Loss leaves Moose with mixed emotions

ANCHORAGE — Even when you want to look at the glass as half-full, it’s sometimes hard to not see it as half-empty.

The Palmer Moose entered the ASAA First National Bank 4A State Championships in a state of exuberance riding the momentum gained from three wins in a Northern Lights Conference tournament that followed a regular season in which they only scored three victories in 10 conference tries.

But Palmer’s enthusiasm as a state tourney qualifier was mixed with some disappointment Friday as Juneau-Douglas handed the Moose a 57-42 consolation semifinal defeat and eliminated Palmer after two tournament losses.

“We just don’t want to be happy going to the state tournament. We want to win the whole thing, just like everyone else,” Palmer head coach Greg Fullmer said after the loss. “But to get to the state tournament, as young as we were. We have only two returning players from last year’s team, and one of them hurt his knee.”

Unlike last season, Fullmer said, Palmer does not have a senior heavy squad and will return a nucleus of talent.

“Now they’re seasoned varsity guys. Next year will be the first time since I’ve been at Palmer that’ll we’ll have five or six returners,” said Fullmer, who has now been at the helm of Palmer boys basketball for four seasons.

But as promising as the future will be, Friday was much too soon for the Moose to look ahead.

“It’s something to look forward to, but I hate going two and out,” Palmer junior Bryce Jacobson said.

Jacobson fueled the Moose offensive attack early, scoring all of Palmer’s first 14 points and 14 of Palmer’s 16 first-half points.

“He did a great job tonight,” Fullmer said of Jacobson, who posted a game-high 17 points in the loss. “But 16 points is just not a lot of points for us in the first half.”

Jacobson scored the first four points of the game, hitting a pair of early jumpers, and gave Palmer the 8-6 lead with another jumper midway through the quarter.

The junior forward started the game 5-of-5 from the floor, and did not miss until their were 30 seconds remaining in the first quarter.

But other than Jacobson, Palmer failed to get the ball in the basket.

“We had some nice open looks, they just didn’t go,” Fullmer said. “We just didn’t shoot the ball very well tonight. We didn’t execute our offense.”

Senior Gabe Gatto — the only player not wearing Jacobson’s No. 34 to score for the Moose in the first half — added nine points in the game on 3-of-4 shooting. Gatto was also a perfect 3-of-3 from the free-throw line.

Juneau held Palmer guards Justin Draughon and T.J. Fullmer to five points each.

T.J. Fullmer, the lone returning starter from the Palmer team that qualified for state last season, was held scoreless until the 5:38 mark of the fourth

quarter.

Junior forward Eric Gross led the Crimson Bears with 15 points, while senior guard Ryan Larson added 11.

The Bears, who feature seven players taller than 6-foot-1, used size to their advantage in the win.

“At one point they had three big kids in,” Greg Fullmer said.

But even as the Bears used their size to wear down the Moose, Fullmer said his Moose continued to work to try to get something done.

“These Palmer High kids are just tough,” Fullmer said. “These kids never quit. I’m really proud of them.”

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.

Juneau-Douglas 57, Palmer 42

4A consolation semifinals

Friday, Sullivan Arena

Juneau 13-14-13-17—57

Palmer 10-6-18-8—42

Juneau (57) — Brinson 3 1-2 7, Mahar 0 1-2 1, Saviers 1 0-0 1, Grussendorf 1 1-1 5, Craig 1 0-0 2, Ibesate 2 0-0 5, Larson 3 2-2 11, Gross 7 1-1 15, Levale 4 1-1 9; Totals 23 6-8 57.

Palmer (42) — Draughon 1 2-2 5, Gatto 3 3-3 9, Hillis 1 0-0 2, Bergeron 1 0-0 2, Odom 1 0-0 2, Jacobson 7 3-6 17; Totals: 15 11-15 42.

Three-point field goals: Juneau 5 (Larson 3), Palmer 1 (Draughon 1); Rebounding: Juneau 40 (Levale 7), Palmer 34 (Jacobson 6); Assists: Juneau 11 (Larson 5), Palmer 9 (Odom 3);