BLOOMINGTON -- A strong start by the Alleman boys' basketball team faded into another head-scratching finish.

Dominating play after one quarter on Friday afternoon, the Pioneers soon reverted to their season-long habit of inconsistent stretches. This time, Alleman struggled scoring points and could not key consistent defensive rebounds during a 43-29 loss to St. Joseph-Ogden in the State Farm Holiday Classic consolation semifinal at the U.S. Cellular Coliseum.

"We were clicking on all cylinders in the first quarter," Alleman coach Pat Rangel said. "For whatever mystifying reason, we stopped doing what we were doing and had those lapses. We never got out of the funk."

In the first quarter, the Pioneers (5-6) scored 13 points. In the final three quarters, they scored 16.

Alleman had five field goals in the second half.

"Just a total lack of effort," Rangel said.

Another issue was the Pioneers' inability to get a defensive rebound. St. Joseph-Ogden (11-1) grabbed 17 offensive boards. That, plus the lack of scoring in the last three quarters, carried Alleman to its second loss in three games.

"We aren't struggling for answers. It's all effort," said Rangel, who received nine points apiece from John Tracey and Adam Hoogerwerf. "It's not a question of talent or our gameplan -- it's just effort. We're looking for five guys who will give us consistent effort. Until we get that, we're going to continue to struggle."