First-half surge paces Colony to first-round win

ANCHORAGE — Pherrari Brumbaugh may not be the first player opponents consider when they think Colony basketball.

But chances are the Soldotna Stars won’t be forgetting Brumbaugh’s name anytime soon. The senior hit a trio of key three-pointers and scored a game-high 13 points to lead the Colony Knights to a 53-33 win over the Soldotna Stars during the first round of the ASAA/First National Bank 4A State Basketball Championships at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage on Friday.

“It was great to watch her finally shoot the ball and hit some shots for us,” Colony head coach Tom Lincoln said after the win.

Throughout the 2010-11 season, Brumbaugh has stood out for the Knights, Lincoln said, but not necessarily on the score sheet. She might be a player teams have overlooked, Lincoln said.

“If she shot like this every time, more people would see and respect her,” Lincoln said.

Brumbaugh shot 5 of 8 from the floor and 3 of 4 from beyond the arc to lead the Knights to the win and into a semifinal round matchup with defending state champion Juneau-Douglas.

Soldotna led early, but the Brumbaugh-led Knights used a second-quarter rally to jump over the Stars and into the semis.

After the Stars took an 11-5 lead into the second quarter, Colony used a 7-3 run to tie the game at 14.

Brumbaugh hit her first long ball of the contest midway through second quarter to tie the game at 14. Brumbaugh’s shot also allowed the Knights to immediately answer Soldotna senior Jessie Duke’s three-pointer.

Brumbaugh added another trey later in the frame to push Colony’s lead to 21-16.

“Those were huge shots,” Lincoln said.

Sisters Mary and Kate Klapperich teamed up on a six-point run early in the second quarter that tied the game at 11. Mary, a sophomore, went to the basket just inside the second quarter, got the bucket, drew the foul and hit the free throw to complete the three-point play. Kate, a senior, followed with a three-pointer at the 7:34 mark of the fourth to tie the score.

The Knights led by 25-21 at the half, but extended their lead to seven points with five minutes left in the third with a long Brumbaugh jumper. Brumbaugh hit another three-pointer two minutes later, and back-to-back Saige Stefanski layups extended Colony’s lead, giving the Knights some breathing room.

Colony 53, Soldotna 33

4A state quarterfinals

Thursday, Sullivan Arena

Colony 5-20-14-14—53

Soldotna 11-10-6-6—33

Colony (53) – M. Klapperich 3 1-1 7, K. Klapperich 2 1-2 7, Brumbaugh 5 0-0 13, Michaelson 0 1-2 1, Menard 3 0-0 6, Stefanski 4 0-0 8, Leigh 2 3-6 7, Forstner 2 0-0 4; Totals: 21 6-11 53.

Soldotna (33) – Kress 0 2-2 2, Benson 1 2-5 4, Skjold 3 2-5 8, Duke 2 1-2 6, Satathite 5 3-5 13; Totals: 11 10-19 33.

Three-point field goals: Colony 5 (Brumbaugh 3), Soldotna 1 (Duke 1); Total fouls: Colony 18, Soldotna 10.