Palmer eliminates Skyview boys from tournament

PALMER — For the Palmer Moose, it’s all about surviving to see another day.

“Every second could be our last,” Justin Draughon, one of four Palmer seniors, said Friday.

But with a convincing win over the Skyview Panthers, the Moose assured themselves another day.

Palmer used a 64-39 win over the Skyview Panthers to move into the consolation semifinals of the Northern Lights Conference basketball tournament. The Moose are now consecutive wins away from a spot in the state tournament for the second consecutive season.

The Moose were forced to rebound after a tough first-round loss to Kenai Central on Thursday. But the Moose hoped to gain momentum by working through the consolation bracket.

“Most definitely,” Draughon said.

Draughon said the Moose can use that to their advantage.

“Use whatever we can to get the ‘W’,” the senior said.

And the Moose certainly know something about working their way through the backside of the bracket.

That’s exactly what Palmer did last year.

Palmer won back-to-back games on the final day of the 2007 tourney to grab the NLC’s final state berth.

After playing a somewhat-tight first two quarters, Palmer used a 25-6 third-quarter run to secure the win.

“Coach really got after us to step up the intensity,” Draughon said.

Draughon scored four of his game-high 14 points early in the third as the Moose exploded on a 13-0 run.

At points during the game, Palmer moved the ball at will in its offensive zone.

“We’re looking for each other now,” Draughon said.

The movement opened up space for the Moose shooters and freed lanes for the Palmer players cutting to the basket.

Senior T.J. Fullmer got open looks behind the arc, and finished with 11 points.

Senior Gabe Gatto found the backdoor lane regularly open, and scored nine points.

Gatto also hit one of Palmer’s seven three-pointers in the win.

Junior Bryce Jacobson also scored nine points for Palmer.

Senior Chad Hatten led the Panthers with 13 points, but the versatile guard did all of his damage in the first half.

After Hatten scored 13 of Skyview’s 27 first-half points, Draughon said there was certainly an emphasis on stopping Hatten.

“We focused more on the guards,” Draughon said.

MOOSE 64, PANTHERS 39

NLC consolation quarterfinals

Friday, Palmer High School

Palmer 21 9 25 9 — 64

Skyview 19 8 6 6 — 39

PALMER (64) — Draughon 6 0-0 14, Gatto 4 0-0 9, Fullmer 4 0-0 11, Hillis 3 0-1 7, Bohman 0 1-2 1, bergeron 0 1-3 1, Odom 3 0-0 6, Jacobson 3 3-6 9. Totals: 25 7-14 64.

SKYVIEW (39) — Thornton 1 0-0 2, west 3 2-3 8, Hatten 6 0-0 13, Schadle 1 0-0 2, Havey 3 1-2 8, Shirnberg 2 2-2 6. Totals: 16 5-7 39.

Three-point field goals: Palmer 7 (Fullmer 3, Draughon 2, Gatto), Skyview 2 (Hatten, Havey). Total fouls — Palmer 12, Skyview 14. Fouled out — Thornton.