Free throws secure victory

ANCHORAGE — Sometimes you just have to leave it up to your seniors. Or in Wasilla’s case — senior.

Shelby Fulton, the lone senior on the Wasilla squad, was 10-for-12 from the free-throw line during the final two minutes of regulation and led the Warriors to a 57-47 win over the Juneau-Douglas Crimson Bears during first-round action at the ASAA First National Bank 4A State Championships at West Anchorage High School.

The defending state champions now move into the semifinal round where they will face Cook Inlet Conference champion Chugiak at 5:10 p.m. today at the Sullivan Arena.

Fulton’s clutch shooting at the free-throw line and late defensive pressure helped the Warriors top the team they also beat to win the 2007 state title.

“The kids did great,” Wasilla head coach Jeannie Hebert-Truax said. “We switched to the zone right there at the end, and we stopped them. They had a couple turnovers right there at the end that hurt them.”

Junior Jenna Johnson scored a game-high 24 for the Warriors, and Fulton added 12.

Although Johnson and Fulton, the only two varsity regulars who remain from the 2007 state title winning squad, scored nearly half her team’s points, Hebert-Truax also credited the play of a couple underclassmen.

Sophomore Carlee Naczi scored 11 points for Wasilla, and fellow sophomore Skyler Nuss provided key play on defense.

“I think Carlee was huge for us. She made some backdoor layups; she made some free throws for us,” Hebert-Truax said. “And I think Skyler Nuss was also big. They both did some good things.”

Wasilla trailed early in the game — down by as much as six points in the first quarter — but used a 10-0 second-quarter run to take the lead.

Freshman Celeste Colegrove scored four of her eight points on Wasilla’s first two possessions of the third quarter, getting a pair of easy layups that were set up by long passes.

After the Colegrove buckets, the Warriors would not trail again.

Hebert-Truax said the key to keeping the lead was controlling the tempo and playing patient.

“When we slowed it down and did what we wanted to do, I think it went our way,” Hebert-Truax said.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Wasilla 57, Juneau-Douglas 47

4A state quarterfinals

Thursday, West Anchorage High School

Juneau 12-13-10-12—47

Wasilla 10-15-13-19—57

Juneau (47) — Tingley 0 5-6 5, B. Fenumiai 3 0-2 7, Brakes 1 0-0 2, Harrison 2 0-0 5, Tarver 2 0-0 4, Larson 4 1-1 9, N. Fenumiai 6 3-3 15; Totals: 18 9-12 47.

Wasilla (57) — Fulton 1 10-12 12, Naczi 4 3-6 11, Johnson 9 5-5 24, Colegrove 4 0-0 8; Totals: 19 18-23 57.

Three-point field goals: Juneau 2 (B. Fenumiai, Harrison 1), Wasilla 1 (Johnson 1); Rebounding: Juneau 32 (Tingley 7), Wasilla 30 (Johnson 8); Assists: Juneau 9 (Tingley 4), Juneau 10 (Fulton 5); Steals Juneau 2 (Tingley, B. Fenumiai 1), Wasilla 8 (Johnson 3); Total fouls: Juneau 18, Wasilla 12.