Thursday hoops: Moose, Warriors boys win

PALMER — The Palmer offense finally got rolling in the second half. But the Moose defense was smothering throughout.

Palmer used 39 second-half points to cruise to a 66-11 nonconference win over North Pole during the first day of the Palmer Elks Showdown, Thursday at Palmer High School.

Senior Clayton Southwick scored half of his game-high 24 points in the third, posting 12 of his team’s 19 points during the quarter. Isaac Atkins added seven of his 11 during the final quarter as Palmer capped the game with a 21-0 run in the fourth.

North Pole didn’t record its first field goal until Zach Christman hit a short baseline jumper with just nine seconds left in the opening quarter. Palmer held the Patriots to only five field goals in the game. Three came during North Pole’s six-point third quarter. Palmer led 22-5 at the intermission.

In girls’ action, defending 3A state champion Anchorage Christian raced to a 86-45 win over host Palmer.

The Moose kept it close early. Abrianna Busbey hit her third three-pointer of the night with 6:35 left in the second quarter to cut the ACS lead to 25-23. But the Lions followed with a 26-6 run to close the half.

ACS also opened the second half with a 12-point run. Catherine Uschmann hit a three-pointer with 3:50 left in the third to provide Palmer’s first points of the second half.

Busbey led Palmer with a dozen in the loss. Kassidy Bowman added 11 and Julia Benshelter chipped in 10. Busbey and Bowman combined for 21 of Palmer’s 29 first-half points.

In other action at Palmer Thursday, the ACS boys beat Service 83-42 and the Ketchikan girls beat North Pole 47-28.

The three-day round robin tournament continues Friday with Palmer hosting the North Pole girls at 6 p.m. and the Palmer boys meeting ACS at 7:45 p.m. The Ketchikan girls also meet ACS at 2:30 p.m. and the Service and North Pole boys play at 4:15 p.m.

Warriors open South tourney with win

Wasilla opened the O’Brady’s Invitational with a 67-42 win over West Valley Thursday afternoon at South Anchorage High School.

The Warriors used a 15-3 first-quarter run to move into the semifinals, where Wasilla will meet Chugiak Friday at 6:45 p.m. at South. The Mustangs bounced Lathrop in the first round.

Aeron Milliron notched a double-double in the win, with game-high 18 points and 10 rebounds. Reilly Devine added a game-best 12 rebounds to his eight points. Luke Devine chipped in nine points and seven rebounds.

Host Bulldogs sweep Huskies

The host Nikiski Bulldogs swept a pair of games against Redington during the first day of the Nikiski Tip-Off Thursday in Nikiski.

Nikiski needed a 22-8 fourth-quarter run to cap a 56-38 win over the Redington boys. The Huskies led 14-13 after the first quarter. Brody Brooks and Jaycob Elliott led Redington with 15 points each. Reid Kornstad hit six three-pointers and scored a game-best 36 for Nikiski.

The Nikiski girls enjoyed a big first quarter, outscoring Redington 20-5 during the first eight minutes, and earned a 53-23 victory over the Huskies.

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

Palmer boys 66, North Pole 11

Palmer Elks Showdown

Thursday, Palmer High School

North Pole 3-2-6-0—11

Palmer 10-12-19-20—66

North Pole (11) — Garcia 3 1-2 7, Christman 1 0-0 2, Borba 1 0-0 2; Totals: 5 1-2 11.

Palmer (66) — Atkins 5 1-1 11, Osiensky 1 0-0 2, Titus 2 0-0 5, Hawkins 3 0-0 6, Rankin 3 0-0 6, Southwick 11 2-5 24, Oviok 1 0-0 2, Helm 2 0-0 5; Totals: 28 3-6 66.

3-point field goals: North Pole 0, Palmer 2 (Titus, Helm 1); Total fouls: North Pole 5, Palmer 9

Anchorage Christian girls 86, Palmer 45

Palmer Elks Showdown

Thursday, Palmer High School

ACS 23-28-17-18—86

Palmer 18-11-7-9—45

Palmer (45) — Busbey 4 1-2 12, Uschmann 1 1-2 4, Bowman 3 4-4 11, J. Benshetler 5 0-0 10, Sutton 1 0-0 2, Alley 2 0-0 4; Totals: 16 6-8 45.

ACS (86) — Parks 6 2-3 14, Davis 5 0-0 15, Reimers 11 2-3 25, Powell 1 0-4 2, Pickard 3 0-0 7, Carr 2 5-6 11, Todd 3 5-7 12; Totals: 31 14-23 86.

3-point field goals: ACS 6 (Davis 5), Palmer 5 (Busbey 3); Total fouls: ACS 9, Palmer 16.

Wasilla boys 67, West Valley 42

O’Brady’s Invitational

Thursday, South Anchorage High School

Wasilla 15-16-16-20—67

West Valley 3-12-7-20—42.

Wasilla (67) — Knight 2 5-6 10, Houck 6 2-5 14, Headdings 1 1-2 4, R. Devine 4 0-0 8, Kauffman 2 0-0 4, Milliron 7 4-6 18, L. Devine 3 2-2 9; Totals: 25 14-21 67.

West Valley (42) — Fields-Colbert 2 0-0 4, Mingo 3 0-2 7, Peter 2 0-1 5, Erhart 4 4-6 14, Gallahorn 2 0-0 2, Do 2 2-2 8; Totals: 14 8-15 42.

3-point field goals: West Valley 6 (Erhart, Do 2, Wasilla 3 (3 tied with 1); Total fouls: West Valley 18, Wasilla 17.

Nikiski girls 53, Redington 23

Nikiski Tip-Off

Thursday, Nikiski

Redington 5-3-5-10—23

Nikiski 20-11-8-14—53

Redington (23) — Koozaata 2 0-0 5, Crockett 3 0-0 8, Aparezuk 1 0-0 2, Fuller 2 3-7 8; Totals: 8 3-7 23.

Nikiski (53) — Jeffreys 1 0-0 2, Wik 3 0-2 6, L. Carstens 2 1-2 5, Bostic 1 0-0 2, Johnson 4 0-0 8, B. Carstens 5 5-6 16, Druesdow 2 0-0 4, Jackson 5 0-0 10; Totals: 23 6-10 53.

3-point field goals: Redington 4 (Crockett 2), Nikiski 1 (B. Carstens 1); Total fouls: Redington 8, Nikiski 8.

Nikiski boys 56, Redington 38

Nikiski Tip-Off

Thursday, Nikiski

Redington 14-7-9-8—38

Nikiski 13-13-8-22—56

Redington (38) — Elliott 4 5-7 15, Amirault 0 0-1 0, Brooks 6 3-6 15, Conaway 2 0-0 4, Norris 2 0-1 4; Totals: 14 8-15 38.

Nikiski (56) — Johnson 1 0-0 2, Ellis 0 1-2 1, Kornstad 15 0-1 36, T. Litke 2 0-0 5, Handley 2 0-0 5, N. Litke 3 0-0 7; Totals: 23 1-3 56.

3-point field goals: Redington 2 (Elliott 2), Nikiski 9 (Kornstad 6); Total fouls: Redington 8, Nikiski 15.