Dimond scores win over Wasilla in Lady Lynx final

WASILLA — Two tournament games. Two victories for the Dimond Lynx.

In another rematch of the last two 4A girls’ state title games, 2016 and 2017 runner-up Dimond scored another win over two-time defending state champion Wasilla. Alissa Pili used a 25-point, 14-rebound effort to lead the Lynx to a 60-46 victory over the Warriors during the championship final of the Dimond Lady Lynx Classic Saturday night at Dimond High School.

Angelline Nageak and Jahnna Hajdukovich added a dozen points each for the Lynx, who also bested the Warriors during Wasilla High’s Doc Larson Roundball Classic in December. Azlynn Brandenburg led Wasilla with 15 points. Point guard Olivia Davies notched a double-double with 10 points and 13 rebounds. Diondra Lawhead added 12 points and Cheyenne Green collected 10 rebounds.

The game marked Wasilla’s second straight meeting against a team that played for a 2017 Alaska state title. The Warriors beat defending 3A state champion ACS 55-33 in the semifinals. Dimond used two straight wins over Valley teams to win its own tournament. The Lynx beat Colony 80-51 in the semis.

Colony was forced to settle for fifth in the tournament’s gold bracket with a 51-45 loss to ACS in the third-place game.

Wasilla opened bracket play with a 69-45 win over West Valley. Colony beat Ketchikan 49-42 in the first round. Dimond walloped Barrow 68-35 in the quarters.

Palmer played in the tournament’s Maroon Bracket, and finished third. The Moose beat Northern Ligths Conference rival Soldotna 45-41 in the third-place game. Palmer dropped a 54-25 loss to West Anchorage in the semis, after opening bracket play with a 55-41 win over Thunder Mountain.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.