Senior leads Colony boys into semifinals

ANCHORAGE — There’s been no shortage of options on the offensive side of the floor for the Colony Knights this season, particularly at the guard position.

On some days senior Hunter Eisenhower, a three-time all-conference guard, is doing the damage. On other nights it’s junior Damien Fulp, the defending Northern Lights Conference Player of the Year.

Thursday, it was Joe Gray’s turn.

The senior scored 23 points to lead the No. 2 seed Knights to a 60-56 win over seventh-seeded Thunder Mountain during the opening round of the ASAA/First National Bank 4A State Basketball Championships at the Sullivan Arena in Anchorage.

“I feel like we’re one of those teams where you kind of have to pick your poison,” Colony head coach Tom Berg said after the win. “Tonight they focused on Hunter and Damien.”

With the pressure on the other guards, Gray delivered with four three-pointers, including a pair of pivotal long shots in the second half.

“If you’re going to take Hunter away, which I think they did a little bit, put pressure on Damien, which I think they did, you’re going to leave Joe Gray, Nathan Umbarger and Antonio Bush open,” Berg said. “The three of those had really big buckets in that fourth quarter stretch. That’s the kind of team we are. That’s who we are.”

Gray was 4 of 5 from behind the arc to help Colony get past the upset-minded Falcons and move into the semifinals, where they will face third-seeded East Anchorage Friday at 8:45 p.m. at the Sullivan.

Gray hit big three-pointers late in the third and early in the fourth. With the Knights trailing during the final seconds of the third quarter, Gray knocked down a three-pointer to give Colony the 39-37 advantage heading into the fourth quarter. Gray hit a three-pointer early in the fourth to give the Knights a five-point advantage.

“He’s a stud. I love all of our guys, but tonight was about Joe Gray getting open,” Berg said.

Fulp, who added 11 points in the win, said he could feel the defensive pressure.

“They were face-guarding us all the way up the court,” Fulp said, before praising the work of his teammate. “Joe Gray was on fire. He really pushed us, got us going in the second half.”

Fulp said knowing his team has multiple options offensively helped the Knights rebound from Thunder Mountain’s 21-point second quarter.

“Anyone on our team can score,” Fulp said. “Take one of us away, and another guy’s going to go off.”

The Knights also had to survive Thunder Mountain’s 19-point fourth. The Falcons hit only one three-pointer during the first three quarters, but drained six three-pointers during the fourth quarter and four in the final 1:21 of regulation.

“They’re a good basketball team,” Berg said of the Falcons. “They certainly deserve to be here. They gave us a run.”

Colony was once again stellar at the free throw line and used the extra points at the stripe to stay ahead. The Knights were 20 of 23 from the line in the game, and 11 of 13 in the fourth quarter.

“We’re good enough shooters to make free throws down the stretch,” Fulp said. “We felt like if we get to the free throw line late, we would be able to stretch the lead.”

Gray finished the game 9 for 9 at the line, while Fulp was 6 of 7. Tanner Menard also hit a late free throw to answer a Thunder Mountain three, and give Colony a two-possession lead.

Heading into the tournament, the Knights have spent their time since the conference tournament preparing for a virtual unknown. Thunder Mountain was one of the few 4A teams Colony didn’t play during the regular season, and the Juneau-area program spent most of the second half of the season playing its games in Southeast Alaska.

“We were lucky enough this year to play almost all of the 4A teams,” Berg said. “You get nervous because you don’t know what you’re going to see.”

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

Colony 60,

Thunder Mountain 56

ASAA 4A boys quarterfinals

Thursday, Sullivan Arena

Thunder Mountain 7-21-9-19—56

Colony 12-1710-21—60

Thunder Mountain (56) — J. Tupou 3 0-2 6, Seymour 5 6-6 19, Calloway 1 0-0 2, Grussendorf 2 0-0 6, S. Jahn 6 1-4 13, B. Jahn 3 2-4 10; Totals: 20 9-16 56.

Colony (60) — Compton 3 0-0 6, Gray 5 9-9 23, Fulp 2 6-7 11, Menard 0 1-2 1, Umbarger 1 0-0 2, Bush 2 0-0 4, Eisenhower 4 4-5 13; Totals: 17 20-23 60.

Three-point field goals: Colony 6 (Gray 4), Thunder Mountain 7 (Seymour 3); Total fouls: Colony 11, Thunder Mountain 18.