Boys hoops: Warriors cruise past Dimond

Feb. 25, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

WASILLA - The Wasilla Warriors proved Saturday why they are considering one of the top basketball teams in the state.

Second-ranked Wasilla used a tenacious effort on defense, key minutes from its reserves and the scoring touch of Jesse Bean to post a 64-48 nonconference win over third-ranked Dimond at Wasilla High School Saturday afternoon.

It marks the second time this season the two programs have met. Dimond used a buzzer-beater to edge Wasilla 44-42 in the championship game of the Dimond Prep Shootout in January.

The difference between the two outings is fairly simple in the mind of Wasilla head coach Jason Marvel.

&#8220We won the right way,” Marvel said. &#8220Our defense was good, we had good rotations and we hit our shots.”

Wasilla's stout defense in the paint, forced the Lynx to try to do its damage from the outside, something Dimond could not do.

&#8220Our big guys played a heck of a game,” Bean said. &#8220The rebounds were huge too. We did a good job of blocking out.”

The Lynx, stuffed inside, weren't able to hit their outside shots with any consistency.

Meanwhile, the sweet-shooting Bean smoked Dimond with his midrange jumper.

Bean, the reigning Northern Lights Conference player of the year, scored a game-high 21 points. Off his eight baskets, one came from beyond the arc, one came from under the hoop and seven came from midrange. Most of those shots came off the dribble, as Bean hid slashed around the court and hid behind the taller Warrior forwards before jumping and releasing the shot.

&#8220That's the difference between the Jesse Bean from last year and the Jesse Bean from this year,” Marvel said. &#8220Jesse Bean last year was perimeter-kick, perimeter-take the layup or shoot the three. Now he has a midrange game.”

Marvel said during the offseason, the Wasilla coaching staff harped on Bean to add the mid-range shot to his game.

&#8220(We told him) get that mid-range jumper and you're going to be a pretty dynamite player,” Marvel said. &#8220And everything today came from that range.”

While the defense was stout and Bean was steady, the Wasilla bench proved to be a difference maker.

Guards Jeremiah Collins and Dexter Pearce were each tagged with their fourth foul within the first two minutes of the second half. Both played sparingly in the second half, and in their absence, senior Jack Troshynski and juniors Shane Green and Tyler Johannes all logged quality minutes.

&#8220Tyler, that's one of the best games he's had,” Marvel said. &#8220Jack did a really nice job, and Shane too.”

Green and Johannes each scored eight points, while Troshynski added six. All three played solid on the defensive end.

&#8220I think that was the biggest part of the game,” Bean said. &#8220Our bench play. They came in and didn't miss a beat.”

Johannes hit a pair of big three points to help Wasilla extend leads.

Green was 6-of-8 from the foul line in the final three quarters.

Troshynski sparked the Warriors with his energetic and untamed play on defense.

&#8220He's my favorite to play with,” Bean said of Troshynski. &#8220Just the energy he brings.”

Troshynski - a player Marvel dubs a &#8220Jack of all trades” - even pulled out a few nifty offensive moves.

&#8220I don't know where those came from,” Bean said with a laugh.

Colton Lauwers, who led the Lynx with 15 points, pumped in an early three as Dimond took a 5-0 lead in the first quarter. But Logan Williams followed with a rim-rattling dunk, that sparked a Warrior 11-2 run.

Wasilla took an eight-point lead into halftime, and led by as many as 20 in the second half.

The win caps a five-game stretch of nonconference games. Wasilla won three in Fairbanks earlier this month, and cruised past Chugiak on Wednesday.

Wasilla is now 18-3 overall, and riding a 13-game winning streak. The Warriors' lone loss to in-state competition came to the Lynx at the Prep Shootout.

The Warriors season concludes this week with games against Valley rivals Palmer and Colony.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.