Bulldogs fall in tiebreaker

MISSION - For the Mission Bulldogs, the season has been chocked

full of close games, many of which ended in heartbreaking

defeat.

During the last weekend of the regular season, they earned one

big win, while falling in all-too-familiar fashion in the season

finale.

MISSION - For the Mission Bulldogs, the season has been chocked full of close games, many of which ended in heartbreaking defeat.

During the last weekend of the regular season, they earned one big win, while falling in all-too-familiar fashion in the season finale.

Nikko Alexander busted out with a season-high 17 points and three other players hit double figures as the Bulldogs evened the season series by downing Lake County rival Ronan 69-49.

The win improved Mission's record to 3-14 overall on the season avenged an earlier loss to the Chiefs this year.

Stuart Grant added 14 points, Jarred Smith-Brown 11 and Paden Alexander 10 for the Bulldogs, who didn't blow out Ronan in any of the first three quarters, but still managed to build a 20-point lead in that time.

The offense clicked most of the night for Mission, who led 17-11 after one and 35-24 by halftime. They scored 20 points in the third, the sixth time this season they've exploded for at least that many, and held onto the margin to secure the victory.

Austin Durglo added nine for Mission.

To close the regular season, the Bulldogs found themselves in a back-and-forth affair with the Troy Trojans before falling by the slimmest of margins, 48-47.

Grant, who torched Troy for 37 points earlier in the season, was held to a team-leading 11 in this contest, but had help from Nikko Alexander's 10 and Smith-Brown's nine. Dylan Evans added eight points.

Mission led 12-8 after one and despite being outscored in the next two periods, managed to hold a 36-35 lead after three. Unfortunately, Troy chipped away one last time, outscoring the Bulldogs 13-11 in the final frame to eke out the win.

Mission's season came to a close on Tuesday, Feb. 14 when the Chiefs upended the Bulldogs in the series' rubber match 46-27. Mission found themselves down just 11-10 after the first quarter, but the offense struggled from there, putting up just 17 points the rest of the game, while Ronan scored 15 in the second quarter alone.

Six players registered points for the Bulldogs led by Durglo's 10 and four points apiece from Smith-Brown and Evans.

MISSION @ RONAN

Mission - 17 - 18 - 20 - 14 - 69

Ronan - 11 - 13 - 11 - 14 - 49

Bulldogs scoring - Nikko Alexander 17, Stuart Grant 14, Jarred Smith-Brown 11, Paden Alexander 10, Austin Durglo 9, Dylan Evans 6, Will Powell 2

TROY @ MISSION

Troy - 8 - 11 - 16 - 13 - 48

Mission - 12 - 10 - 14 - 11 - 47

Bulldogs scoring - Stuart Grant 11, Nikko Alexander 10, Jarred Smith-Brown 9, Dylan Evans 8, Austin Durglo 6, Harry Suta 2, Paden Alexander 1