The alarm sounded Saturday afternoon. McKinley earned some respect back. The Bulldogs put together a big second quarter and then rode Ohio State-bound senior Ameryst Alston to a 46-40 win against Lake.

It was the first loss of the season for the Blue Streaks, who had won 18 in a row.

“This is a confidence builder,” McKinley head coach Pam Davis said.

Until someone knocks McKinley off, it still is the program in Stark County. The Bulldogs were beaten by Hoover last weekend. Lake sank Davis’ battleship earlier this season.

The Blue Streaks came into Saturday’s game ranked second in Ohio.

Even McKinley needs to build confidence.

“We’re human, too,” Davis said. “We start two freshmen and a sophomore. Everyone says we have Ameryst, but she’s only one person in a game of 10 people. ... We’re still a work in progress.”

Alston scored a game-high 19 points. She scored 10 of those in the third quarter.

Sophomore Marquia Turner finished with 16 points, none bigger than the 3-pointer she drilled at the end of the third quarter to put the Pups up, 41-29.

McKinley’s defense forced seven turnovers in the second quarter and that got the Bulldogs out of a 13-9 first-quarter hole. The Pups nursed Alston through the first half. She picked up two quick-whistle fouls in the first quarter. McKinley started both halves leading in fouls, 5-0, before Lake picked up its first.

Against a 2-3 zone, McKinley stayed patient offensively. Alston picked her spots and attacked the paint, usually to dish off to an open teammate. Consecutive and-ones by Alston pulled the Bulldogs to within 17-15 with 4:56 left in the first quarter.

Then the Pups went on a 10-0 run thanks to methodical offense and harassing defense. Korrin Taylor’s layup off an assist from Alston tied the game. The Pups forced a turnover on the inbounds, and Gabby Kendall’s layup gave McKinley its first lead, 19-17, with 3:52 left in the second.

On the next possession, Alston lobbed Kendall a pass from 30 feet away and the 5-foot-11 Kendall, working against a smaller defender, made an easy bucket.

With 90 seconds left before halftime, Turner found a soft spot in the zone and her floater made it 23-17. Another back-door basket by Taylor extended the lead to 25-17.

Audrey Myers stopped the bleeding for Lake with a layup with 12 seconds left. That made it 25-19 at halftime.