Knights win tandem titles at tourney

PALMER — As temperatures struggle to hit double digits in Alaska, it’s always nice to spend some time someplace warmer. But it’s even better when you’re winning basketball games while you’re at it.

Players from a pair of Colony basketball teams have enjoyed both.

The Colony boys and girls basketball squads each won their respective brackets during the Cactus Jam Phoenix Hoop Classic in Scottsdale, Ariz., on Thursday.

The Colony boys used a 56-47 win over Bolsa Grande, a team from Anehiem, Calif., to win the tournament’s Boys Jam division. The Colony girls scored their Girls Jam title with a 42-26 win over Erie Central of Erie, Pa.

Colony sophomores Hunter Eisenhower and Mary Klapperich were named the most valuable players of the boys and girls tournaments respectiviely.

“We’re getting better and better every game,” Colony boys head coach Tom Berg said by phone of his team, which improved to 3-3. “They’re learning, figuring out their roles on this team. They’re doing really, really well.”

Berg called the wins true team efforts. Eisenhower stood out and senior Payton McCann played himself onto the all-tournament team. But seniors Kenyon DePriest, Blake Niver and Tanner Enloe were also key to victory.

Colony showed that team approach with balanced scoring during the nine-point win over the California team. Eisenhower scored 13 points and McCann, Niver and DePriest added 10 each.

The Knights opened with a 55-46 win over Harker (Calif.) and followed with a 55-40 victory over Saint Albert (Canada) in the event.

The Colony girls cruised to their team title, winning each of their three games by at least 24 points and a combined total of 121.

The Knights opened with a draw-dropping 80-20 win over Archbishop Oscar Romero and followed with a 65-28 win over Riverside of Vancouvar, British Colubmia, during the second day of the event.

Colony head coach Tom Lincoln said he beleives his team’s play during the first two days of the event led to a particular strategy used by the Knights’ third opponent.

“They came out on us and stalled,” Lincoln said by phone of Erie Central.

Lincoln said Erie held the ball for long possesions, sometimes as much as a minute, and used that approach to take an 11-4 lead into the second quarter. Colony, led by the shooting of Klapperich, used an 11-1 second-quarter run to take a 15-12 lead into the half.

During the second half, Colony quickly moved ahead and never looked back.

“We put a ton of defensive pressure on them and were able to pull them out of their stall,” Lincoln said.

Senior Kate Klapperich was also named all-tourney.

Houston boys top hosts

HAWAII — The Houston Hawks posted a 43-41 win over host St. Francis during the first day of the Merv Lopes Classic in Hawaii on Monday.

Scott Kramer posted 18 points and seven rebounds and Brett Lapham added nine points and five rebounds for the Hawks (1-0).

Houston is making its first trip outside in four years.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor at sports@frontiersman.com.