Ready for a rematch

ANCHORAGE — Wasilla used a 15-2 run to start the third quarter to turn a tight game with Grace Christian into a 62-49 rout Thursday in the first round of the Alaska Prep Shootout at Dimond High School in Anchorage.

The win set up a semifinal showdown with Colony, the team Wasilla beat to win last season’s Class 4A state title.

“It’s a rivalry game, so it should be fun,” Wasilla junior guard Adrese LaVern said following the Grace victory.

LaVern led all scorers with 22 points, and was 6-for-13 from behind the three-point line. Sixteen of his points came in the second half as the Warriors raced out of the locker room to put the Grizzlies away.

“I told them at halftime that it was going to come down to the first few minutes of the third quarter,” Wasilla head coach Ryan Engebretsen said following the game.

Senior swingman Dexter Pearce added 14 points and eight rebounds for Wasilla, which also got five points and 10 boards from junior forward Jason Flowers.

Grace dominated the opening quarter, taking a 15-10 lead after eight minutes. But the Warriors opened the second on a 12-2 run to take a 28-22 lead at the half. In the third, the Warriors opened with a 15-2 run, leading by as much as 19 points before coasting to the victory.

Grace Christian guard Leif Karlberg scored 20 points for the Grizzlies, while center Kellan Moll had 12. But the Warriors were able to mostly contain Grace’s high-powered offense, holding the Grizzlies to just 36 percent shooting from the field. The Warriors also won the ball control battle, forcing Grace to commit four more turnovers on the afternoon.

Wasilla senior forward Shane Green had a solid night down low, helping out on Moll defensively while working inside for eight points and seven tough rebounds.

Wasilla and Colony will play at 6:15 p.m. tonight, with the winner advancing to Saturday’s championship game.

Wasilla 64, Grace Christian 49

Alaska Prep Shootout

Thursday, Dimond High School

Grace 15-7-7-20—49

Wasilla 10-18-19-17—64

Grace (49) — Luddington 1 0-0 3, Karlberg 7 4-5 20, Cotter 2 0-0 4, Edwards 3 0-0 6, Moll 5 1-2 12, Wolber 1 0-0 2, Visser 1 0-0 2; Totals: 20 5-7 49.

Wasilla (64) — Gray 1 0-0 2, Kroon 2 0-0 4, Sliwa 1 0-0 2, LaVern 6 4-4 22, Pearce 5 4-6 14, Johannes 2 1-2 5, Green 4 0-0 8, Flowers 1 3-6 5, Knowles 1 0-0 2; Totals: 23 12-19 64.

Three-point field goals: Grace 4 (Karlberg 2), Wasilla 6 (LaVern 6); Rebounds: Grace 31 (Moll 7), Wasilla 42 (Flowers 10).