Redington boys score first region tourney win

PALMER — After a Southcentral Conference Championhips first-round loss to Homer on Thursday, Redington head coach Tony Brooke had a message for his boys.

“I told them I’m going to be here regardless on Saturday. I’d rather be here playing basketball, rather than watching,” Brooke said.

Thanks to a win on Friday, the Huskies won’t be watching.

Redington scored a 49-30 win over rival Houston in an elimination game on the second day of the Southcentral Conference Championships Friday afternoon at Colony High School. The win marked the first region tourney win for the Redington boys.

“It’s something we’ve never been able to do,” Brooke said.

Brody Brooks scored 13 for the Huskies during the win. Jaiden Straughn and Bristin Conaway added 11 each.

Homer gets by Huskies

In two regular season losses to Homer, Redington’s struggles began in the second quarter. Thursday, Homer led by only three possessions when the teams started the second quarter. And then the Mariners found another gear.

Third-seeded Homer capped the game on a 24-4 run and stormed to a 54-25 win over the Huskies during the Southcentral Conference Championships quarterfinals Thursday afternoon at Colony High School in Palmer.

“We kept it close at half, kept it close for part of that third quarter, but it’s that pace of an experienced team coming at you,” Redington head coach Tony Brooke said of Homer’s late push after the loss.

Redington junior Brody Brooks used a rebound and putback with about three minutes left in the third to cut Homer’s lead to 30-21. But the Mariners immediately responded with a Jordan Beachy three-pointer. Homer knocked another three, and ended the third on a 7-0 run.

“We cut it to nine. Then it was back to 12, and 15, and then it went from there,” Brooke said.

Homer hit eight three-pointers in the win. Kolby Ertzweiler hit 5 of 8 three-point attempts, and scored a game-best 17 points. The Mariners shot 44 percent from the field, compared to Redington’s 27 percent.

“They were hot. We were cold as ice,” Brooke said.

Only three Redington players scored in the game. Bristin Conaway hit a pair of threes and scored a team-high 12. Brooks added 10 and Tolupo Faliniko added three points.

“When that happens, you can’t beat a good team like that,” Brooke said.

Brooke said he was happy with the way his team played on defense.

“If you told me before the game we would hold them to 54, I would have said we have a chance to win. If you would have told me we would only score 25, I wouldn’t have believed you,” Brooke said.

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

Redington 49, Houston 30

Southcental Conference Championships

Friday, Colony High School

Redington 11-20-11-7—49

Houston 5-17-4-4—30

Redington (49) — Straughn 5 1-2 11, Elliott 3 0-0 8, Amirault 3 0-0 6, Brooks 4 5-9 13, Conaway 4 0-0 11; Totals: 19 6-11 49.

Houston (30) — Wyrick 1 0-0 3, Sesiu 1 0-0 3, G. Mulhaney 3 0-0 6, O. Mulhaney 1 0-0 2, Graham 1 0-0 2, Ritter 3 3-6 12; Totals: 10 5-8 30.

3-point field goals: Redington 5 (Conaway 3), Houston 5 (Ritter 3); Total fouls: Redington 9, Houston 14.