Knights rally to edge Stars in OT

ANCHORAGE — If you didn't expect overtime in Wednesday's 58-53 Colony boys win over Soldotna in the third-place game of the Class 4A state tournament, you just haven't been paying attention.

The Northern Lights Conference rivals had to go to an extra frame for the second time in as many games, with the Knights outlasting an exhausted Stars squad that went to overtime in all three of its state tourney games.

“We're identical teams,” said Colony coach Jeff Bowker, whose team claimed third place at state for the second time in three seasons. “We both have two guys that can score, we both have a big guy and we both have a lot of role players.”

The two teams also faced each other in the NLC tournament at Skyview High School, a game the Knights won by a nearly identical score — 59-54 — in overtime.

Senior point guard John Palmer led the Knights with 23 points and senior Scott Herman added 14 as Colony overcame a sluggish first half by outscoring the Stars by 26-12 down the stretch. Sophomore Jared Turner added eight points for Colony, which also got six rebounds from senior Hayden Summers.

Soldotna got 20 points from senior Boomer Blossom, but the hot-shooting guard went just 1-of-9 from behind the three point arc.

Soldotna coach Matt Johnson said the difference in the second half was Colony's pressure defense. The Knights forced 21 Soldotna turnovers, preventing the Stars from holding onto a lead that was as big as 12 points.

“We didn't take very good care of the ball, and that's conditioning,” said Soldotna coach Matt Johnson. “You can't prepare a team to play three straight overtime games.”

Soldotna opened the game on a 9-0 run as the Knights struggled from the floor, missing their first five shots before Herman broke the ice with a 15-foot jumper with 2:35 left in the first quarter. SoHi pushed its lead to as many as 10 points in the quarter, and Bowker wasn't happy. The Colony head man benched his starters for the final two minutes with the Stars taking a 14-6 lead into the second behind seven quick points from Boomer Blossom.

“These guys were frustrated early,” said Bowker of his team, which was coming off a lopsided loss to West the night before.

The Stars pushed their lead to 27-13 before the Knights finally showed some life with an 8-4 run heading into the break.

Palmer, in particular, had trouble getting going in the first half. He had more turnovers (3) than points (2) when Bowker pulled him out of the game for a quick pep talk midway through the second quarter.

It must have worked, as Palmer finally showed why he is the two-time NLC Player of the Year, knocking down back-to-back 3-pointers to cut the lead to 31-23 at halftime.

Bowker said he felt lucky to be trailing by only eight at the break.

“We had just played the six worst quarters in a row leading up to halftime,” he said.

Colony continued to whittle away at the lead in the second half, cutting the deficit to 37-32 heading into the fourth thanks to back-to-back scores from Herman and Turner.

Soldotna opened the fourth with two quick baskets before the Knights really came alive, putting together an 11-1 run and taking their first lead of the game after a pair of Palmer free throws made it 43-42 with just over two minutes to go.

“We finally realized it's just a game,” said Palmer.

After the teams traded free throws, SoHi's Dylon Story hit one of two to put the Stars up 45-43. Bowker called timeout to set up what turned out to be a brilliant in-bounds play, with Chris Ray hitting a backdoor-cutting

Palmer with a perfect feed from the sidelines. Palmer converted the lay-in, and after Story missed a 3-pointer at the buzzer, the Stars and Knights went to overtime for the second straight time.

“I thought our execution was really good down the stretch,” Bowker said.

Blossom had three shots at tying the game late in overtime, but all three of his efforts missed the mark, and Palmer hit a pair of free throws late to secure the Knights' second third place showing in three years. Bowker said he told his team at halftime that they had nothing to lose Wednesday, so they might as well try to win.

“Maybe in a week nobody cares what happened in the third place game, but for today it matters,” he said. “I told them, 'Lets enjoy today.'”

As much as Palmer struggled early, he was brilliant down the stretch, going 5-of-6 in overtime with no turnovers.

“That's what a senior point guard does,” Bowker said.

After leaving the locker room for the final time as a high school player, Palmer said the thing he'll miss most about about high school hoops are the friendships he made as a four-year starter for the Knights.

“It was emotional in there,” he said. “A lot of hugs going around.”

Bowker said that as hard as it is to lose his four seniors — Palmer, Herman, Summers and Ray — the remaining Knights already have their eye on a seventh straight state trip.

“Spring ball starts in a week and a half,” he said.

COLONY 58, SOLDOTNA 53 (OT)

4A boys’ third-place game

Wednesday, Sullivan Arena

Soldotna 14-17-6-8-8—53

Colony 6-17-9-13-13—58

SOLDOTNA (53) – Hahn 1 0-0 3, Story 1 3-5 5, Blossom 3 13-14 20, Carver 4 1-2 10, Stilchen 5 0-0 10, Smithwick 2 0-0 5. Totals – 16 17-21 53.

COLONY (58) – Eisenhower 0 3-4 3, Turner 2 4-6 8, McCann 1 0-0 2, Palmer 6 9-10 23, Herman 5 3-6 14, Niver 2 0-0 4, Depriest 0 0-1 0, Ray 1 0-0 2, Summers 1 0-1 2. Totals– 18 19-27 58.

3-point field goals – Soldotna 4 (Hahn, Blossom, Carver, Smithwick), Colony 3 (Palmer 2, Herman). Rebounds – Soldotna 24 (Blossom 7), Colony 27 (Summers 6). Assists – Soldotna 11 (Story 3), Colony 7 (Palmer 3). Fouled out – Carver. Total fouls – Soldotna 18, Colony 19.