Colony boys fall short of state title game

ANCHORAGE — East Anchorage three-pointers fell throughout the night, and Colony fell just short in its bid for the program’s first trip to the 4A state title game since 2007.

The Thunderbirds drained 11 three-pointers en route to a 62-61 win over the Knights during the ASAA/First National Bank 4A State Championships semifinals Friday night at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage.

Despite East’s continous success from behind the arc and a double-digit lead in the third quarter, Colony was within reach of its fourth state title game appearance in school history.

Senior Hunter Eisenhower scored six of his game-high 26 points during the final two minutes of regulation. The second-team all-state guard drove the baseline to the basket to cut East’s lead to 62-61 with eight seconds left in the fourth. After a missed Thunderbird free throw and an Antonio Bush rebound with six seconds left, Colony had a final chance for the go-ahead shot. But a late, long, three-point attempt fell short of the rim.

Eisenhower scored 13 points in the fourth and senior Joe Gray added five during the final period, as the Knights shaved the 10-point advantage East took into the final quarter.

The T-Birds built and kept their lead with the three-point shot. East nailed at least three attempts from beyond the arc during each of the first three quarters, hitting 10 of 17 heading into the fourth quarter.

Xavier Johnson finished with a trio of three-pointers and led the T-Birds with a team-high 15 points. Desmond Johnson, Jarred Laws and Travon Brackett had two three-pointers each.

Desmond Johnson added 14 points, and Brackett added 11.

East shot 55 percent from behind the arc, and 48 percent from the field in the win.

Colony also shot the ball well, hitting seven three-pointers and shooting 47 from the field. The Knights outrebounded the T-Birds nearly 2-to-1 in the loss. Bush, a Colony junior, was outstanding on the boards, finishing with 16 rebounds in the loss. Bush had as many rebounds as the T-Birds, nine, through the first half.

Colony will play West Anchorage in the third-place game Saturday at 10:40 a.m. at the Sullivan Arena.

East 62, Colony 61

ASAA 4A state semifinals

Friday, Sullivan Arena

East 16-21-16-9—62

Colony 13-18-12-18—61

East (62) — D. Johnson 3 6-9 14, X. Johnson 6 0-0 15, Laws 3 0-0 8, Brackett 3 3-3 11, Gomez 1 0-0 3, Hardwick 1 1-2 3, Huss 3 1-3 8; Totals: 20 11-17 62.

Colony (61) — West 1 0-0 2, Gray 4 0-0 10, Fulp 3 0-1 9, Menard 1 0-0 2, Umbarger 4 0-0 8, Bush 2 0-0 4, Eisenhower 9 6-6 26; Totals: 24 6-7 61.

Three-point field goals: East 11 (X. Johnson 3), Colony 7 (Fulp 3); Total fouls: East 16, Colony 14.