcats up with the lead going into the final minutes.

News Photo by Owen Kinzey Alpena boys’ basketball team gathers in a huddle during the game against Escanaba on Saturday.
Although Alpena had the lead, late defensive miscues proved to be the deciding factor, as Lennox Peacock scored for the Eskimos. Not only did Peacock take the lead on a corner three, but he also sealed the game with another corner three with just 30 seconds left.
“We got the lead about midway through that fourth quarter, but we just couldn’t hang on,” Pintar said. “(Escanaba) made some really tough shots there at the end, and all the credit to them because they just capitalized on many of our mistakes.”
Alpena plays Sault Ste. Marie on Tuesday.
Alpena’s leading scorer on the game was Bright, who finished with 23 points overall. Srebnik was the Wildcat’s second-leading scorer, as he ended with 12.
Cody Noel led the way for Escanaba, dominating Alpena inside the paint with 20 points. The Eskimo’s next highest scorer was Peacock, concluding with 17.
- News Photo by Owen Kinzey An image from the Alpena boys’ basketball game against Escanaba on Saturday.
- News Photo by Owen Kinzey An image from the Alpena boys’ basketball game against Escanaba on Saturday.
- News Photo by Owen Kinzey Easton Srebnik goes for the shot in this picture taken on Saturday when the boys’ basketball team lost to Escanaba.
- News Photo by Owen Kinzey Alpena boys’ basketball team gathers in a huddle during the game against Escanaba on Saturday.