Colony boys begin tough stretch with win

PALMER — Following a demanding span that included four tough Northern Lights Conference games in eight days, the Colony Knights earned a well-deserved 10 days off. But Wednesday night, the Knights headed back into another tough stretch.

In the first of their four games in four straight days, the Knights scored a 57-46 nonconference win over Thunder Mountain at Colony High School on Wednesday.

Senior Payton McCann and sophomore Hunter Eisenhower combined to score 10 of Colony’s 17 first-quarter points to help spark the Knights and begin their four-day run, which includes three games in the Interior.

Colony jumped to a 17-12 lead and held an 11-point lead at halftime thanks in part to a flurry of first-half offensive rebounds.

“We pursed the ball terrific tonight,” Colony head coach Tom Berg said after the win. “I thought Kenyon (DePriest), Payton and Hunter especially were really active on both the offensive and defensive glass.”

Eisenhower led the Knights with a game-high 16 points. McCann scored 12 and sophomore Nathan Umbarger chipped in eight.

Many of Colony’s opportunities in the first half came off second, and sometimes third, chances.

“We always preach extra possessions and extra shots,” Berg said. “We were able to get extra touches. Most of our offensive rebounds led to easier buckets.”

The Knights even had four offensive rebounds that set up a score.

Freshman Matt Seymour hit a trio of three-pointers and led Thunder Mountain, a second-year varsity program from the Juneau area, with 15 points. Thunder Mountain post Sam Jahn scored eight of his 10 points in the second half. After competing in a pair of holiday tournaments, Colony started the month of January with the four NLC games in eight days. Colony scored wins over Palmer and Kenai, and suffered losses to Wasilla and Soldotna. Berg said it was good for his athletes to have a break after that tough run.

“They were able to do the things that make them better basketball players,” Berg said. “Watch a little tape, (we could) talk to them about what they’re doing well, talk to them about what they need to do better. Obviously when you play night after night after night, you don’t get the chance to do that.”

North Pole beat Colony 54-48 on Thursday.. Eisenhower scored a game-high 17. The Knights hit West Valley today and Lathrop on Saturday.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/matsu_sports.

Colony 57, Thund. Mountain 46

Wednesday, Colony High

Thunder Mountain 12-7-15-12—46

Colony 17-13-13-14—57

Thunder Mountain (46) – Ainsworth 3 4-6 11, V. Tupou 0 1-2 1, Seymour 4 4-4 15, Grussendorf 1 0-0 3, Jones 1 0-2 2, B. Jahn 2 0-3 4, S. Jahn 5 0-3 10; Totals: 16 9-20 46.

Colony (57) – Turner 3 0-0 6, McCann 5 2-2 12, Campbell 1 0-0 2, Enloe 1 0-0 2, Eisenhower 7 0-0 16, Peletier 2 0-0 5, Michaelson 1 0-0 2, DePriest 2 0-0 4, Umbarger 4 0-1 8; Totals: 26 2-3 57.

Three-point field goals: Thunder Mountain 5 (Seymour 3), Colony 3

(Eisenhower 2); Total fouls: Thunder Mountain 9, Colony 16.