Alma rallies past Siloam
Curd-led Airedales improve to 9-0 for the first time ever in 5A-West play
By Kevin Taylor
Alma Schools
Alma boys basketball coach Dominic Lincoln had been expecting a little bit of a letdown.
Following three tough home games, Alma hit the road Tuesday at Siloam Springs. And, though things didn’t go well early, the Airedales did enough good things to pull out a 49-43 victory, the team’s 10th straight win overall.
Alma’s 9-0 start to 5A-West play is also the first time in school history (at least in the modern era) that the Airedales have started 9-0 in conference play.
Alma last started 8-0 in the 2012 5A-West race, losing its ninth game that season to Greenwood. The team finished 12-2 overall.
Against the Panthers, Alma fell behind 10-3 and later 16-8 before closing the half on an 11-2 run. They eventually led by as many as 10 in the fourth quarter.
The Airedales earned their first season sweep of the Panthers since going 2-0 in 2020. In all, Alma’s beaten Siloam Springs 30 of 41 times dating back to 2004.
Camden Curd finished with a team-high 13 points, including 8-of-8 from the free-throw line. Alma was 17-for-24 from the line.
Siloam Springs was just 8-of-10.
“We’ve worked too hard to go out and have a showing like we did tonight,” Curd said. “Yes, we did get the win, but we’re not impressed with that win at all. The 9-and-0 start came from the fire that we went through last year. We just have to keep practicing and doing our best every day.”
With five games to go, the Airedales still have plenty of work to do. Alma (16-8, 9-0) visits Van Buren (18-7, 7-2) next Tuesday.
But first, the Airedales return home Friday to face Russellville.
The Cyclones (21-4, 6-3) defeated Greenbrier Tuesday, 60-56.
In addition to Curd’s solid night, Israel Towns-Robinson had eight points and eight rebounds, and Miles Kendrick and Easton Boggs had seven points each.
Eddie Tate scored all six of his points in the third quarter and finished with four rebounds.
Siloam Springs 43, Alma 39 (OT)
GIRLS - The Lady Airedales battled Siloam Springs to overtime Tuesday before dropping a 43-39 decision at the Panthers’ Activity Center.
Jordan Gramlich led Alma (7-18, 1-8) with 19 points. Jaden Gramlich had 10 points, and Kylie Poole finished with six.
Alma took a 17-11 second-quarter lead but the Panthers outscored Alma, 11-2, to close out the first half. Siloam Springs hit nine 3-pointers during the victory, the first in 5A-West play.