Post stands in way of Knights

WASILLA — The Colony Knights found themselves in early foul trouble Saturday. Colony continued to attack to the basket, but always seemed to run into the 6-foot-8 wall known as Wasilla forward Connor Devine.

Devine scored 12 points and consistently drew fouls to help Wasilla post a 62-51 win over the Knights at Wasilla High School.

“Connor changes a lot of shots in the key,” Colony head coach Tom Berg said.

Colony finished with 25 team fouls and four starters fouled out in the game. Each seemed to do their best to get past Wasilla’s long-armed post, but Devine continued to stand his ground.

“I give Connor a ton of credit,” Wasilla head coach Ryan Engrebretsen said of Devine, who is averaging double-digit rebounds and more than six blocked shots per game this season. “He’s terrific. He can guard from behind, front, he can do whatever we require. He takes a lot of charges, his feet are always set. He just changes so many shots.”

Devine also scored 12 points in the win, and even hit one of Wasilla’s four first-quarter three-pointers. The long shots helped Wasilla build an early 18-10 lead in the game.

Seniors Joel Quenga and Wade Stahle and junior Braydon Kuiper also hit early three-pointers in the game.

“Those experienced guards, they came to play tonight,” Berg said of the Warriors. “But part of that was (our) scheme, and that was my fault. I’ll take the blame for that. I didn’t have my guys ready to play early.”

Stahle also benefited from some of those Colony fouls. The senior was 10-for-10 from the free-throw line in the first half, and hit 13 of 14 in the game. He finished with a game-high 21 points.

Colony was forced to play much of the first half without a pair of its starting guards, Blake Niver and Tim Smith, who were in early foul trouble. With the foul trouble, Berg had to hit his bench early. Berg said the younger talent played well, but some inexperience did show.

“I love my guys, but for the young guys to play those extended minutes, it’s tough to chew away (at their lead),” Berg said.

Berg said he was happy with his team’s effort, especially in a fourth quarter in which the Knights scored 19 points.

“I thought we did better in the second half, we were competing, making a few shots,” Berg said. “But we’ve got to execute for 32 minutes.”

Hunter Eisenhower led the Knights with 16 points in the game. Three different Colony players added six.

Quenga, Kuiper and Dillon Ferro each chipped in nine for Wasilla.

Wasilla 62, Colony 51

Saturday, Wasilla High School

Colony 10-10-12-19—51

Wasilla 18-18-10-16—62

Colony (51) — Niver 2 0-0 4, Smith 1 0-0 2, McCann 2 2-3 6, Campbell 2 2-2 6, Enloe 1 0-0 2, Eisenhower 5 4-4 16, Michaelson 1 0-0 2, DePriest 3 0-1 6, Umbarger 1 2-2 4, No. 32 1 0-0 3; Totals: 19 10-11 51.

Wasilla (62) — Schierman 0 2-2 2, Quenga 2 4-6 9, Ferro 2 5-8 9, Kuiper 3 2-2 9, Stahle 3 13-14 21, Devine 5 1-3 12; Totals: 15 27-35 62.

Three-point field goals: Colony 3 (Eisenhower 2), Wasilla 4 (4 with 1); Total fouls: Colony 28, Wasilla 13; Fouled out: Colony- Niver, Smith, McCann, Eisenhower.