Semifinals: Kenai boys 59, Wasilla 47; FINAL

PALMER — The Kenai Central Kardinals advanced to the 2008 Northern Lights Conference final with a 59-47 win over the defending conference and state champion Wasilla Warriors in the NLC semifinals at Palmer High School on Friday.

The Kards move on to face Colony at 8:15 p.m on Saturday. Wasilla is pushed back into the consolation bracket and will face Soldotna at 10:45 a.m. Saturday at Colony High School. With a win over the Stars, Wasilla can get into the NLC third-place game and play for the conference's third bid at state. Kenai and Colony are already in the state tournament by advancing to the NLC title game.

Cory Toombs scored a game-high 19 for the Kards, while Tyler Johannes led Wasilla with 10.

Though Kenai entered the game as the top seed from the North Division, the Kardinals were embarassed in their last meeting with the Warriors, an 89-60 Wasilla blowout.

Early in Friday's game, Wasilla looked to be heading toward another easy win. Wasilla opened the second quarter on a three-pointer by Adrese LaVern to take a 19-10 lead. But instead of pulling further and further ahead, Wasilla was unable to shake the Kardinals loose this time around.

Kenai's Nate Saltzgiver hit a three-pointer with 15 seconds left in the second half to give the Kards the 28-27 halftime lead on the strength of an 18-8 run to finish the quarter.

Kenai's momentum continued into the second half, as the Kardinals built a 46-35 lead heading into the fourth. Kenai led by as many as 13 points down the stretch, and Wasilla was never able to pull any closer than eight points back in the fourth.

Wasilla was hampered by foul trouble all game long. The Warriors lost Dexter Pearce — who scored 30 points in the first game with Kenai — midway through the fourth quarter after getting just five points from the senior guard.

Shortly afterward, Johannes picked up his fifth foul as well, leaving the Warriors to finish the game without two of their top offensive players.

KARDINALS 59, WARRIORS 47

Kenai 10 18 18 13 — 59

Wasilla 16 11 8 12 — 47

KENAI (59) — Saltzgiver 1 6-6 9, Byrd 6 2-4 15, Toombs 6 4-8 19, Beeson 2 0-0 4, Lazaro 1 0-0 2, Gustkey 3 3-4 10. Totals: 19 15-22 59.

WASILLA (47) — Gray 1 0-0 2, Kroon 0 2-2 2, Sliwa 2 0-0 5, LaVern 4 0-0 9, Pearce 1 3-3 5, Johannes 5 0-0 10, Flowers 3 0-0 7, Knowles 1 0-0 2. Totals: 19 5-5 47.

Three-point field goals — Kenai 6 (Toombs 3, Saltzgiver, Byrd, Gustkey), Wasilla 4 (LaVern, Pearce, Flowers, Green). Total fouls — Kenai 12, Wasilla 19. Technical fouls — Wasilla 2 (Pearce, Coach Engebretsen). Fouled out — Johannes, Pearce, Byrd.