Host Moose sweep MTA Showdown team titles

Kaelyn Downey saved her best for late in the game.

Downey hit a trio of threes and scored all nine of her points in the fourth quarter to help Palmer hold on to earn a 36-35 girls basketball win over Eagle River during the final day of the MTA Showdown tourney at Palmer High.

Downey scored nine of her team’s 12 points in the fourth. Palmer held a 24-19 lead heading into the final frame, but Eagle River put together a 16-point fourth. Gabby Polazzini provided the bulk of that, with 10 of her game-high 22 points. Polazzini was 8 of 12 from the free throw line in the final quarter.

Jasmine Hephner led Palmer with 11 points in the win.

The Palmer boys had an easier time, racing to a 66-32 win over Eagle River. Logan Johnson led Palmer with 15 points. Lukas Owen added 14.

Both the Palmer girls and boys teams finished 3-0 during the three-day tourney and won the Showdown team titles. Owen was named the tournament’s boys MVP. Johnson, Cooper Sparrow and Mattew Miller were also named all-tourney, along with Owen. Hephner, Maiah Bothwell and Kaylen Miller represented the Moose on the girls all-tourney team.

Palmer also swept Kotzebue and Hutchison during the tourney.

Hephner scored 16 points to lead the Moose to a 46-43 girls win over Kotzebue. Bothwell added a dozen.

The Palmer boys beat the Huskies 90-62. Owen scored 22 and Miller added 21. Johnson finished with 13.

Lilian Muilenburg used 12 to help the Palmer girls beat Hutchison 56-26. Hephner had 10.

Owen scored 20 in a 59-36 win over Hutchison.

Contact the Frontiersman at sports@frontiersman.com.