Teams expect tough road to tournament title game

MAT-SU — Every year, Jeff Bowker tells his squad the same thing. The focus is on two days per season, and this year it’s March 7 and March 21.

The Northern Lights Conference championship game is on March 7 and the 4A state title game is slated for March 21.

“We’re all about March 7 and 21,” the Colony head coach said recently. “Those are the only two games we want to play in, and in the night games, and not the morning games. That’s always our goal.”

This week, Colony will have the chance to achieve the first part of his goals when eight teams hit the court at Kodiak High School for the 2009 NLC Championships basketball tournament, which starts on Thursday in Kodiak.

Bowker’s Knights used a 62-60 over Soldotna to clinch the top seed in the NLC North Division, but to get through to the title game and earn on of the conference’s three state tournament berths, Bowker knows the Knights will have to battle.

“There are a bunch of good teams that are evenly matched this year,” Bowker said. “This is one of those years, you could have no upsets and good teams are going home.”

Colony finished 8-2 in conference play, and sports the second-best mark in the NLC this season. Only Soldotna (9-1) had a better record this year.

Palmer and Wasilla finished the year tied at 7-3.

Colony opens with the fourth seed from the South, Skyview (0-10), in the first round. Wasilla and Kenai are also on that side of the bracket.

Palmer is the No. 2 seed in the NLC, and will face the South’s third seed, Homer (3-7) in the first round.

A coin flip was needed to break the tie between Palmer and Wasilla in the NLC standings. The Valley foes split a regular-season series, and the teams had an even record against common 4A opponents outside the NLC.

Also on Palmer’s side of the bracket is Soldotna and the North’s fourth seed, Kodiak (2-8).

Valley teams will be looking for the Mat-Su sweep for the second time in three years. In 2007, Valley teams claimed the conference’s three state berths. Wasilla edged Colony in the title game that season, and Palmer finished in a tie for seventh.

Colony is eyeing its fifth straight trip to the state tournament, while Palmer is looking for its third straight berth.

Wasilla missed the tourney last year for the first time since 2001.

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