Lynx edge Wasilla boys in 4A state title game

ANCHORAGE — In the 4A boys’ semifinals, Wasilla trailed Ketchikan by seven points at halftime. But the Warriors used a strong second half to prevail.

In the championship game, Wasilla once again faced a halftime deficit, trailing Dimond by eight at the break. And once again, the Warriors put together a strong second half.

But, ultimately, in the final, the Warriors fell just short.

Dimond sank four free throws in the final nine seconds of regulation, and held on for a 50-46 win over the Warriors in the ASAA/First National Bank 4A boys’ championships game Saturday night at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

“They made one more play than us,” Wasilla head coach Ryan Engebretsen said after the loss.

Wasilla junior Aeron Milliron hit a free throw with 12 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 46. But Dimond would also have its own opportunity at the line. After drawing a foul with nine seconds to go, Dimond’s Anthony Parker went 2 for 2 from the line to put the Lynx back on top. Kylan Osborne, who hit a key three with 1:08 left, cemented the win for the Lynx with a pair of free throws in the final seconds.

“The No. 1 and 2 in the state all year long,” Engebretsen said of the top-ranked Warriors and second-seeded Lynx. “When we came out, we knew it would take the entire 32 minutes. They made one more play.”

The late free throws by both squads were part of a back-and-forth fourth quarter. Dimond led by four entering the final frame, but Wasilla used big buckets by Milliron, Reilly Devine and Kobe Brown to take the lead. Millrion went to the basket to cut the Dimond advantage to a pair early in the quarter. After Parker pushed the Lynx lead back to four, Devine answered to cut it back to two.

Milliron hit a three-pointer to cut Dimond’s lead to a point, and Brown drove to the basket to give Wasilla the 41-40 advantage with four minutes left in the fourth.

“The kids did a great job of climbing all the way back, and we got it to where we wanted to be,” Engebretsen said.

Milliron led the Warriors with 14 points on 6 of 10 shooting in the loss. Devine collected 11 points and eight rebounds. Brown had 10 points on 3 of 4 shooting. He was also 4 of 4 from the free throw line.

Isaac Houck added eight points to his game-high 10 rebounds.

“The kids battled, played hard, played with a lot of trust,” Engebretsen said.

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

Dimond 50, Wasilla 46

4A boys title game

Saturday, Anchorage

Dimond 9-18-9-14—50

Wasilla 6-13-13-14—46

Dimond (50) — Heim 1 0-0 2, Gates-Magnuson 1 0-0 3, Sherman 1 0-0 3, Osborne 3 2-2 11, Parker 3 5-7 11, Boese 2 0-0 4, Moore 1 0-0 3, Horning 1 3-4 5, Tufaga 1 0-0 2, Jenkins 3 0-0 6; Totals: 17 10-13 50.

Wasilla (46) — Brown 3 4-4 10, Headdings 0 3-4 3, Devine 5 1-2 11, Houck 1 6-7 8, Milliron 4 4-6 14; Totals: 13 18-23 46.

3-point field goals: Dimond 6 (Osborne 3), Wasilla 2 (Milliron 2); Total fouls: Dimond 16, Wasilla 14.