Palmer boys stay alive in state tourney

ANCHORAGE — Of the three Valley teams in the consolation semifinal round, one is left standing.

Palmer stayed alive in the boys’ bracket with a 45-36 victory over the West Valley Wolfpack Friday morning at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

Palmer senior Michael Kluting used a monster effort to help propel the Moose into the fourth-place game where they will face Bartlett Saturday at 11:20 a.m. at Service High School.

Kluting, playing in his final weekend with the Moose, collected 29 points and 17 rebounds, both game highs. He shot 12 of 22 from the field, including 10 of 15 from inside the arc. As a team, West Valley had only three more rebounds than Kluting.

The Moose trailed after three quarters, but capped the win with a 19-5 fourth-quarter run. The teams were tied at 15 at halftime, and West Valley led 31-26 after three quarters.

Sophomore Clayton Southwick added eight points in the victory.

The Moose defense held West Valley to 4 of 21 shooting from three-point range.

Daniel Hornbuckle led West Valley with a dozen.

The match featured a pair of conference champions. Palmer won the Northern Lights and West Valley captured the mid-Alaska title.

Bartlett spoiled any hope of an all-Valley fourth-place game with a 63-47 win over Wasilla earlier in the morning.

Bartlett broke the game open with a 26-10 second-quarter run. The teams were tied at 12 at the end of the first quarter.

Junior Isaac Houck led Wasilla with 12 points in the loss. Junior Kobe Brown and freshman Daniel Headdings added 10 points each. Houck also pulled down a game-high nine rebounds.

Kage Freelove and Latravlaus Kingsland led the Golden Bears with 14 points each. Bentiu Panoam added 13 for Bartlett.

In the girls’ consolation semifinals, East Anchorage eliminated Colony with a 61-47 win over the Knights.

Senior Chase Stephens capped her prep basketball career with a team-high 17 points. Sophomore Alex Carlton added 11.

Palmer 45, West Valley 36

4A boys’ consolation semifinals

Friday, Anchorage

West Valley 7-8-16-5—36

Palmer 5-10-11-19—45

West Valley (36) — Kinsey 4 0-0 11, Mingo 1 0-0 2, Winfrey 1 0-2 2, Garcia 1 0-0 3, Burgess 1 0-0 2, Joyner 2 0-0 4, Hornbuckle 6 0-0 12; Totals: 14 2-4 36.

Palmer (45) — Hughes-Duffy 1 0-0 2, Martin 1 0-0 2, Ferris 1 0-0 2, Witz 1 0-0 2, Southwick 3 2-2 8, Kluting 12 3-5 29; Totals: 19 5-7 45.

Bartlett 63, Wasilla 47

4A boys’ consolation semifinals

Friday, Anchorage

Wasilla 12-10-14-11—47

Bartlett 12-26-13-12—63

Wasilla (47) — Brown 3 1-2 10, Headdings 3 2-4 10, Devine 2 3-4 7, Houck 4 4-4 13, Milliron 2 1-2 8; Totals: 16 11-16 47.

Bartlett (63) — Panoam 6 0-0 13, Freelove 4 3-4 14, Kingsland 5 1-2 14, Camacho 2 0-0 5, Trailer 2 0-0 4, Falaniko 3 0-0 8, Baranier 1 0-0 2, Falaniko 1 1-2 3; Totals: 22 5-10 63.

East Anchorage 61, Colony 47

4A girls’ consolation semifinals

Friday, Anchorage

Colony 13-11-5-18—47

East 14-16-19-12—61

Colony (47) — A. Smith 3 1-2 7, Clary 1 1-2 3, Stephens 7 1-1 17, Steiner 1 0-4 2, Carlton 5 3-4 16, E. Smith 1 0-0 2; Totals: 18 6-13 47.

East (61) — Villerreal 2 0-1 5, Jordan 1 0-0 2, Joubert 1 0-0 2, Robinson 3 1-4 7, Kidder 6 0-2 14, Richard 2 0-1 4, Voliva 4 5-7 15, Houser 1 2-4 4, Hines 1 6-7 8; Totals: 21 14-26 61.