BASALT – It was bound to happen eventually, but the Basalt Longhorns girls’ basketball team would have preferred to put off their first league loss under head coach Debbie Alcorta for as long as possible. Solid inside play, combined with stifling defense and timely outside shooting gave the Aspen Skiers a 48-42 victory over defending Western Slope League champion Basalt here Saturday afternoon.It was the first league loss under Alcorta, who led the ‘Horns to a perfect 10-0 league record in her first season in 2001-02, and the first conference loss in over two full seasons.While not happy with the loss, Alcorta wasn’t overly concerned by it either.”These girls will be back,” Alcorta said of her squad. “We still are the defending league champions … and we get to play them again. It will be fine.”After being held to just 13 points in the first half and trailing by as many as 11 points, the ‘Horns eventually mounted a comeback in the fourth quarter. Trailing 31-21 early in the fourth quarter, the Basalt full-court press began paying dividends in the form of a 12-2 run to pull the game even at 33-all with 5 minutes, 23 seconds left. It was the first time Aspen didn’t hold the lead since the opening tip-off. Autumn Caughern, who led the ‘Horns with 18 points, tallied five during the run and Mariah Mulcahy also had five.Basalt kept the game tight, tying the score at 37-all and 39-all, but Mulcahy fouled out with 3:39 remaining and the ‘Horns’ 2-of-7 performance from the charity stripe in the final 3 minutes sealed the victory for Aspen. The Skiers were 7-of-11 on free throws over the same span.”Offensively we beat ourselves,” Alcorta said. Aspen opened the game hot. The Skiers took the opening tip which standout center Lizzie Suiter finished of for the first basket of the game. Suiter followed up the basket with a pair of blocks on Basalt’s first possession. Suiter had five blocks in the first half and scored seven of Aspen’s first nine points to give the Skiers an 11-7 edge after the first quarter. In the second quarter the Aspen defense held the typically high-scoring ‘Horns to just six points and, offensively, the guards took over. Tara Walker hit three consecutive treys for the Skiers and Alex Bethel finished the quarter off with a fast-break layup for a 22-13 lead at intermission. “They held us to the least amount of points, probably, since I started coaching,” said Alcorta, who has seen the ‘Horns score at least 52 points in every other game this season.”I don’t think (Suiter) was as much of a factor as their guards,” she added. “Their guards made the difference.”Horns: From page 13Walker led the Skiers with 18 points, while Suiter and Bethel added 14 and 10, respectively.Basalt’s record drops to 4-1 in the WSL (7-3 overall). Aspen improves to 3-2 (6-4).-In Friday’s game at Cedaredge Basalt downed the Bruins 60-37. Autumn Caughern hit three treys and scored 19 points, while Rochelle Moebius and Lauren Redfern each scored 10. Amy Heilig was the only Cedaredge player to score in double digits with 14.Aspen 48, Basalt 42Aspen1111719-48Basalt76821-42A complete box score was not made available.FridayBasalt 60, Cedaredge 37Basalt18121812-60Cedaredge125713-37BASALT – Makenzie Holmes 1 0-0 2, Brittany Pollock 3 0-0 6, Autumn Caughern 8 0-0 19, March Thompson 1 0-0 2, Mariah Mulcahy 2 5-8 9, Rochelle Moebius 2 6-8 10, Lauren Redfern 4 2-2 10. Totals 22 13-18 60. CEDAREDGE – Elsey Peterson 0 1-3 1, Amber Koroshetz 3 0-2 7, Amy Heilig 5 2-7 14, Kresta Fouch 2 0-0 5, Cassie Hutto 1 7-8 9, Danielle Kissner 0 1-2 1. Totals 11 11-22 37.3-pointers – Koroshetz, Heilig 2, Fouch, Caughern 3. Total fouls – not available. Fouled out – none. Technicals – none.