Jamboree tips off hoops season

WASILLA -- Local prep basketball enthusiasts got their Christmas wish during the weekend as the local high school hoops season tipped off with the annual Wasilla Jamboree.

Twelve teams from seven schools gathered at Wasilla High School Dec. 13-14 for the hoops extravaganza.

Boys' and girls' teams for Colony, Houston, Palmer, Service and Wasilla, in addition to a girls' squad from Grace Christian and a boys' team from Heritage Christian, participated in the event.

The Jamboree was a bit different than the average tourney, consisting of a rapid-fire, round-robin format with five rounds worth of six-minute games.

Each of the shortened games utilized all of the normal high school basketball rules. The major difference, other than the length of the games, was that overtime periods were sudden death, or sudden victory as Wasilla activities principal Dan Michael likes to call it. In other words, first score in the extra period wins.

And though they were only six-minute contests, the games did not lack excitement. Fans witnessed several upsets, close contests and even a few buzzer beaters.

On the girls' end, Palmer's Emily Bolling hit an overtime trey to defeat Houston 12-9.

The Hawk girls were stung by sudden death not once, but twice.

Grace Christian School's Stephanie Christiansen sank an overtime three-pointer to sink the Hawks 9-6.

On the boys' side, Houston's Peter Clemens hit the trifecta at the buzzer to tie Service 8-8 and force the Cougars into overtime. Taylor Richey hit an overtime free-throw to lead the Hawks over the Cougars 9-8. The win over the Cougars was one of two wins for the 3A Hawks over a 4A school in the tournament.

Houston also knocked off Colony 12-10.

"These are only six-minute games, but it shows we can get out there and play with them," Houston boys' head coach Thad Schumacher said.

Palmer and the host Warriors finished atop the boys' standings with 4-1 records in the Jamboree. Houston and Colony each finished 3-2, Service was 1-4 and Heritage finished 0-5.

Wasilla was the lone team to beat Palmer, while Colony edged the Warriors for their only defeat.

The Knight girls' finished a perfect 5-0 to place first in the girls' standings. Colony upset Wasilla, the runner-up in last year's state tournament, 13-9.

Wasilla finished second with a 4-1 record, Service was 3-2, Palmer finished 2-3, Grace Christian was 1-4 and Houston was 0-5 in the round-robin event.

"This was a good opportunity to get out there and play against someone other than ourselves," Palmer girls' head coach Lyle Busbey said. "It gives us a little peek. We can get a look at the personnel, but teams don't give too much away."