Heavenly heave

PALMER — Most of the prayers for Wasilla High School’s girls’ basketball team went unanswered Friday in a 46-27 loss to defending state champion Colony.

But it was the prayer that was answered — an 83-foot desperation heave from Wasilla senior Jenna Johnson — that brought local hoops worshipers to their feet.

What could be the play of the year for local prep sports came with one second left in the third quarter with Colony defending its home court. The Knights were in control, leading the rival Warriors 34-13 when Johnson received an inbound pass and launched the ball the length of the court. The silence of the packed Colony gymnasium was interrupted by the buzzer signaling the end of the quarter. Another second later, the crowd exploded as Johnson’s full-court shot ripped the chords of the net.

“Wow,” said an admiring Colony head coach Don Witzel after the game. “That shot, just wow. That’s a Sports Center highlight if I ever saw one.”

Nobody was more surprised than Johnson that her full-court Hail Mary went through the hoop. Johnson said she didn’t expect the shot to score, but she knew the shot had hit home when the crowd erupted.

“I wasn’t looking,” she said. “Everybody else’s reaction helped me have a reaction on the court.”

Although frustrated with a loss and a game dominated much of the way by Colony, Wasilla head coach Jeannie Herbert-Traux couldn’t help but smile about Johnson’s miracle shot.“I taught her that,” the coach quipped.

Johnson backed up her coach, saying Herbert-Traux “taught me everything I know.”

While Wasilla was relishing a once-in-a-lifetime play, the Colony girls continued their roll through the Northern Lights Conference. The Knights, 14-2 overall, are undefeated at 7-0 in league play. Against the rival Warriors, it was Colony’s stifling defense that set an early tone and put the game out of reach by halftime.

Johnson scored the first points of the game with a three-pointer, but Colony answered with a 10-0 run and never looked back. The Knights led 15-7 after the first quarter (all seven points for Wasilla scored by Johnson), then clamped down to hold the Warriors scoreless in the second quarter and lead 26-7 at the break.

Johnson finished with a game-high 21 points.

Colony’s full-court defensive press set the table and took Wasilla out of its rhythm, Witzel said.

The Knights got an immediate offensive spark from senior forward Allie Grazulis, who scored 12 of her team-high 16 points in the first half. Senior post Alex Coon also broke double figures for Colony with 12.

“We like to get out and pressure from the beginning,” he said. “It gets us going hard.”

It was that hard, physical pressure that also was a frustration for Herbert-Traux.

“They put a lot of pressure on us,” she said. “If you’re allowed to hand-check and nothing’s called, it’s difficult.”

Although Colony controlled much of the game, Johnson’s shot seemed to energize the Wasilla squad, which elevated its play to make a run to start the fourth quarter that cut what was a game-high 22-point lead for the Knights to 13. Colony led 34-12 near the end of the third quarter when Wasilla hit a late free throw and Johnson’s prayer. Johnson hit another three-pointer to start the fourth quarter.

Wasilla didn’t quit and showed grit in the loss, Herbert-Traux said.

“At that point, finally we were having fun,” she said. “They’re a good team, but we did make them put their starters back in the game.”

Colony was challenged during the Warriors’ late run, coach Witzel said.

“They played hard the entire game,” he said of Wasilla. “We were running some different kids into the game and we got out of sync.”

It wasn’t until the Knights put their experienced players back in that Colony was able to stem Wasilla’s comeback attempt, he said.

Contact Greg Johnson at greg.johnson@frontiersman.com or 352-2269.

Colony 46, Wasilla 27

Wasilla 7-0-7-11—27

Colony 15-11-8-12—46

Wasilla (27) — Apangolook 1 1-1 3, Naczi 0 0-2 0, Johnson 5 8-9 21, Troisi 1 0-0 2, Cottle 0 1-2 1.

Colony (46) — Hamann 1 2-2 4, Garrod 0 0-2 0, Klapperich 1 4-4 6, Bowker 1 0-0 2, Grazulis 6 4-5 16, Coon 5 2-4 12, Eienhower 2 0-0 4, Larson 2 0-0 4.

Three-point field goals: Wasilla 3 (Johnson 3), Colony 0; Team fouls: Wasilla 16, Colony 15.