Alma wasn't intimated by Siloam Springs' 3-2 zone defense.
The Airedales attacked the zone and bombed in 13 of 20 from behind the 3-point line to defeat Siloam Springs 61-57 on Tuesday in a 5A-West Conference game at Panther Activity Center.
"Their zone is really formidable and I think we hit nine in the first half," Alma coach Stan Flenor said. "We caught it and shot it real well. We attacked that zone real well. Coach (Darin) Stahler did a great job getting us prepared for it. They obviously switched defenses and came out and pressed us a little bit. We kind of weathered that storm so to speak and kind of hung in there and fought our way through. I tell you I'm just so proud of our kids. It was a gutsy win on the road and conference."
The Airedales hit nine of those 3-pointers in the first half, forcing the Panthers to scrap the zone and go to a man-to-man defense for most of the second half.
Alma led by as many as nine points twice in the second half. Siloam Springs was able to cut the lead to 60-57 with less than a minute left and the Panthers in possession of the basketball.
But Landon Ward's 3-point try missed. Alma rebounded the ball and ran off most of the time remaining until Jacob Coursey was fouled with 0.5 seconds left. Coursey made one of two free throws to set the final score.
"Give them a lot of credit," said Siloam Springs coach Tim Stewart, who was coaching his first game since Dec. 15. Stewart missed five games because of covid-19 protocols. "They had two kids shoot the ball really well tonight, and we were a little lethargic guarding certain areas of the zone. and yes we were forced to play a different style, but our kids responded and made plays. Down the stretch, second game in a row, we just couldn't get it all together and get everybody on the same page and make the plays that we are required to make."
Alma came out firing early, scoring all 15 of their points in the first quarter on five 3-pointers. Drew Battles, who finished with six 3-pointers, hit three in the first quarter and Logan Taylor added two for the Airedales, who led most of the first.
Siloam Springs hit three 3-pointers in the first quarter, including two from Max Perkins and one from Landon Ward. The Panthers trailed 12-6 but finished the first on a 9-3 run to lead 16-15 after the first quarter.
Alma went back to work in the second. Taylor hit a pair of treys and Coursey had a pair of steals and scores in transition. Taylor and Hunter McCalister hit back to back 3-pointers as Alma pulled ahead 31-22.
Ward and Perkins answered with 3-pointers and Ward hit a pair of free throws as Siloam Springs pulled within 33-30 at halftime.
The Airedales hit three more 3-pointers in the third, including two more from Battles, to take a 47-38 lead going into the fourth quarter.
Battles finished with six 3-pointers and 22 points, while Taylor had five 3-pointers and 15 points. McCalister added 13 points for the Airedales (8-3, 2-1).
"We had to fight hard, had to make free throws, had to make big shots and make some big defensive stops and we did that against a quality team," Flenor said. "Siloam's going to win a lot of games this year in this league when they get healthy too just like everybody else. Just to come on the road and play well, I thought we played well on both ends. Great offensively and I thought we played really solid defensively.
Ward led Siloam Springs (6-8, 1-2) with 23 points, while Jackson Ford and Perkins each had 11, Nate Vachon six, Dalton Newman four and Breck Soderquist two.
The Panthers played their sixth game without junior guard Josh Stewart, who was also in covid-19 quarantine and is expected back Tuesday against Greenwood. The Panthers also hope to have Carter Winesburg back soon. Winesburg has been out with an ankle injury.
Tim Stewart was happy to be back on the sidelines after so much time away.
"It's so nice to be back and be around the kids and coaches and be able to be active again," Tim Stewart said. "Waiting on the energy to get back where it normally is, but what a relief to get out and be social again and coach and try to figure out the rights and wrongs about basketball instead of worrying about all that other stuff."
Alma 61, Siloam Springs 57
Alma^15^18^14^14^--^61
Siloam Springs^16^14^8^19^--^57
Alma (8-3, 2-1): Battles 22, Taylor 15, McCalister 13, Coursey 8, Whalen 3.
Siloam Springs (6-8, 1-2): Ward 23, Ford 11, Perkins 11, Vachon 6, Newman 4, Soderquist 2.