Airedales drop heartbreaker 1-22-21

Headline: Airedales drop heartbreaker

By Kevin Taylor

Alma Schools

ALMA — There are no silver linings in one-point losses.

Greenbrier's Nathan Barrentine's short floater at the buzzer rallied the Panthers to a 45-44 gut-wrenching overtime victory at Airedale Arena Friday.

The Panthers (5-8, 2-3) overcame a 10-point second half deficit.

Alma (7-6, 2-4) took a 44-43 lead on Hunter McAlister's final bucket with 12.3 seconds left to play.

Greenbrier, burning a timeout with 11.3, then drove the length of the floor for the game-winner.

The Airedales opened the second half with a 9-0 run to extend a 17-16 halftime lead to 26-16. The 19-6 run seemed to put the Airedales in control.

But Barrentine and Rece Jones popped 3-pointers and the Panthers' 8-0 run helped the visitors close to within 32-29 after three.

Greenbrier scored the first seven points of the fourth and led 36-32 before Alma started to chip away. McAlister's basket with 3:09 left pulled the Airedales to within two, and Logan Taylor's 3-pointer with 1:39 left gave Alma a 37-36 lead.

A turnover on the Airedales' next possession helped Greenbrier go back in front, 38-37, before Jacob Coursey's driving layup with 0:01 sent the game to OT.

McAlister and Nathan Whalen led the Airedales with 15 points apiece.

Greenbrier 59, Alma 38

GIRLS — The Greenbrier Lady Panthers clung to a four-point lead midway through the third quarter when Alma suddenly went cold.

The Lady Panthers (12-5, 2-4) took control with a 30-6 scoring run to snap a two-game losing streak.

Alma (6-9, 0-4) had closed to within 29-25 on Kallie Plourde's 3-pointer.

Emma Rehm scored 13 of her game-high 22 points during the clinching run. Anna Newland finished with 15.

Presli Taylor and Chloe Trusty added nine each for the Lady Airedales.