Colony boys score win over Illinois school in West tourney

Eager to test themselves against an elite team from Chicago, the Colony Knights passed with flying colors after posting a resounding 53-45 Alaska Airlines Classic first-round tournament win Thursday night at West High.

Colony never trailed and ended the game on a 9-2 run over the final 3:25 to give coach Tom Berg his second career Classic win over a Lower 48 team.

Sullivan Menard (17 points) and Patrick McMahon (15 points) combined for 60 percent of the team’s total offensive production.

Their poise was pivotal for the Knights (15-2).

They weren’t the only stars, however, as Colony also got clutch 3-pointers from Kyle Dearborn and Colton Spencer.

Dearborn scored his only basket in the third quarter after St. Rita had pulled within single digits after having trailed by double figures for the entire first half.

Spencer scored from downtown in the fourth quarter to snap Colony’s 4-minute, 30-second scoring drought and kickstart the game-clinching run at the end.

The player of the game, however, was made by McMahon. With St. Rita trying to set up a final shot at the end of the third quarter, McMahon stole the ball, raced down the court and drained a 3-pointer to beat the buzzer and give Colony its largest lead at 44-29.

How would the Mustangs respond? By scoring the first 14 points of the fourth quarter, flexing that big-city muscle.

Connor Sevren scored his only bucket on a offensive rebound/put back combo that got St. Rita

as close as 44-43.

Javon Cooley (20 points) scored 14 of his team’s first 27 points and six of the final eight.

The loss snapped a five-game winning streak by St. Rita (15-6).

For St. Rita coach Gary DeCesare, it was the first time his team lost in three trips to Alaska. He had previously won the Classic with St. Raymond (NY) in 1989 and 1993.

St. Rita Mustangs (IL) 9 11 9 16 - 45

Colony Knights 23 9 12 9 - 53

St. Rita - Watts 4, Ihejirika 4, Serven 2, Millender 3, Henry 3, Posley 0, Oden 9, Cooley 20, Bartmann 0.

Colony - McMahon 15, Dearborn 3, Menard 17, Spencer 8, McPhail 2, Hersrud 6, Baker 2.

Alaska Airlines Classic: Teams from 907 hold their own

For the sixth time in the last seven years, an Alaska team has defeated an Outside team at the Classic.

And there are still two more days left.

Colony picked up The Last Frontier’s 11th win since 2013 on the first day of this year's tournament.

Here is a closer look at recent Alaska victories:

2019

Colony 53, St. Rita (IL) 45

2018

West Anchorage 74, Planet Athlete (AZ) 70

2017

West Anchorage 43, Rufus King (WI) 42

Chugiak 57, BC Christian (CAN) 55

2016

Colony 74, Longmont Christian (CO) 33

East Anchorage 65, Pro Vision (TX) 62

Barrow 72, Longmont Christian (CO) 41

2015

East Anchorage 84, East Hall (GA) 70

West Anchorage 56, Coral Academy (NV) 47

East Anchorage 68, Coral Academy (NV) 62

2013

Thunder Mountain 57, Northwood (LA) 56