Wasilla girls beat Mountain City, jump to top spot in state standings

The Wasilla Warriors are back on top in Alaska’s 4A girls ranks.

Wasilla used a 60-44 victory over Mountain City Christian School in Anchorage Tuesday night to leap the Lions and grab first in the RPI, the system ASAA uses to rank its 3A and 4A basketball teams.

MCC had been ranked No. 1 prior to the meeting.

Wasilla also now stands alone at the top of the Northern Lights Conference standings at 8-1, followed by MCC at 7-2 and Colony at 5-2. The Warriors cap their regular season Thursday at Palmer, and host the NLC tourney March 6-8.

After trailing early on the road, Wasilla surged ahead with a big second half. The Warriors scored 40 points during the final two quarters after trailing 26-19 at halftime.

Wasilla had tied the game at 16 midway through the second, but the Lions closed the first half on a 10-3 run.

Kinley Lynch led the Warriors with 18 points in the game. The guard hit a pair of big threes in the third, one that gave Wasila a 32-31 advantage and another that pushed the lead to 37-34.

Savannah Kroon knocked down a three to give Wasilla a 10-point lead in the fourth. Mielee Merchant also hit a long shot late.

Kroon added 13 in the win. Katie Jackson scored all 10 of her points in the second quarter. Claire Bredberg added nine.

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