Hawks fly past hosts at Grace Christian Classic

ANCHORAGE — Savanna James showed the Grace Christian Grizzlies something the Houston Hawks have known for the last four years.

James has the ability to take over a game on any night.

The Houston senior, who will play college basketball at Division II Black Hills State next year, scored a game-high 31 points to lead the Hawks to a 52-36 win over the host Grizzlies during the second day of the Grace Christian Classic Friday in Anchorage.

James scored nine of her team’s first 13 points as the Hawks started on a 13-1 run. She hit a dozen shots from the floor, including a three-pointer in the third quarter, and was 6 for 10 from the free-throw line.

Victoria Baybado added 10 points in the win, and was 6 of 8 from the line. Jenae Shannon chipped in seven points, and Shanna Barber added four.

The Kotzebue Huskies slipped past Houston 42-31 on Saturday.

James led the Hawks again, this time posting 21 points against the Huskies. The senior scored 10 of her team’s 12 fourth-quarter points. Baybado and Teddy Irvin added four points each.

The Houston boys also scored a big win over the host Grizzlies on Friday.

The Hawks trailed by a dozen at halftime, but used 39 second-half points to score the win. Scott Kramer was the lone Houston player to hit double-digits, scoring 10. But Phillip Pease, Theo Stone and Russ Ruta added nine points each.

Houston drilled five of its six three-pointers in the second half. Nai Saecho hit a pair of threes in the fourth quarter.

On Saturday, Houston suffered a 70-51 loss to Soldotna.

Houston girls 52, Grace 36

Grace Christian Classic

Friday, Anchorage

Houston 13-7-13-19—52

Grace 1-12-4-19—36

Houston (52) — James 12 6-10 31, Baybado 2 6-8 10, Shannon 1 5-8 7, Barber 2 0-0 4; Totals: 17 17-26 52

Grace (36) — Dupea 1 0-0 2, Baird 1 12- 3, Todd 2 1-2 5, Eckman 4 3-6 12, Birky 2 2-7 6, Viergutz 1 3-3 6, Johnson 1 0-0 2; Totals: 12 10-20 36.

Three-point field goals: Houston 1 (James 1), Grace 2 (Eckman, Viergutz 1); Total fouls: Houston 21, Grace 19.

Kotzebue girls 42, Houston 31

Grace Christian Classic

Saturday, Anchorage

Houston 8-2-9-12—31

Kotzebue 6-11-12-13—42

Houston (31) — Belanger 1 0-0 2, James 10 0-1 21, Baybado 2 0-2 4, Shannon 0 0-4 0, Irvin 2 0-0 4; Totals: 15 0-7 31.

Kotzebue (42) — Sampson 0 0-2 0, Kenworthy 7 3-6 18, Nanouk 3 0-0 6, Sue 2 5-7 9, Snyder 3 0-0 9; Totals: 15 8-15 42.

Three-point field goals: Houston 1 (James 1), Kotzebue 4 (Snyder 3); Total fouls: Houston 12, Kotzebue 8.

Houston boys 55, Grace 49

Grace Christian Classic

Friday, Anchorage

Houston 7-9-17-22—55

Grace 10-18-8-13—49

Houston (55) — M. Barron 1 0-1 2, Saecho 2 0-0 6, Krmaer 4 1-2 10, Ruta 2 3-4 9, Richey 2 1-2 5, Kleewien 2 0-0 5, Stone 4 1-1 9, Pease 2 5-7 9; Totals: 19 11-17 55.

Grace (49) — Boerger 1 0- 1, Offord 2 2-2 8, Bouman 6 0-0 15, Thomas 3 0-0 7, Karlberg 3 3-3 10, McGlaughlin 1 0-0 2, Harrison 1 0-0 2, Markel 1 1-2 3; Totals: 18 6-8 49.