Buzzer-beaters bounce Moose

KODIAK — On Friday night, the Palmer Moose stood seconds away from the third straight trip to the state tournament.

On Saturday morning, the Moose stood stunned, faced with the reality of a long trip home.

The Kenai Kardinals used a baseline jumper on their final possession of regulation to edge the Moose 46-45 during the consolation semifinal round of the Northern Lights Conference Championships basketball tournament at Kodiak High School.

Kenai was the second team in less than 15 hours to beat Palmer with a buzzer-beater. Soldotna’s score with one second left in regulation Friday gave the Stars a 39-37 win over the Moose during the championship semifinals.

“We played three tough ones,” Palmer head coach Jason Marvel said of his team, which opened tournament play with a 44-42 overtime win over Homer.

On Friday, with a spot in the NLC title game and an automatic bid to the state tourney on the line, Palmer led Soldotna 37-34 with a minute to go.

Blaine Carver tied the score for the Stars with a three-pointer from the left corner, and following a Palmer turnover, Soldotna was able to drain the clock with one last possession.

Soldotna senior Liam Andrus gave the Stars the victory when he pulled down an offensive rebound and laid the put-back in with one second left.

Palmer seniors Mitch Swetzof and Jake Hillis combined for 23 of Palmer’s 37 points, and the Moose used a 12-7 third-quarter run to erase a halftime deficit and pull within reach of the NLC title game.

“It was a great game. The guys did everything right to beat those guys,” Marvel said. “Unfortunately, they came up just short.”

Swetzof led the Moose with 12 points in the loss. Hillis added 11 and Sean Niekamp chipped in eight.

Marvel said the combination of his team’s fatigue and Kenai’s play on defense contributed in the Moose loss to Kenai, which ended Palmer’s season.

“There was definitely an emotional letdown,” Marvel said. “Defensively, (Kenai) was really good. They shut us down completely.”

The Kardinals held Swetzof to just two points on Saturday, but points actually put the Moose ahead during the final minute of regulation.

After Palmer trailed by as much as seven with three minutes to go, Swetzof took a fastbreak to the basket to give Palmer the 45-44 lead with 30 seconds to go.

Much like Soldotna on Friday, Kenai was able to cash in during the final seconds of regulation against the Moose.

The Kardinals held Swetzof and Hillis to 11 points in the loss, but a pair of younger players stepped up for the Moose.

Junior Brennan Bohman scored 11 points and Niekamp, a sophomore, scored a game-high 12.

“They did a nice job,” Marvel said. “Niekamp’s been solid and Brennan did some nice things out there.”

Although the back-to-back losses eliminated Palmer from tourney play and the Moose will miss the state tournament for the first time since 2006, Marvel said he’s very happy with what his squad has accomplished this season.

“I’m very proud of my guys,” Marvel said. “They’ve come a long way this season. And its been a tough season.”

Palmer battled through ups and downs. The Moose recorded notable regular season wins over Colony and Wasilla, and were within reach of advancing to their first NLC title game since Palmer won the conference crown in 2004.

But Palmer also had to battle through an 0-6 start and the loss of start Shaq Odom to a season-ending injury late in the year.

“There’s been a tremendous amount of adversity,” Marvel said. “But I think the guys are better for it.”

Palmer will graduate four players this year — Hillis, Swetzof, Odom and guard David Van Hoomissen.

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

Kenai 46, Palmer 45

NLC consolation semifinals

Saturday, Kodiak High School

Kenai (46) — Rabung 5, Hull 12, Kiefer 2, Spalding 6, Lazaro 12, Barnes 2, Bisset 7.

Palmer (45) — Fulmer 5, Hillis 9, Swetzof 2, Bohman 11, Montgomery, Niekamp 12, C. Odom 6.

Soldotna 39, Palmer 37

NLC championship semifinals

Friday, Kodiak High School

Palmer 7 9 12 9 — 37

Soldotna 10 13 7 9 — 39

Palmer (37) — Titus 1, Hillis 11, Swetzof 12, Bohman 2, Niekamp 8, C. Odom 3.

Soldotna (39) — Hahn 3, Blossom 4, Grubb 6, Carver 7, Aberkane 2, Geller 2, Bauder 2, Andrus 13.