State basketball: Knights open with win; Wasilla girls, Palmer boys fall

ANCHORAGE — As the Colony Knights sat in the stands Thursday morning they watched the fifth-seeded Soldotna Stars slip past fourth-seeded West Anchorage. And then the Knights saw eighth-seeded Ketchikan stun top-seeded East Anchorage.

All of that happened long before the second-seeded Knights stepped on to the floor, and Colony used a big third quarter to ensure the Knights were not the third 4A boys team of the day to fall in an upset. The Knights scored 20 in the third, and earned a 61-44 win over seventh-seeded West Valley during the opening day of the ASAA/First National Bank 4A State Basketball Championships Thursday evening at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

Colony senior Sullivan Menard said seeing the first and fourth seeds fall early in the day was a reminder that seeding doesn’t guarantee anything.

“This is March, you don’t know what’s going to happen,” Menard said after the win. “Higher seeds don’t always win.”

The Knights know that better than anyone this season.

“We had our reminder last week,” Menard said, referring to Colony’s loss to Palmer in the Northern Lights Conference semifinals earlier this month.

Colony head coach Tom Berg said it’s all part of a conversation that all teams have.

“There’s a reason why these teams are here,” Berg said. “It doesn’t matter what seed they are.”

West Valley, the Mid-Alaska Conference champs, tested Colony early. The Knights led by three after the first quarter and seven at halftime.

Colony stretched its lead with a 20-8 third-quarter run. Menard said Colony’s play on defense was the key to its third quarter.

“We played together and played with energy, and everyone feeds off that,” Menard said.

Menard said losing to Palmer, despite holding the top seed in the NLC tournament, created added for motivation for the Knights, a squad seen as one of the best in the state throughout the season.

“It was just a wake up for us. Hey, we’re a good team, but it doesn’t mean we’re so amazing we can’t lose to anyone,” Menard said. “It definitely lit a fire inside us. We’re playing more as a team now.”

Colony also used a big night behind the arc to push its way into the semifinals. The Knights shot 50 percent, 8 of 16, from three-point range. Colton Spencer was 4 of 8 from three. Even Colony’s post, Wyatt Baker got into the action, knocking down a pair of threes in the first half.

Menard was one of four Knights in double digits, scoring a team-high 16. Spencer and Jeremiah Hersrud added a dozen each. Baker chipped in 10. Hersrud enjoyed an all-around stellar night on the floor. He finished with seven of Colony’s nine assists. He also hit five of his six field goal attempts.

With the win, Colony moves forward and will face Dimond Friday at 8 p.m. in the semifinals. It will be the third meeting of the season. Colony beat Dimond in the Doc Larson Roundball Classic championship game in December. Dimond edged the Knights in the Cactus Jam championship game in Arizona later that month. Colony, which finished fourth last year, is in the state semifinals for the first time since 2015.

Bartlett girls edge Wasilla

For the first time since 2015, the Wasilla Warriors will not play in the 4A girls state championship game.

Third-seeded Bartlett held on to edge Wasilla 52-48 during the 4A girls quarterfinals Friday in Anchorage.

Wasilla senior standout Olivia Davies ripped the ball away from a Bartlett player in the backcourt and used the steal and layup to cut Bartlett’s lead to 49-48 with 57 seconds left to play, but the Bears held the Warriors scoreless for the remainder of the game and came away with the win.

Bartlett, the CIC runner-up, jumped out to an early 7-1 lead and never trailed. Wasilla tied the game at three different points in the loss, but was never able to provide the go-ahead bucket.

Davies led Wasilla with 16 points in the loss. Freshman Bella Hays notched a double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Diondra Lawhead added 10 points.

Wasilla will play second-seeded West Valley in the consolation semifinals Friday at 9:30 a.m. Seventh-seeded Chugiak upset West Valley in the quarterfinals.

Dimond gets by Palmer

Third-seeded Dimond got past Palmer, but the Moose didn’t make it easy.

Dimond moved forward with a 55-46 win over sixth-seeded Palmer in the 4A boys nightcap Thursday in Anchorage.

Palmer used 16 points in the fourth quarter to make things interesting against the Lynx, the 2017 state champion and 2018 runner-up.

Palmer’s Ronny Marshall posted game-highs with 20 points and seven rebounds. Jacob Titus hit a pair of threes and added 12.

Isaiah Moses led Dimond with 16, netting half his points from the free throw line. Evan Hoosier chipped in 13 points and seven rebounds.

Palmer will play West Valley Friday at 12:30 p.m. in the consolation semifinals.

Contact Frontiersman managing editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.