Warrior girls cruise to title

WASILLA — It was almost like West Valley head coach Steve Ciciari was daring her to do it.

Daring Jenna Ford to beat the Wolfpack.

Opting to clamp his defense down on Wasilla’s top offensive weapons, Ciciari left Ford virtually wide open early. But the Wasilla senior point guard knocked down three long jump shots, forcing the Wolfpack to spread out the defensive pressure.

And that led to a landslide victory for the Warriors.

Ford scored all six of her points during Wasilla’s 24-point first quarter, and Wasilla coasted to a 71-36 win over the Wolfpack to win the girls’ team title of Doc Larson’s Roundball Classic at Wasilla High School Saturday.

“It was a good strategy,” Wasilla head coach Jeannie Hebert-Truax said of West Valley’s defensive game plan early. “Jenna did a great job stepping up and hitting them.”

After Ford had success hitting her long jump shots, West Valley fell back into a more typical defensive approach, and Wasilla capitalized. Senior Alexis Imoe scored eight of her 20 points in the first quarter and Kyla Dinkel chipped in seven of her game-high 24 in the first.

Dinkel, a 6-foot-1 forward, even pumped in a three-pointer in the first quarter.

“They had to adjust their defense and we had other things come open,” Hebert-Truax said.

Dinkel, who was named the tournament’s most valuable player, finished with 24 points and 14 rebounds in the win.

“I think she had a great tournament. She was scoring, getting lots of rebounds,” Hebert-Truax said of Dinkel, who scored 20 during a 71-34 win over Century (Ore.) on Friday and 23 in a 56-24 victory over Chugiak on Day 1 of the tournament.

Wasilla outscored its opponents 198-94 during the three-day tourney. Defensive pressure, led by senior guard Alysha Devine, was key throughout the tourney.

“We pretty much didn’t give them time to breathe,” Hebert-Truax said. “We’re in pretty good shape and condition, ready to go after anybody.”

Devine and Imoe were also named all-tourney for Warriors.

Wasilla 71, West Valley 36

Saturday, Wasilla High

West Valley 9-7-9-11—36

Wasilla 24-14-14-19—71

West Valley (36) — Franz 1 0-0 2, Brice 3 4-4 10, Mattson 2 7-8 11, Marques 2 0-0 5, Bourne 1 0-0 3, Ashmore 1 3-4 5; Totals: 10 14-16 36.

Wasilla (71) — Ford 3 0-0 6, Imoe 5 8-12 20, Devine 5 2-2 12, Toews 2 1-2 5, Dinkel 8 7-7 24, Burke 1 2-4 4; Totals: 24 20-28 71.

Wasilla 71, Century (Ore.) 34

Friday, Wasilla High

Century 6-8-12-8—34

Wasilla 24-13-21-13—71

Century (34) — Casteneda 4 1-2 11, Kernfield 0 1-2 1, Atma 1 0-0 3, Weber 2 0-0 5, Bevandich 1 0-0 2, Nakano 1 4-6 6, Eillis 3 0-0 6; Totals: 12 4-14 34.

Wasilla (71) — Ford 1 0-0 2, K. Devine 2 0-0 4, Imoe 2 4-4 8, Devine 10 1-4 22, Toews 3 1-2 7, Hutchins 1 0-0 2, Dinkle 7 6-6 20, Burke 3 0-0 6; Totals: 29 12-16 71.