Warriors use late defensive stand to earn region title

WASILLA — Throughout their time with the Wasilla High School boys basketball program, head coach Ryan Engebretsen and his assistants have stressed to their athletes to play their game, trust the process and never relax on defense.

Saturday, Wasilla used a key defensive stand to earn its second straight Northern Lights Conference title, and sixth in the last 11 seasons. The Warriors allowed only six fourth-quarter points as they cemented a 48-39 win over rival Colony during the final day of the Northern Lights Conference Championships at Wasilla High School.

“That’s what our main focus is,” Wasilla senior Reilly Devine said of his team’s play on defense after the win. “That’s what coach (Engebretsen) wants. That’s his mission for this program, this team. Be the best defenders on the court.”

Wasilla held Colony scoreless for nearly the first five minutes of the fourth quarter and the Knights didn’t get their first field goal of the final frame until senior Will Freeman hit a three with 1:11 left to play.

“We came in with a focus on what we needed to accomplish,” Devine said.

Engebretsen praised the work of his players, particularly on the defensive end.

“Doing what we do. That was the entire game plan once again, not paying attention to one individual element, but doing what we’ve been training to do,” Engebretsen said. “Everything we do, it’s ingrained in them. We trust them. In the fourth quarter, just proud of every one of them, one through 12.”

Wasilla and Colony were not separated by more than three points in the second half until the Warriors opened the fourth with a six-point run.

“The way the third quarter went, you felt like as soon as somebody got a two-possession separation it was going to be about ball control at that point,” Engebretsen said.

Levi Houck and Aeron Milliron had layups early on the fourth, and Milliron and Jordan Knight combined to score Wasilla’s final seven points to ice the win.

Engrebretsen said rebounding was also key for the Warriors.

“Second half was huge for us on the glass,” Engebretsen said of the Warriors, who finished with 13 offensive rebounds in the game. “Against a team that rebounds as well as they do, that’s a huge difference maker.”

Wasilla out-rebounded Colony 42-23. Devine led Wasilla with 14 rebounds.

Colony led early, opening the game with five straight points. Sullivan Menard scored seven of Colony’s first nine points of the game. Menard, Colton Spencer and Freeman each hit threes during the first quarter to give the Knights at 15-6 lead.

Wasilla went on a run of its own with 16 second-quarter points. Devine hit a long jumper right before the first-half buzzer that gave the Warriors a 22-21 advantage, their first lead of the game.

“Daniel (Headdings) made a great pass. He knew where I was,” Devine said.

Houck led Wasilla with a dozen points on 4 of 7 shooting. Headdings collected 11 points, eight rebounds and three steals. Milliron finished with nine points, five rebounds. Knight had eight points, three rebounds, three steals and three assists. Devine added eight points to his 14 boards.

Menard and Spencer finished with nine each for the Knights. Freeman added eight. Jon Pomrenke chipped in seven points and a team-high seven rebounds.

Both teams advance to the 4A state tournament, which starts March 22 at the Alaska Airlines Center in Anchorage.

Moose boys finish third

Senior Isaac Atkins scored a game-high 14 points to lead Palmer to a 32-27 win over Soldotna in the NLC third-place game Saturday.

Jared Hawkins and Clayton Southwick added seven each.

Palmer did not receive an automatic bid for the 4A state tournament, but is still alive in the race for one of the bracket’s two at-large berths. The at-large teams will be announced Sunday night.

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

Wasilla 48, Colony 39

NLC boys championship

Saturday, Wasilla High School

Colony 15-6-12-6—39

Wasilla 6-16-13-13—48

Colony (39) — Pomrenke 2 3-4 7, McMahon 1 0-0 2, Freeman 3 0-0 8, Menard 3 2-2 9, Spencer 2 2-3 9, Hersrud 0 3-4 3; Totals: 12 10-13 39.

Wasilla (48) — Knight 3 2-2 8, Houck 4 3-4 12, Headdings 4 3-4 11, Devine 2 2-2 8, Milliron 3 3-5 9; Totals: 17 6-13 48.

3-point field goals: Colony 5 (Freeman 2), Wasilla 1 (Houck 1); Total fouls: Colony 17, Wasilla 14.

Palmer 32, Soldotna 27

NLC boys third-place

Saturday, Wasilla High

Soldotna 9-5-6-7—27

Palmer 10-7-7-8—32

Soldotna (27) — Truesdell 1 1-4 3, Trammell 1 1-2 4, Spence 1 1-2 3, Sheridan 1 0-0 3, Crowder 1 0-0 2, Michael 2 0-0 4, McElroy 4 0-1 8; Totals: 11 4-8 27.

Palmer (32) — Atkins 6 1-2 14, Hawkins 3 0-0 7, Southwick 3 0-3 7, Cutright 0 2-2 2, R. Marshall 1 0-2 2; Totals:

13 3-9 32.

3-point field goals: Soldotna 1 (Sheridan 1); Total fouls: Soldotna 10