Warriors’ queen leads Wasilla over Kings

ANCHORAGE — It wasn’t a championship, but Wasilla’s 60-54 win over Ketchikan in the third-place game left the Warriors all smiles.

“I think we definitely exceeded our expectations,” Wasilla head coach Jeannie Hebert-Truax said following Saturday morning’s vicotry at Sullivan Arena in Anchorage.

With a supporting cast of young role players surrounding superstar Jenna Johnson — the team’s lone senior — the Warriors were able to hold off a feisty Kings squad that narrowly missed reaching the finals after a controversial loss Friday night to Chugiak.

Johnson led the way for the Warriors with 28 points and 10 rebounds, while Kelsey Cottle added 10 points and eight boards, Jillian Troisi chipped-in eight points and Carlee Naczi added six on a pair of three-point baskets.

“We got everybody involved,” Hebert-Truax said.

Laci Effenberger led Ketchikan with 17 points one night after seeing her apparent game-tying three in the final seconds against the Mustangs waved off after officials ruled an off-ball foul was committed before the shot attempt. Effenberger hit a couple threes early, but the Kings’ gunner was held in check on just 3-of-13 shooting from behind the three-point line in the game.

“When it came to the end of the ballgame, I thought we did a great job on her,” Hebert-Truax said.

Effenberger nailed a deep three pointer from the top of the key to end the first quarter with the Kings holding a 13-9 advantage. Ketchikan used its press to create several early turnovers in the young Wasilla back court, which included sophomores Leisl Brown, Hilary Apangalook and Ashlynn Frizzelle along with juniors Naczi and Skyler Nuss.

The Kings pushed their lead to 23-14 in the second quarter before Wasilla went on a tear, getting 11 straight points on the strength of a basket by Troisi and back-to-back three-pointers by Johnson and Naczi that put Wasilla up 25-23 with under a minute to go in the half.

Effenberger ended the Wasilla run with a step-back trey to put the Kings up by a point as the teams headed for the locker room.

The Warriors stayed hot from outside in the third as Naczi, Johnson and Apangalook each hit three-pointers to help the Warriors take a 48-46 lead after a back-and-forth third quarter.

Neither team gave way in the fourth, swapping leads midway through before Wasilla took the lead for good on a Johnson jumper in the lane with 3:39 left to play. Ketchikan struggled to get open looks as the seconds ticked away and Wasilla increased its defensive intensity.

“We worked hard and played as a team,” Johnson said following the game, which featured five ties and 11 lead changes.

Nuss hit two free throws with less than a minute to go to ice the game. The win was a bittersweet one for Wasilla players, coaches and fans who have become accustomed to following Johnson’s blonde ponytail to victory over the past four seasons. A two-time all-state selection — and a shoe-in again this season — Johnson averaged 25 points and seven rebounds in her final state tournament appearance. The senior was part of three third-place Wasilla teams in her career, won two Northern Lights Conference titles and helped lead the Warriors to the state championship in 2007.

Now bound for Division I Utah State, Johnson said it will be tough to leave the red and white behind, but is looking forward to new challenges ahead.

“Of course I’m sad, but I can’t wait for my future,” she said after receiving congratulatory hugs from seemingly everyone involved in Saturday’s game but the officials.

The biggest hug of all came from her coach, who Johnson was quick to credit with her development as a basketball star.

“Oh my gosh, that’s probably the worst part,” Johnson said. “She’s been my idol, my go-to coach. I love her to pieces.”

Making the loss a bit easier for Wasilla to take is the fact that the Warriors will return next season with a talented group of young players with state tournament experience.

“The kids are going to have to learn that they’ve got to do some scoring,” Hebert-Truax said. “They did a little bit better at the end of the season, and we’ve got to keep building on that.”

As for her team’s leader, Hebert-Truax said she’s excited at the prospect of watching Johnson continue to further her career at the college level.

“Obviously, it would be nice to have her back next year, but she’s got a great future ahead of her.”

Wasilla 60, Ketchikan 54

ASAA 4A third-place game

Saturday, Sullivan Arena

Wasilla 9 16 23 12 — 60

Ketchikan 13 13 20 8 — 54

WASILLA (60) – Frizzelle 1 1-2 3, Apangalook 1 0-0 3, Nuss 0 2-2 2, Naczi

2 0-2 6, Johnson 10 6-8 28, Troisi 4 0-0 8, Cottle 5 0-1 10. Totals – 23

9-15 60.

KETCHIKAN (54) – Patton 4 0-0 9, Effenberger 6 2-2 17, Doherty 0 1-3 1,

Edwardson 6 2-4 15, Reno 2 0-0 4, Blair 4 0-0 8. Totals – 22 5-9 54.

Three-point field goals – Wasilla 5 (Johnson 2, Naczi 2, Apangalook),

Ketchikan 5 (Effenberger 3, Patton, Edwardson). Total fouls – Wasilla 12,

Ketchikan 18. Foueld out – none.